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Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition Update: October/November 2007
Contents
Updates on the Five Initiatives
Letter from the Lazyboy Chair
Kia ora koutou,
October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, provides great opportunities to get the messages across – and to celebrate the strength and courage of those who have experienced breast cancer. I have to admit, though, to a huge sigh of relief that the hectic month is behind us and we have time to take a breath!
There were several highlights during the month for BCAC. October 2007 marked the beginning of our relationship with Arnott’s, our generous sponsor. Arnott’s produced the special Tim Tam Pink biscuit to help us raise funds for BCAC, allowing us to begin the development of a My Journey Kit for New Zealand women diagnosed with breast cancer. We are extremely grateful to Arnott’s and to the wonderful April Ierimeia, who offered her time and talents to be our media spokesperson for the promotion. We also extend our sincere thanks to the those people who hosted fundraising Tim Tam Pink Tea Parties for us. I hope you and your guests all had a marvellous pink time enjoying each other’s company and supporting BCAC and this worthy project.
A milestone for many of us was the conference hosted by the Breast Cancer Network in Rotorua for those affected by breast cancer. This was a very intense weekend, full of learning, camaraderie and challenges for all. Around 470 people from all over NZ - the 
vast majority being women - attended this historic event. It was wonderful to see the collective strength of those who had experienced a breast cancer journey. Many of us felt personally empowered through meeting so many fellow travellers and there was much to learn from our expert clinicians and others who presented talks and ran workshops. The conference dinner/dance allowed us all to relax and have a bit of a wild time together. It is my hope that the recommendations of the conference will be listened to and acted on by policy and decision-makers who have the power to improve the quality and timeliness of the treatment and care we are given in this country.
The conference provided an opportunity for BCAC members to attend our AGM and set our course for the coming year. We still have vacancies on the committee, so if you think you or someone from your organisation has the passion and the time to help us in our mission of achieving world-class detection, treatment and care for all those with breast cancer in NZ, than please contact Jane on 09 4283385 or bcac@breastcancer.org.nz.
Another wonderful celebration was held on November 11th in Auck
land to launch Jane Bissell’s new book, ‘The Pink Party’ and to mark the first birthday of Sweet Louise. Jane and Sweet Louise are working together to improve communication and support among those of us who are living with secondary breast cancer, and to ensure that the best information, resources and services are available. Jane’s inspirational book offers valuable insight and reinforces Sweet Louise’s goal to help women live ‘positive lives with breast cancer’.
In the first two weeks of November, I have been heartened to see some real progress in the development of the regional cancer networks. A national Forum on the regional networks was held by the Cancer Control Council in Wellington and attended by Gillian Woods of BCN (see Gillian’s report under Regional Cancer Networks). In the Northern Region, our Network has a new manager, Maree Pierce. I enjoyed meeting and discussing consumer expectations of the Network with Maree, who has a very positive view of the value that consumer involvement can bring to all levels of the Network. I look forward to a fruitful collaboration with her and wish her all the best in her new role. BCAC Deputy Claire Ryan and I also met with Ruth Herbert who has been contracted by the Northern Network to identify issues that may arise as the planning and implementation processes begin. The Network is now seeking nominations for the position of Chair of the Regional Cancer Collaborative, a group with responsibility for “providing coordinated consensus stakeholder advice and recommendations to the Northern Cancer Network Executive Group, and participating in the development and delivery of the regional cancer control strategic plan and annual work-plans for the Northern Cancer Network in order to achieve the Network vision.” For more details of this position please contact Jane at bcac@breastcancer.org.nz .
Claire and I attended a meeting of the Breast Special Interest Group (BCSIG) of the New Zealand Association of Cancer Specialists on 8th November. BCSIG is chaired by leading oncologist Richard Isaacs from Palmerston North and I was invited to talk about BCAC and our activities. The meeting, attended by medical and radiation oncologists from around NZ as well as breast surgeon Ian Campbell from Waikato, also heard a presentation by Associate Professor Vernon Harvey on the topic of recent research results on Adjuvant Taxane Therapy for Breast Cancer. BCSIG and BCAC agreed on the importance of having an ongoing collaboration and two members of BCAC have been invited to attend future meetings.
Another great initiative has come from Denise Robbins of Cancer Voices. She has worked with the Cancer Society developing training courses to up-skill cancer consumers so they may effectively participate in health decision-making bodies such as Boards and committees.
The last two months have been momentous – with the conference, a book launch, Sweet Louise’s birthday, Tim Tam Pink Tea Parties throughout New Zealand, regional cancer networks kicking off with a Forum and new appointments, a cancer consumer training course, and meetings of groups working together to make a difference. So many good people doing positive things give cause for us all to celebrate! Ka pai te mahi ta tatou! Mahia kotahi nga rerekētanga – we can make a difference by working together!
I hope you enjoy our Update this month.
Libby
Member News
BCRT grant funds NZ’s first breast cancer research professor
BCAC congratulates Professor Peter Lobie, the recipient of the first professorial Chair of Breast Cancer Research at The University of Auckland. The Chair, funded by a grant from BCAC member group the Breast Cancer Research Trust (BCRT), will enable a team of researchers to expand their research into breast cancer, leading to treatments and hopefully prevention of a disease that claims the lives of over 600 New Zealand women every year. Professor Lobie is currently researching growth hormones in cancer, in particular the pathways used by cancer at a cellular level and the ways in which tumour cell hormones differ from normal hormones in the body. The BCRT funding will extend the research being undertaken by Professor Lobie’s team at the Liggins Institute and other researchers at The University of Auckland. BCRT hopes the establishment of a ‘centre of excellence’ for breast cancer research at the University will take researchers closer to their goal of ‘finding a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime.’
‘On behalf of all our members, we commend BCRT for their support of this valuable position,’ said BCAC’s Sue Guthrie, ‘and we congratulate Professor Lobie on his appointment. Professor Lobie’s ground-breaking work provides a beacon of hope for NZ women and men diagnosed with breast cancer and for all New Zealanders working towards a cure for this disease.’
BCRT Charity Golf Day 2007
Continental Car Services and The Rotary Club of Parnell Inc
The 5th annual Charity Golf Day was heldon Friday 12th October 2007 at Titirangi Golf Club. A field of 100 keen players turned out on an overcast Auckland day to support this popular event and helped raise a fantastic $30,000 for the Trust. Unfortunately no one hita hole-in-one to take home the Audi TT Roadster, however everyone went home with a prize froman outstanding prize pool valued at $150,000. The dinner and charity auction were enjoyed by all with celebrations going till late in the night. The Breast Cancer Research Trust sincerely thank Continental Car Services, The Rotary Club of Parnell Inc. and all the sponsorsfor their ongoing support ofthis event.Planning is already underway for the 2008 event -keep an eye on The Trust website; www.bcrt.org.nz for more details.
BCAC welcomes 23d member Sweet Louise
BCAC is delighted to welcome Sweet Louise to the coalition and is looking forward to working with the organisation to help identify and promote issues for women living
with secondary breast cancer.
“Research indicates that in addition to high quality conventional medical care, there are many other strategies that can help women with breast cancer to lead more positive lives. Sweet Louise provides information about these strategies on its website, and in its brochure, and currently allows women with secondary breast cancer who live in the Auckland region to experience some of these services free of charge. We’ve divided the services into three categories – mind, body and helpers. The services are available at no charge to women with secondary breast cancer through our voucher system. We plan to add more services to the list and to expand to other regions within New Zealand as resources permit. For help and more information please visit the website, www.sweetlouise.co.nz or call free phone 0800 11 22 77.”
Breast Cancer Network NZ Conference October 26 – 28, Rotorua
(This report includes excerpts from the BCN media release 29 October 2007)
BCN (NZ) hosted a three-day breast cancer conference that attracted over 470 women and men and featured the national and international knowledge and expertise of a number of speakers. Attendees came away with the feeling that they had been part of an historic event.
“Despite the devastating impact of breast cancer and the serious nature of the talks, the conference was a fun event and one that the participants had been looking forward to for many months,” says Sue Claridge, media spokesperson for the Breast Cancer Network. “It is a tribute to the knowledge, wisdom and compassion of the speakers that they managed, on many occasions, to elicit considerable laughter from the 470 strong audience, the vast majority of whom had experienced breast cancer.”
The delegates heard presentations by US breast surgeon Dr Susan Love and other keynote speakers Dr Maricel Maffini, Professor Ingrid Winship and Phil Kerslake, together with a number of New Zealand’s top breast cancer specialists from a wide range of discipli
nes.
Three days of plenary sessions, workshops and networking offered many opportunities for delegates to hear the latest information about breast cancer research, detection, treatment and care and to share their views and opinions with speakers and fellow attendees in a relaxed and supportive environment.
The Saturday night conference dinner was a wonderful celebration with dancing and hilarity and a special guest appearance by ‘Tina Turner’.
Sweet Louise celebrates first birthday and launches book The Pink Party
Sweet Louise hosted a wonderful pink afternoon tea party on a brilliantly sunny Auckland Sunday afternoon (November 11th) to celebrate its first birthday and also to officially
launch Jane Bissell’s second book, The Pink Party. The event was held at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre at Epsom Girls Grammar School and over 100 people attended the festive occasion. The Pink Party is Jane’s second book about the extraordinary journey that is a woman’s experience with breast cancer. Libby writes in her foreword to the book, ‘Perhaps the most valuable and unique contribution The Pink Party makes is to give a voice to women whose cancer has advanced… Jane takes us into a territory not often explored and helps us to see how one woman found joy and hope right to the end of her life. There are valuable messages here for all of us.’ The book is endorsed by BCAC and Sweet Louise and Jane will donate from the sales of her book to both organisations. To order your copy, or for further information, please visit Jane’s website – www.janebissell.co.nz
Breast Cancer Network NZ calls for Government to take action to reduce the incidence of breast cancer in New Zealand. (Excerpt from BCN media release 7 September 2007)
At Parliament on Wednesday (5 September), Breast Cancer Network NZ Inc submitted evidence in support of their call for a risk reduction and prevention strategy aimed at reducing the incidence of breast cancer.
Gillian Woods and Barbara Mason, together with Dr Meriel Watts, addressed the committee on behalf of the 10,969 signatories to the petition.
While acknowledging that the causes of breast cancer are an interplay of familial, environmental and lifestyle factors, Breast Cancer Network called for better information for the public, research into the links between environment and breast cancer, and regulation to reduce exposure to substances that show links to breast cancer in laboratory studies.
“Much is already known about risk and we are calling for this information to be more widely shared with the public,” Ms Woods and Ms Mason said. “When people are informed of risk they are better equipped to make safer choices.”
The importance of the Breast Cancer Network’s request for action was simply put: without a multi-faceted breast cancer strategy and a concerted effort to reduce breast cancer risk for New Zealand women, it is predictable that our incidence rate of breast cancer will continue to rise.
Other News
BCAC Holds First AGM
BCAC held its first Annual General Meeting at the BCN Conference in Rotorua on Friday evening October 26th. Minutes of this meeting will be distributed to BCAC members. The Steering Committee for 2007-8 was elected as follows: Libby Burgess (Chair), Claire Ryan (Deputy Chair), Sue Guthrie (Treasurer), Jane Rutledge (Member), Raewyn Calvert (Member), and Chris Walsh (Member). It was decided that the current five initiatives be carried over in to 2008 and if any further initiatives, plans or projects developed over 2007-8, the Steering Committee would be empowered to adopt and progress these and report to members. All members of BCAC (new and existing) are encouraged to complete Application Forms and are invited to participate with the initiatives and projects. Please contact bcac@breastcancer.org.nz for membership forms. We encourage members to volunteer to join the Steering Committee or join a sub-committee to work on a particular initiative.
Tim Tam Pink!
BCAC and major sponsor Arnott’s launched the ‘Tim Tam Pink’ fund raising campaign in late September with a series of regional launches in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch.
Arnott’s is donating 10 cents to BCAC for every pack of the special Tim Tam Pink biscuits sold in October. The money raised from the sales will go towards developing a New Zealand version of Breast Cancer Network Australia’s wonderful My Journey Kit, a resource pack of information made available to all women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Says Libby: “We are delighted to have an iconic brand like Tim Tam on board, helping us to raise money. BCAC wants to offer all New Zealand women diagnosed with breast cancer a ‘My Journey Kit’ to provide support, guidance and comfort at a time when women need to gain understanding and know they are not alone.
With continued assistance and funding from our partner Arnott’s, we hope to offer practical help and support to those women whose lives are affected by breast cancer.”
BCAC celebrity spokesperson April Ieremia kicked off the campaign with a media launch at Mollies Hotel in Herne Bay, Auckland and the regional launches followed, all with their own flair, pizzazz and celebrity guests including Debbie Harwood and members of the Tall Ferns. The distinctive and delicious biscuits appeared in our supermarkets, heralding a flurry of wonderful Pink Tea Parties throughout NZ to raise additional funds for BCAC. Full details about the campaign and the parties can be found on our website at www.breastcancer.org.nz.
Partial Breast Irradiation Techniques
This information is taken from ‘Breast Cancer Treatment and Research Update’
(Ian Campbell and Jenni Scarlet)
A majority of women diagnosed with early breast cancer now have the option of breast conserving surgery. Radiotherapy is important after this surgery as it significantly reduces the risk of local recurrence of cancer. The current standard of care after breast conserving surgery is radiotherapy to the whole breast yet most breast recurrences occur in the same vicinity from which the original tumour was excised. Whilst breast irradiation is usually well tolerated there are possible side effects, for example, skin reddening and irritation, mild swelling and tenderness of the breast, and general tiredness. There can also be the inconvenience of attending for daily treatments over a five-six week period and this can contribute to a decreased quality of life. Attending for a prolonged period can present especial difficulties for some women; for example, older women or women who have to travel a distance to a treatment facility. These considerations can contribute to some women eligible for breast conserving surgery to opt for mastectomy or to decide not to receive radiotherapy.
There are now a number of partial breast radiotherapy techniques for women being evaluated in international clinical trials. Researchers in Australia and NZ are about to get underway with a study investigating accelerated partial breast irradiation using a technique called three-dimensional (3-D) conformal radiotherapy. The major advantage of these techniques is shorter treatment time (two weeks instead of five weeks) which will be of more convenience to women and could mean more efficient use of radiotherapy resources.
Regional Cancer Networks Get Down to Business
Newly appointed Northern Cancer Network Manager Maree Pierce had a very productive meeting with Libby to discuss consumer expectations of the network. Maree is supportive of consumer representation at all levels including the decision-making Network Executive Group. BCAC has repeatedly made the case for such representation over the last year, so we are delighted with Maree’s positive attitude. BCAC also met with Ruth Herbert (pictured with Libby and Claire), an independent consultant contracted to the Northern Regional Network to meet key players and advise on those processes and issues that may arise as the Network moves into its planning stages. BCAC expressed views on what we believe the Networks should deliver and agreed with Ruth that reducing both the burden and mortality from cancer and inequities in care are primary goals.
The Northern Network is now seeking nominations for the role of Chair of the Regional Cancer Collaborative, (see Letter from the Chair, p2) so if you are interested in engaging in the Network, please contact Jane for more details of the position.
Regional Cancer Networks Forum, Wellington 7- 8 November
This report from Gillian Woods (BCN)
The purpose of the forum was to offer input to those involved with developing the networks to ensure they are working in ways that best support the patient. The organisers welcomed those people already working in positive ways within health services - examples for the networks to stimulate their own thinking. Full details of the Forum will be placed on the CCC website soon. (http://www.cancercontrolcouncil.govt.nz).
I was able to attend two of the three Forum sessions. The first session focused on consumers and was introduced by Margie Arpa, Deputy Director-General, Sector Capability and Innovation, Ministry of Health. Margie pointed out that: consumers add value and benefits to committees, and share a common goal to do things better; we must embrace innovation; in having a role in the Cancer Networks we are part of an innovative process, and should recognise our role as change agents, shaping cancer culture. She reminded delegates that networking is a ‘contact sport’.
The session had three consumer speakers. The first, Dr Neil Graham, a GP from Tauranga, told of his own cancer journey with CLL. He had received excellent care, and found stories, poetry, carers, colleagues, family friends and Whānau Ora helpful (Whānau Ora - http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/6066/$File/darna-appleyard-apr07.pdf)
I note two points among many: you can only really understand the cancer journey if you have done it; survivorship can be difficult and there is a need for psychosocial support.
He mentioned the Expert Patient Programme (BMJ 2004:328:723), a user-led self-management scheme which suits some patients/health professionals who are well-informed and can take a central role in day to day management of their disease.
The second speaker was Denise Robbins, Chair of Cancer Voices in Wellington. Denise presented a case for consumers to be involved in health committees at all levels, especially on committees where strategies and tactics are decided. She gave a brief overview of the consumer training programme she has set up in Wellington in conjunction with the Cancer Society. The first training session of this group was held in the first weekend of November. The course takes three days, and after some practical assignments by the trainees (who will sit in on DHB committees), the third and final day of training will take place in a few weeks.
The third was Brian Vickers, a mental health consumer now employed as a professional Māori mental health consumer representative for the Northland DHB. As a consumer representative assisting at management planning level but also working with individual patients, he made these observations: we are the oil that increases the efficiency of the system; consumer representatives must have the capacity to work at consumer and management level, and understand the service and clinician drivers; need to research consumer-oriented approaches, and to meet with service users on a regular basis.
The second session was on Care Coordination and looked at palliative care including the Liverpool Care of the Dying Pathway Project, the Whānau Ora Cancer Care Coordination, Advocacy and Navigation pilot, and a study of Māori DNA (I did not attend) figures in clinics, with suggestions for improvements. Dr John Childs summed up the first day, highlighting some key areas where attention may assist the networks move forward: communication, consumers, systemic issues, navigators, training, conversing (with the patient), and integrative palliative care as an example of what can be gained with a coordinated programme.
I was sorry that I could not stay overnight and attend the last session on Reducing Inequalities.
Health Consumer Training Course
Denise Robbins of Wellington-based Cancer Voices has worked with the Cancer Society to develop a training course for consumers. The inaugural course was run in early November, with another course scheduled for February.
Health Consumer Summit, Auckland Monday 26 November
BCAC’s Chris Walsh and Libby Burgess will attend this conference, where the formation of a national body representing consumers from health and disability groups will be discussed. ‘We need to ensure that any national body is truly representative of consumers and their needs and is not diverted by the agendas of others,’ said Libby. To find out more about this event visit: http://www.nzgg.org.nz/ and click the link to ‘2nd National Consumers’ Summit.
Updates on the Five BCAC Initiatives
1. To ensure consistent, high quality detection and treatment of breast cancer throughout New Zealand by promoting the development and implementation of evidence-based best practice guidelines.
Libby Burgess and Amanda Rudd attended the Wellington meeting of the Guideline Advisory Team (GAT) for Early Breast Cancer on August 10th. There is some concern that the NZ Guidelines Group is pulling back from the breadth originally defined for the guidelines, citing their limited resources. The team of clinicians, consumers and NGOs on the GAT is united in wanting all relevant material included. Libby commented that in some areas the GAT participants may have to write “Good Practice Points” that have not been researched by NZGG, but are based on other countries’ guidelines and information at hand. The next meeting will be held on December 6th.
2. To support the prompt and effective implementation of the extended age breast screening programme (45 to 69)
Meeting with Nelda Taurua
BCAC Steering Group members met with Nelda Taurua of BreastScreen Waitemata on 5 September to explore how BCAC can identify issues and find ways to close the gaps in service provision and breast cancer outcomes between Māori and Pakeha women. BCAC also thanks Christine Rule (BCS) for attending the meeting. Deputy Chair Claire Ryan explained that BCAC plans to develop our website to provide more information about the screening programme. Nelda is passionate about her role as it offers her a chance to work within Māori and Pacific communities to alleviate fear and to provide more information and support for screening. She has been in her job since July and said she is working with a very positive and committed group of people who are all keen to ‘make a difference.’ Nelda explained the ‘local identities profile’ project where people well known within Māori and Pacific communities are represented on promotional material bearing positive messages for screening. This high profile campaign is going a long way towards promoting the services BSA offers. Nelda felt working with BCAC would be very productive because two of BCAC’s core initiatives – breast screening and Māori and Pacific – fit well with BSA Waitemata.
Interview with Dr Madeleine Wall
Claire Ryan and Jane Bissell met with Dr Madeleine Wall, Clinical 
Director of BreastScreen Aotearoa, and Jude Cooney (pictured with BCAC's Claire Ryan), Communications and Marketing Advisor for the National Screening Unit, on 12 September. BCAC interviewed for Dr Wall and this will be placed on the BCAC website in the near future. The BCAC website will soon both link to the BreastScreen Aotearoa site, and also provide support information for women about the screening programme, helping them to access the BSA provider(s) in their area.
3. To inform and advocate for improved access to breast cancer treatment drugs
a. Herceptin (trastuzumab) Update
Mandy Carter Herceptin Petition
This petition was presented to Parliament in late August bearing 27,424 signatures. Herceptin Hero Chris Walsh accompanied the Petition which sent a loud and clear message to Government that many New Zealanders believe the internationally adopted 12 months’ treatment should be offered to New Zealand women with early HER2 positive breast cancer.
Progress of Herceptin Heroines’ Judicial Review
For full details about the Review, visit the log on our website at:
http://www.breastcancer.org.nz/FeatureStory.htm
February 11th 2008 has been set down as the date when eight NZ women will take on drug funding giant PHARMAC in the High Court in Wellington. Spokesperson for the women, Chris Walsh, says it's a little bit further away than they had hoped and that "the longer the delay the more time women in NZ are put at risk by not having access to the standard treatment." Seven days have been put aside for the hearing where the group are challenging PHARMAC's decision-making process around the funding of only 9 weeks treatment with the breast cancer drug Herceptin instead of the 12 months adopted by 24 OECD countries.
The Judge turned down the women’s application for interim relief in August. They had applied for funding of their treatment under a Cancer Exceptional Circumstances policy to obtain access to drugs not covered by PHARMAC’s schedule. On the positive side, the delay does give the women more time to fund raise to cover the legal costs.
Herceptin possible treatment for lung cancer
(Excerpt taken from a report by Julie Steenhuysen, Reuters, Sunday November 4)
An effort to map the genetic landscape of lung cancer has turned up a host of new genes, including one that controls the growth of cells essential for lung function, an international team of researchers said on Sunday. Dr. Matthew Meyerson of the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, is the author of a study that appears online in the journal Nature. Far less common was the discovery of extra copies of the HER2 gene, which is a hallmark of an aggressive type of breast cancer. It can be treated with the targeted drug Herceptin, made by Genentech. The findings are the first phase of the Tumor Sequencing Project, which also involved genome researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Washington University in St. Louis, as well as several cancer research centers. "It is not a new discovery but it points out that lung cancer could also be treated with Herceptin," he said. http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=f8acb48c-3587-4a2d-aaa0-ded1454d91b8&k=61434
b. Exemestane and Paclitaxel
Paclitaxel
PHARMAC has approved the proposal to widen access to chemotherapy treatment drug paclitaxel (Taxol) in the Pharmaceutical Schedule. From December 1 2007 the Special Authority restriction will be removed and paclitaxel injection will be fully funded for the treatment of early breast cancer (EBC). This drug has been funded in Australia since February 2001. A submission to fund both paclitaxel and docetaxel (Taxotere) was made here in April 2004 and PHARMAC’s expert cancer treatments committee recommended that PHARMAC provide funding for these taxanes as a high priority at that time. Docetaxel is only funded in NZ for use with the funded 9-week Herceptin treatment. BCAC has consistently lobbied for broad access to both taxanes as docetaxel infuses faster and provides an option for those who cannot tolerate paclitaxel.
Exemestane
From August 1 2007 Exemestane (Aromasin) became the first aromatase inhibitor (AI) to be fully funded by PHARMAC for use in early breast cancer. Two other AIs, Arimidex (anastrozole) and Femara (letrozole), are partially subsidised by PHARMAC with a further subsidy of $30 per month per patient provided by the manufacturers (AstraZeneca and Novartis). Aromasin can now even be prescribed by a GP.
4. To research and promote the provision of psychosocial services for breast cancer patients, their whanau, family, friends and supporters
Sex after breast cancer
Two articles about sex after breast cancer are now on the BCAC website at http://www.breastcancer.org.nz/Sexafterbreastcancer.htm. They have attracted much interest and Jane Bissell and Jane McPherson plan to write further items about the issues women encounter post-surgery and treatment. New Plymouth sex therapist Jane McPherson is helping women to overcome problems related to premature menopause, feelings of grief and loss, and other physical changes post-diagnosis.
(Excerpt from ‘Let’s Talk About Sex’) “And what about sex? Deciding to be sensual or sexual in the midst of grief may not happen overnight, but McPherson believes it will happen. ‘It’s a cognitive shift,’ she says, ‘a conscious decision that will arrive in its own time. It’s a decision to be gorgeous, sexy, to find other ways to feel good about yourself and accept that you are still a wonderful, vibrant woman. It’s about allowing yourself to enjoy and love who you are and understand that life can still be fantastic. Little treats along the way reinforce this – pampering, new clothes. It’s not all about the breasts! Making this decision to be sensual is important in stimulating sexual energy.” (Read more on our site!)
5. To identify and promote breast cancer issues for Māori and Pacific women
Information from the recent report ‘Tracking Disparity – Trends in ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, 1981 – 2004’, MOH 2007 includes updated mortality statistics that show the gap between Māori and pakeha women with breast cancer is widening. Māori women are 72% more likely to die of breast cancer than non-Māori.
BCAC met with Nelda Taurua from BreastScreen Waitemata (please see item under Breast Screening) and it is hoped this interaction will enable BCAC to further develop its contacts and networks within Māori and Pacific communities.
Nelda explained that BreastScreen Waitmata Northland (BSWN), the group she works with, covers from Waitemata all the way to the top of the North Island so the territory is extensive. She explained how BSWN works with local Māori health providers to best determine where and when to dispatch the mobile screening unit. She is working with Te Ha o te Oranga o Ngati Whatua who will approach the marae in Kaipara to encourage women to come into Helensville for screening. There is an opportunity to make a group booking so the women can come together and feel comfortable in a situation that is supportive and culturally appropriate. Nelda said the aim is to work ‘collectively and collaboratively’ but stressed that her group has stepped back to allow Māori to take the lead with initiatives. Nelda said it is important for local communities to develop their own ‘identities.’
