The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) is an Incorporated Society representing twenty-three of New Zealand’s breast cancer related organisations. We offer membership to those organisations and individuals who have an interest in breast cancer.

What We Do

The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) provides a united consumer voice to improve detection, treatment and care for those with breast cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand.

BCAC:

• offers evidence-based information to increase understanding of breast cancer
• gives support to those affected by breast cancer
• empowers women and men with breast cancer to make informed choices about their treatment and care
• represents key issues to relevant authorities with the aim of ensuring world class care for New Zealanders with breast cancer

History of BCAC

The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition was formed at an historic meeting in November 2004. Twelve of New Zealand’s breast cancer related organisations met for the first time to discuss ways to improve detection, and the treatment and care, of breast cancer in Aotearoa, New Zealand. A Steering Group was appointed in January 2005 and began working on five key initiatives.

BCAC Steering Committee, Administration and Advisors

	Libby Burgess - Chair Libby Burgess is a ten year survivor of breast cancer and chairs BCAC. Libby is a member of the Guideline Advisory Team developing evidence-based clinical best practice guidelines for early breast cancer in New Zealand. She is providing a consumer perspective on the development of the Northern Regional Cancer Network under the NZ Cancer Control Strategy. Libby has actively campaigned in the media on a range of breast cancer issues including the need for fully funded access to Herceptin and other breast cancer medicines, provision of breast reconstruction, access to timely radiation therapy, and reinstatement of breast physicians as a recognised specialist group. Libby is a scientist based in Auckland.
	Claire Ryan - Deputy Chair Claire Ryan is a lawyer and an astronomer. Claire is a seven year survivor of breast cancer and is Deputy Chair of BCAC.
	Sue Guthrie - Treasurer Sue Guthrie is the Treasurer for BCAC and a member of the Mamazon Club. Sue also represents New Zealand as a member of the Consumer Advisory Panel of the Australia New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group. Sue is a Health Information Manager and is a three year survivor of breast cancer.
	Chris Walsh - Steering Committee Chris was diagnosed with HER2 + breast cancer in March 2006 and joined the campaign to fund Herceptin for 12 months. She has a nursing background and completed her PhD 18 months after her diagnosis. ‘I believe that we would have a better health system if consumers had meaningful engagement with those who provide health services. I hope to contribute to BCAC and help make the experience of a breast cancer diagnosis less traumatic for women in New Zealand through undertaking research and representing BCAC in various forums.'
	Jane Rutledge - Steering Committee Jane Rutledge is a residential real estate agent with a background in sales and marketing management.  Jane is a four year survivor and passionate about BCAC's focused project success.
	Raewyn Calvert - Steering Committee Raewyn is a four year survivor of breast cancer based in Cambridge where she is a teacher and an adult education facilitator. She is a member of The Waikato Treasure Chests and the chair of The Reconstructables. In November 2006 Raewyn presented the Black Pearls calendar to Parliament in an effort to raise awareness of the right of all women to decide to have delayed breast reconstruction.
	Jane Bissell - Administration Jane Bissell provides administrative support for BCAC. She is a professional writer (www.janebissell.co.nz), author of the books ‘Welcome to the Amazon Club’ (Longacre Press 2004) and 'The Pink Party' (Klarer Lasserre 2007) and is a seven year survivor of breast cancer. Jane is a coordinator for Breast Cancer Support, running the Hibiscus Coast Breast Friends Support Group and is also a YWCA Encore Programme Course Facilitator in Whangaparaoa.
	Dr Nicole McCarthy - Medical Advisor Dr Nicole McCarthy was one of the instigators and a founding member of the BCAC. She spent two years in Auckland as a recipient of a Breast Cancer Research Trust Fellowship Grant and returned to Brisbane in January 2006. She is currently a staff medical oncologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and manages the Breast Cancer Clinical Trials programme.
	Dr Marion Kuper-Hommel - Medical Advisor Dr. Marion Kuper-Hommel is a medical advisor for BCAC. A medical oncologist trained in the Netherlands, she has a special interest in breast cancer and initiated the Breast Special Interest Group, a group of breast cancer specialists who are working to improve and optimise day to day breast cancer care in New Zealand. Dr. Kuper-Hommel works as a staff medical oncologist at Waikato District Health Board in Hamilton.
	Carlene Wolfgram - Advisor on Issues for Māori As a wife, mother and grandmother, to fight was not a difficult choice to make and I am glad I made it. BCAC gave me the opportunity to work with wonderful women who helped me understand how hard things are for fellow breast cancer sufferers and how important it is for us all to work together to make necessary changes. The Māori statistics are particularly bad and I hope we will be able to turn these figures around too. Mahia kotahi nga rerekētanga! Making a difference together.

What the Steering Committee Does

• administers and manages BCAC
• consults membership on key issues to take forward
• leads and coordinates activities required to accomplish initiatives agreed upon at each BCAC forum
• initiates and carries out any additional projects arising from members’ concerns throughout the year
• meets monthly
• provides information and reports on actions in a regular newsletter to members

Our Members

Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition members as of January 2008 are:

Age Concern North Shore
www.agewell.org.nz
Age Concern New Zealand is a not-for-profit, charitable organisation, dedicated to promoting the quality of life and well-being of older people, advocating positive healthy ageing for people of all ages.

Boobops Dragon Boat Team
The Tauranga Boobops Dragon Boat Team started in 2003 as a combined team of survivors and supporters.  Their first Regatta saw them achieve a ‘memorable last placing’ but since then the team has gone from strength to strength.
‘Dragon boating is so much more than just a sport to us.  We appreciate and value the camaraderie of an incredible group of women.  Our aim always is to support and empower women after breast cancer while increasing fitness and good health.’ For information about joining the Boobops teams as a survivor or supporter please contact BCAC.

Breast Cancer Action Trust
www.savethewomen.org.nz
Following on from our successful 124,000 signature Petition that resulted in an expansion of the Breast Screening age in 2004, we continue to lobby for better access to screening and age reduction to 40 years and improved access to treatments.

Breast Cancer Network
www.bcn.org.nz
The mission of Breast Cancer Network is to promote increased efforts to prevent and cure breast cancer particularly by giving voice to the views of women affected by breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer Research Trust
www.bcrt.org.nz
The Breast Cancer Research Trust was established to raise funds to support breast cancer research. Grants are made 6 monthly to support NZ based projects to fight the disease and reduce the high rate of breast cancer in our country. NZ has one of the highest rates of breast cancer cases in the world! BCRT is the leading breast cancer charity in New Zealand specifically dedicated to research and finding a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime.

Breast Cancer Support Inc.
BCS is a voluntary service for women living in the Auckland area. Its purposes are to provide support to women with breast cancer from a positive, personal experience and to provide information to the public on the individual survivor’s positive experience and on BCS services. For information contact Jenny Woodroofe or visit the BCS page on this site.

Breast Cancer Support Service Tauranga Trust
Established in 1991, BCSS Tauranga offers support, education and information to women diagnosed with breast cancer in the Bay of Plenty area. The group offers free services including home or hospital visits, telephone contact, group support meetings and support for partners. They also offer a newsletter, a comprehensive library and have a very useful information pack for women newly diagnosed. To contact BCSS Tauranga, call their helpline on 07 571 3346, email them or visit from 9 – 1230 weekdays at 56 Christopher St, Tauranga.         

Breast Health NZ
www.breast.co.nz
Breast Health NZ was established in November 1999 by the NZ Community Development Trust www.communities.co.nz and developed as a non profit website held in trust for all NZ women, their families, supporters, medical profession to provide and share information pertaining to breast health under the categories of breast cancer, breast awareness and breast nurture. Sue McLeod, author of The Unremarkable Nipple and Speaker at 4th World Conference in Halifax Canada 2005, is the co-ordinator of the web site. 

Busting with Life
Our dragon boat team consists solely of breast cancer survivors who range in age from early 30's to late 60's. We aim to raise awareness and to encourage women with breast cancer to live full and active lives. Our goal is to send a message of hope to people living with this disease and to those who support them. Busting with Life is an Auckland based initiative, with our long-term objective to see teams formed nationally and to compete at an international level. For information contact Trea Kenny.

Herceptin Heroes
Herceptin Heroes is an informal group of women who are HER2 positive breast cancer sufferers, mostly with early breast cancer, and their supporters. The group is actively seeking new members to add strength to the Herceptin campaign. For information contact Chris Walsh.

Kenzie's Gift
Kenzie's Gift is the vision of Nic Russell. It is inspired by the life of her daughter Kenzie and the cancer journey they shared together. The vision of Kenzie's Gift is to establish a specialist team of community based family therapists, play/youth therapists and art/music therapists to provide support for families and children affected by cancer from the point of diagnosis through treatment and beyond, which may encompass either bereavement or survivorship. Further information about the charity can be viewed on this website, by visiting www.kenziesgift.com, or supplied by email.

Look Good Feel Better
www.lgfb.co.nz
Look Good Feel Better is the CTFA's (Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association) charity programme which provides 2 million dollars' worth of product each year for LGFB workshops around New Zealand. Look Good Feel Better is a free service specifically designed to improve the quality of life of cancer patients by helping restore lost confidence and self esteem to those women who are dealing with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.

Lymphoedema Support Network
www.akcansoc.org.nz
The Lymphoedema Support Network is affiliated to the Auckland Cancer Society and was set up 10 years ago to: raise awareness of lymphoedema, support people living with lymphoedema and their families or carers and to provide accurate information on lymphoedema.

Mamazon Club
As lesbian survivors of breast cancer we share a social context that is not always recognized or understood by medical and support personnel with whom we interact during our breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery. This can create additional stresses and difficulties for us as patients and for our partners and wider families during these processes. We have formed a group in order to provide support for each other in an environment of similarity and understanding. Beyond recovery, we enjoy each others company and celebrate survival in a social context. For information contact .

Ascot Radiology Pink Dragons
www.pinkdragons.co.nz
The Ascot Radiology Pink Dragons’ dragon boat team’s vision is ‘to promote awareness of living with breast cancer. We aim to empower and educate women through incorporating an informative network of support services, while promoting physiological and psychological well being.’ For information contact by email.

Pink Pilates
www.pinkpilates.co.nz
The Pink Pilates programme has been specifically designed to help women diagnosed with breast cancer regain their physical strength, rebuild self esteem, and improve their body confidence. Breast cancer research has found that exercise can help boost the immune system, limit weight gain from chemotherapy, ease treatment side effects, and contribute to an improved quality of life. Pink Pilates is dedicated to helping women who are recovering from breast cancer surgery or treatment through the use of personalised health programs. These include a complementary blend of pilates, physiotherapy, massage, stretching and breathing techniques. We believe that this therapeutic combination addresses both the physical and emotional side effects of breast cancer. The Pink Pilates programme is suitable for all women recovering from breast cancer and accommodates all levels of fitness. The programme consists of 10 sessions with a personal physiotherapist and each session is designed to suit the individual needs of each participant. For more information, please visit the website, email or phone on (09) 361 1078.

Reconstructables
The Reconstructables are a group concerned about the removal of women requiring delayed reconstructive surgery following breast cancer from our public hospital waiting lists. Many of these women have been on lists for 2 years or more and now have virtually no hope of receiving this surgery through the public health system.  1 in 10 New Zealand women will receive a breast cancer diagnosis and may require reconstructive surgery. Women need to have the choice about if and when they have it. Contact

Skip for Life
www.skipforlife.org.nz
Jacqueline Harrison founded the nationwide Skip for Life project in April 2007 because she believes depriving women of funded Herceptin is a massive injustice, especially when research highlights significant survival benefits for those with early stage HER2 positive breast cancer. Skip for Life will raise much needed funds to help support women fighting HER2 positive breast cancer. Every cent raised goes towards funding Herceptin treatments. For more information and current SFL events, please visit the SFL page on this site. Call the Event Info Line at 0800 2 SKIP 4 for upcoming events. A $20 donation can be made by calling 0900 4 HER2. For further information, please visit the Skip for Life website or email at

Sweet Louise
www.sweetlouise.co.nz
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 our website, view the special page on the BCAC site, or call our free phone 0800 11 22 77.

Te Ha o te Oranga o Ngati Whatua
www.nhl.co.nz
Te Ha o te Oranga o Ngati Whatua is an iwi based health service provider functioning under the umbrella of Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua. The organisation covers an area in Northland from Helensville to the Waipoua Forest, both coasts. Services provided include: mobile community nursing, home based support services, mental health, social services and breast screening.

Waikato Breast Cancer Trust
www.wbct.co.nz
The Waikato Breast Cancer Trust was established in 2000 to support research and education into breast cancer diagnosis, prevention and treatment in the Waikato region.  The Waikato is one of the most active New Zealand centres for breast cancer research and the Trust currently supports more than 17 different studies/clinical trials including radiotherapy, drug trials and new surgical treatments for breast cancer. In addition to local studies the Waikato research team works collaboratively with many international groups actively participating in international research protocols. For further information on the Trust and its work, please visit the website or contact the Secretary, Jenni Scarlet

Waikato Treasure Chests
The Waikato Treasure Chests are a dragon boating team based in the Waikato. BCAC welcomes the team as the 15th member of the organisation. For further information, please contact Julie Retter.

YWCA Encore
www.akywca.org.nz
Encore is a gentle exercise programme conducted by women for women to inspire and assist those who have had breast cancer. The Encore programme provides a supportive environment where women can share their emotional experiences and participate in physical activities specifically designed for women who have undergone mastectomy, lumpectomy and/or breast reconstruction. The exercises are specially designed to target areas that have been affected by breast cancer surgery. The hydrotherapy exercises are considered particularly helpful. The classes are also an opportunity for women to share their experiences in a safe and understanding environment. The YWCA Encore programme assists women who have had breast cancer surgery regain their mobility, flexibility and confidence though gentle exercise and support. Participation in Encore is free. Please call 0800 ENCORE (0800 362 673) for more information or visit the Encore page on or website.