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BCAC welcomed the opportunity to have input into the Ministry of Health’s new Women’s Health Strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand (read our submission here). BCAC stressed the importance of including breast cancer in this strategy and identified three key issues:
BCAC is alarmed by Pharmac’s proposal to review a rule that currently allows children with cancer to have free access to unfunded medicines. Read BCAC’s submission here. Pharmac’s reasoning is that by restricting this access, it would bring treatments for child cancers into line with those for other children’s diseases, where medicines access is limited. The current funding model for paediatric cancer medicines has seen 5-year survival rates improve from 28% in 1961-1970 to 86% in 2010 to 2019, matching rates in similar countries.
BCAC has grave concerns about the potential impacts of the Therapeutic Products Bill as currently drafted and has written a submission to the Health Select Committee on this. Enactment of the Bill could result in adverse consequences for all diagnosed with breast cancer in Aotearoa, as well as many other New Zealanders with various health conditions.
BCAC identified three major concerns:
BCAC is aware that the breast cancer experience presents some unique challenges for LGBTQI+ people. We were pleased to see that the Cancer Council of New South Wales has produced a new online resource to help. It provides useful information on coping with cancer, dealing with discrimination, effects on body image, sexual intimacy and fertility, issues for trans and/or gender-diverse people and intersex people, advanced cancer, life after treatment, and issues for LGBTQI+ carers.
BCAC has responded to a call from Te Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health) for input on the topic of Precision Health, which is being considered for inclusion in the next Long-term Insights Briefing to Government. BCAC’s Fay Sowerby has written a comprehensive submission, in which she describes how both precision health and precision medicine present huge opportunities for improvements in breast cancer care.
BCAC welcomes the Breast Cancer Foundation’s new survey to learn more about the long-term side effects of treatments for early breast cancer. ‘It’s good to see more research on the experiences of NZ women with breast cancer’ says BCAC Chair Libby Burgess. ‘We encourage you to participate in this research if you can.’ Update 1 May 2023: the survey has now closed. You can learn more about the results by contacting the Breast Cancer Foundation at intouch@bcf.org.nz Read more about the survey and the Foundation’s research here and below.
Otago University PhD student Hui Yee Yao is collaborating with Auckland-based medical oncologist Dr Catherine Han on a research project to provide insights on how New Zealanders diagnosed with breast cancer choose their treatments. Hui Yee is looking for survey participants now. Click here to learn more.
The study will examine the health-related quality of life of breast cancer patients as well as factors influencing the uptake of treatments, including trade-offs between benefits and side-effects, willingness to pay and willingness to wait.
But there’s no need to panic. The Good Registry makes gift buying easy. They issue gift certificates which can be redeemed by donating to one of their charity partners – like BCAC! Click here to see how to complete your Christmas shopping from your desk. By donating to BCAC this Christmas, your friends and family can help us to keep supporting, informing and representing kiwi women with breast cancer.
BCAC recently contributed to an analysis of the early breast cancer pathway in Aotearoa New Zealand. This project was conducted by The Economist’s Impact team, a research group that provides country, industry and management analysis worldwide. They were commissioned to independently analyse New Zealand’s early breast cancer pathway, using existing data and expert input, to identify any opportunities for improvement. New Zealand participants included clinical specialists in surgery, radiation and medical oncology and breast screening, as well as Māori Cancer Leadership Hei Āhuru Mōwai, BCAC and the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Four main areas of focus were population awareness, screening and diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
BCAC’s 16th AGM on Tuesday evening went very well. We can’t say the venue was packed – as it was held completely online – but our screens were very busy and the comments section was filled with positive feedback! Chairperson Libby Burgess gave a great overview – you can see her presentation here and our Annual Report here.
