Latest News
Cancer patients are being urged to get their free seasonal influenza
vaccination before the Government’s subsidised campaign ends on July 31.
Health officials from the National Influenza Strategy Group (NISG) say that many
vulnerable people are still not protected from this serious disease.
NISG spokesperson and virologist, Dr Lance Jennings says it is particularly important
for a large percentage of people to be vaccinated this year to minimise the spread of
influenza, including the pandemic HINI 09 (swine flu) which is still in circulation, H3N2
and B viruses.
Dr Jennings says the usual peak for influenza is in July and August.
“Although we’ve had a quiet season so far, the situation could change very quickly
28 June 2011
In early May BCAC re-launched their website following several months of research, writing and development. The new website is a comprehensive resource supplying detailed information about breast cancer - the most common form of cancer to affect New Zealand women.
As well as explaining who and what BCAC does, the website provides information about the early detection of breast cancer, the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and support if you have been diagnosed.
Breast cancer survivor and director of a breast prosthesis importing company, Mary McAvoy, tells us what we need to know about breast prostheses.
A diagnosis of breast cancer arrives with an overcoat of confusion. Processing information, dealing with health professionals at the same time as prioritising emotions both of oneself and of others close is an unimaginable and unique process.
It begins with a threat to immortality and your being as a woman and in the quest for knowledge, words, explanations and well meaning support it is natural to feel anxious and alone. ”No one can truly understand how I feel” and the truth is that they cannot.
Three Maori women have broken their silence and shared their personal stories of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery in the hope that they can encourage more Maori women to go for breast screening which could save their lives.
The ‘Women to Women’ DVD was launched at Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae (Auckland Airport Marae) in April.
The DVD was developed by the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation (NZBCF) with the support of Tainui Mapo and Maori health promoters in Manukau and is titled ‘Women to Women: Our Ups and Downs’ (Wahine kit e wahine Nga Piki Nga Heke).
“Welcome to my Blog. My name is Susan and I am going to write about my first chemotherapy experience with Taxol.”
When Sweet Louise Member ‘Susan’ approached Support Coordinator Sinda Hall to see if Sweet Louise would host her blog on the website, the answer was a resounding ‘Yes!’
“We were very keen to feature Susan’s blog,” said Sinda. “Her personal story, shared with helpful tips and told with irrepressible humour, is a fantastic resource not only for Sweet Louise members but for all women with a breast cancer diagnosis.”
The Boobop Dragon Boat Club was formed in 2003 and hit the water to compete as a mixed team in 2004. This is the first season the team has been 100% breast cancer survivors and they have had an amazing season. To win two titles at the Nationals was a fitting season ending for a very dedicated coach, manager and paddlers.
There is amazing camaraderie throughout the team and they are all passionate about dragon boating. The Boobops team continue to socialise once a month throughout the off season including;
• an April Fishing Frenzy
• a May sleepover at the Mount after a fun paddle
• a June luncheon for wonderful Bernadette
• a Mid Winter Xmas in July
It seemed like it had only just begun, then before they knew it the Pink Dragons were collecting their medals at the Nationals in Rotorua! They have had a great year with many highs along the way but the season’s highlight was their overseas trip to Sydney and taking part in the Dragons Abreast Regatta in Darling Harbour.
Whilst the dragon boat season may have come to an end, paddling is still an option for team members as Polar Bears training is now up and running each Sunday morning, currently being held on Lake Pupuke. This training offers paddlers the opportunity to maintain their paddling fitness throughout the winter months.
A novel cancer drug designed by scientists from The University of Auckland and the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to enter clinical trials.
Pathway Therapeutics Inc, a University of Auckland spin-out company, has also secured an additional US $7.5 million in investment to undertake the Phase I clinical trials.
The drug, PWT33597, is a dual inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) alpha and mTOR, two key molecules implicated in cancer. It is the first agent with this biological profile to enter the clinic trials phase.
BCAC applauds the recommendations of Parliament’s Health Select Committee to make it easier to conduct clinical trials in New Zealand.
The committee has been considering how New Zealand can improve innovation through clinical trials and released its report this week (08/06/11).
It made four key recommendations. These were to:
- simplify and streamline ethical review processes
- promote collaboration between Government departments to coordinate the system
- develop a national health research action plan to foster innovation and commercialisation
- develop a framework for clinical trial research throughout district health boards, to be facilitated by a hub.
The report will now be considered by the Government.
Millions of women facing an elevated risk for breast cancer could slash their chances of getting the widely feared malignancy by taking a hormone-blocking pill used to treat the disease or prevent a recurrence, researchers say.
A compound known as an aromatase inhibitor cuts the breast cancer risk by 65 per cent for women prone to the disease for any reason, such as having risky genes, a relative who had the disease or being older than age 60, a long-awaited international study of more than 4500 women has concluded.
