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BCAC is mourning the passing of its former Treasurer, Sue Guthrie, who recently lost her battle with breast cancer.
Sue was only 47 when she died on November 11 2009, but she lived with courage, serenity and dignity to the end.
Says BCAC chairperson, Libby Burgess, “Sue was an inspiration to all who knew her for the way she lived her life and the way she faced her death.
“She was committed to making a positive difference for all those who faced breast cancer and maintained this passion and dedication even as her own health worsened.”
Hi my name is Jennifer Lucas. I would like to share my story with you in the hope that it inspires others to be strong, grow and remain positive through tough and trying times. I was 21 years old when diagnosed. I live and study in Auckland, but am originally from Hamilton- which I still call home. I have an awesomely supportive family and would be no where without them! My boyfriend Che has also been amazing.
Hi. I’m Chris Walsh and I live at Waitarere Beach, a small village between Levin and Foxton. My partner Sue and I have a beautiful black Labrador called JJ and two cats that control activities in the house but still refuse to do housework. I work at Victoria University in Wellington and this year graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.
My name is Nicola Russell - I'm 35, and I immigrated to New Zealand in 1997 from the shores of Carlingford Lough in Ireland.
Hi. My name is Anne Hayden and I am a 60 year old woman with two adult children, and one stepdaughter and two grandsons living in the UK. I live in Devonport, Auckland, with my husband, David, boxer dog, and ginger cat.
FDA Press Release - Feb 11, 2011
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Selenia Dimensions System, the first X-ray mammography device that provides three-dimensional (3-D) images of the breast for breast cancer screening and diagnosis.
A mammogram is a safe, low-dose X-ray of the breast that is the best tool for early detection of breast cancer. However, with the limitations of conventional two-dimensional (2-D) imaging, about 10 percent of women undergo additional testing after the initial screening exam for abnormalities that are later determined to be noncancerous.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer to affect New Zealand women, with one in nine of us receiving this diagnosis at some point in our lives. Even so, the causes of this disease are not yet known.
On this page we list the known risks for breast cancer and give an indication of their relative importance. We also look at steps you can take that could lower your chances of getting breast cancer.
Risks
Factors that are known to increase your risk of getting breast cancer are, in order of magnitude:
• Being a woman - some men get breast cancer, but they represent less than 1% of all cases.
• Getting older - 50-year-old women are 10 x more likely to get breast cancer than 30-year-olds.
A diagnosis of breast cancer is a life-changing moment for more than 3000 New Zealand women every year.
If you are one of these women - BCAC and the Step by Step support pack are here to help.
Step by Step provides information and resources for women at the difficult time of a breast cancer diagnosis.
BCAC’s members know from personal experience that this is the beginning of a challenging journey, and we have developed this pack specifically for New Zealand women.
The information contained in each pack will help women understand their diagnosis, empower them to ask questions of their medical team and so make informed choices about their treatment options.
Each Step by Step pack contains:
Telling family and friends of your diagnosis can be one of the hardest parts of dealing with breast cancer.
Before you start treatment, you will need to decide who will make up your medical team.
Your team of cancer specialists could include:
- a surgeon
- a breast care nurse
- a medical oncologist
- a radiation oncologist
You will probably be referred to a surgeon in the first instance. Make sure you feel comfortable with this person. Things to consider include:
