BCAC recently joined over twenty groups representing New Zealanders with a wide range of diseases to visit Wellington under the Patient Voice Aotearoa banner. We met Hon. Dr Ayesha Verrall, Labour’s health spokesperson and former Health Minister, and visited Pharmac to hear Hon. David Seymour, Associate Health Minister (Pharmac) present his Letter of Expectations to Hon. Paula Bennett, Pharmac’s recently appointed Board Chair. Read more here

Good news for New Zealanders with advanced triple negative breast cancer. From 1st October 2024 Pharmac will fund Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for those with recurrent or metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Read more here..

Difficulty concentrating or forgetfulness experienced by some people during and after breast cancer treatment is known as brain fog or chemo brain. Researchers at Auckland University want to understand whether there are changes in the brain caused by cancer or its treatment. Better understanding will lead to improved management of this condition in future patients. Read more here.

This webinar is a comprehensive, in-depth presentation by NZ medical experts that answers questions about pain and its management from NZ women with advanced breast cancer. It was produced in response to requests from women with advanced breast cancer belonging to Metavivors NZ and Sweet Louise. Their experiences with pain had varied widely and left them wanting to know more about the causes of pain during breast cancer and what can be done about it. Read more here.

In June BCAC, along with 15 other patient advocate groups, signed a letter urging the government to make good their election promise to fund 13 new cancer medicines. You can read the letter here.

This study from the University of Sydney is open to New Zealanders who have undergone chemotherapy for cancer for the first time in the last twelve months and involves a 25-minute online survey. You can read more about this here.

In May BCAC was one of several breast cancer organisations that turned out in force at Valuing Life, a parliamentary Medicines Summit organised by Patient Voice Aotearoa with support from Medicines NZ. This was an excellent opportunity for patient advocates, clinicians, researchers and medicines industry representatives to meet and share their knowledge and experience in seeking a better medicines system that delivers greater, faster access and better health outcomes for patients. Read more about this here.

Reach to Recovery International (RRI) is a global network of individuals, groups and organisations committed to improving the quality of life of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer and their families through peer support, advocacy and patient and community involvement in research.

Their newsletter Bloom has in-depth articles on topics of interest to anyone experiencing breast cancer and has a truly international perspective. RRI also runs conferences for women and men personally affected by breast cancer, including patients, caregivers, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, advocates, volunteer, and many more.

Click here to see the latest edition of Bloom and visit the RRI website by clicking here to learn more about becoming a member (membership is free).