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SEEKING WOMEN INTERESTED IN BEING PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS FOR OUR NEXT TRAINING INTAKE
We are currently receiving applications from Victorian women who have had an experience of breast or a gynaecological cancer who would like to help other women experiencing cancer by being Peer Support volunteers. Peer Support volunteers provide support through listening, supporting and providing information.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, have a look at our Peer Support Volunteer Position Decription and our Volunteer Information Pack.
Applications close on May 20. Our next eight week (eight days) peer support training course commences mid-July. To find out more about Volunteering at BreaCan visit Our Volunteers page.
So if you think that your personal experience of cancer can be of use in helping others please email Kellie Holland, Volunteer and Consumer Participation Co-ordinator, at kellie.holland@breacan.org.au or phone 03 9921 0834.
BreaCan is today marking 10 years since the first woman touched by cancer walked through our door seeking support.
Established in 2003 by Women’s Health Victoria, the Breast Cancer Action Group and a consortium of Women’s Health Services and funded by the State Government, this fledgling service grew out of the voices of women with breast cancer advocating for support outside of the hospital environment.
“Over the past 10 years BreaCan has provided access to information and support to thousands of Victorian women learning to live their ‘new normal’ after a cancer diagnosis” says Lee Kennedy, BreaCan Manager.
BreaCan provides, amongst other services, support through its unique volunteer peer support program, women diagnosed with breast or a gynaecological cancer speak face-to-face or via phone with a woman who is also living with cancer. Mary, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, has volunteered every month for the past 10 years at BreaCan and says, “Each day at BreaCan is as rewarding as the next, I never take for granted the ability of being able to make someone’s journey through breast cancer a little bit easier, a lot less frightening. It is a gift to be able to lighten someone’s load through sharing, understanding and empowering.”
“Better screening, increased personal awareness and better treatment outcomes means more and more women will be living with cancer. This makes community based services like ours, that focus on supporting women to live well, even more important over the next ten years” comments Lee.
Help us celebrate and support us into the next decade Make a Donation today.
BreaCan and Ovarian Cancer Australia are proud to have produced the first edition of a factsheet for women living with gynaecological cancer in Victoria. It has been produced as part of a collaborative project between BreaCan and Ovarian Cancer Australia during 2012, funded by the Victorian Department of Health, that looked at information and support needs and preferences for women living with gynaecological cancer.
The content of the factsheet was developed through a consultation process with women living with a gynaecological cancer who identified services and supports that they would have found helpful at the time of their diagnosis or treatment. Many women expressed a preference for having the information in a concise format and being able to access services at a time of their choosing.
The factsheet provides an overview of a comprehensive range of community based supports available in Victoria. The electronic version has active hyperlinks to the various support organisations and services.
The factsheet can be downloaded from our publications page.
BreaCan peer support volunteers help other women experiencing breast or a gynaecological cancer through listening, supporting and providing information. Does this sound like you? To find out about being peer support volunteer and other volunteer roles at BreaCan, come along to one of our volunteer information sessions at the BreaCan Resource Centre to be held on Friday 15 March 11.00am – 12.30pm or Tuesday 19 March 6.00pm – 7.30pm. For more information, see the Become a Volunteer page.
We are pleased to be welcoming Lee Kennedy as the BreaCan Manager.
Lee brings a range of skills and expertise to this position. She has extensive experience in the primary health field including the Department of Health, community health and the management of a Primary Care Partnership in the Western region. She has also undertaken a number of consultancies in organisations such as Vic Health, local government and VCOSS.
Her extensive experience in management, partnership and stakeholder development and knowledge of the broader health sector will be invaluable to the future development of BreaCan.
Our annual Year in Review has been produced and it highlights the achievements and work of the service for the financial year 2011 to 2012.
This year’s publication reflects on what is the ‘fabric of BreaCan’ – the things that make the service special and unique, alongside the many achievements reached in the past financial year. Of note are the four personal stories of women who have used the service, their words describe the many elements which make up BreaCan’s fabric.
You can download the document from our publications page. If you would like to request a printed copy please contact our Resource Centre by phoning 1300 781 500 or emailing breacan@breacan.org.au.
We are happy to announce a new addition to the BreaCan staff team. Mary Macheras-Magias has commenced as Project and Training Officer, working one day a week. As well as being a very active consumer advocate, Mary brings a wealth of experience in education, curriculum development and delivery and part of her role at BreaCan will be working on the development and delivery of volunteer training programs for the service. We are very pleased to be welcoming her to the BreaCan staff team.
We are very pleased be welcoming Annemarie Ferguson to the BreaCan staff team. Annemarie will be working a two-year project, funded by Cancer Australia, which looks at how we can provide access to our service for those affected by breast and gynaecological cancers who come from a diverse background, such as those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
There are new ways to stay connected with BreaCan! You can like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news, upcoming events and other relevant news and information.
In 2011 BreaCan was fortunate to run two information sessions on the topic of Breast Cancer and Bones. Dr Esther Briganti, an Endocrinologist in private practice and associated with St Vincent’s Private Hospital, provided a non-oncological perspective of the impact of breast cancer therapies on bone health in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. In her presentation Dr Briganti reviewed the outcomes of clinical studies which have shown ways to prevent or reduce bone loss, as well as discussed other factors that may affect the risk of osteoporosis.
Due to the heightened interest in this area amongst women living with breast cancer, Dr Briganti agreed to have her second session recorded. This recording is now available on the BreaCan website as a podcast or can be borrowed in CD format from the BreaCan library.
To listen to the session, click here
