Making Your Support Needs a Priority. Together.
Managing day-to-day life after diagnosis can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Talking to others on a similar journey who understand and face some of your day-to-day challenges is important. Family and friends try, but often it’s hard for them to understand, and you need to talk to someone who just gets it.
Connecting one-on-one with other advanced breast cancer patients can be a great mental support. They can understand what you are going through and tell you it’s ‘OK to feel what you are feeling’. There are a number of support groups out there that you can reach out to and join to help with some of your everyday challenges.
You’re Not Alone: Stories from women with advanced breast cancer
If you’ve been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, you might feel like your world has been turned upside down.
Hear from women who have been in your shoes as they share their advice, insights and experiences with living with advanced breast cancer. Remember – you are not alone.
After being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, you’ll have many questions and thoughts. Discover insights and advice on where to go from here.
Women living with advanced breast cancer share how they keep themselves positive and living in the moment.
It’s never easy telling your loved ones that you’ve been diagnosed. Hear stories from women who’ve been there.
Living with advanced breast cancer is often a team effort. Discover some places to find some great support.
Hear how you could make full use of your medical appointments and your healthcare team.
From social sports to morning walks, see how these women take care of their body while living with advanced breast cancer.
If you’re currently in the work force and have been diagnosed, you’ll want to watch this one.
Living with advanced breast cancer is a journey. These incredible women share where they are with theirs.
Helpful Patient Support Groups
There are a number of patient organisations which provide specific support and assistance for women with advanced breast cancer. These include:
BREAST CANCER AOTEROA COALITION https://www.breastcancer.org.nz
Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition is an organisation run by breast cancer survivors that offers resources for understanding breast cancer treatment and care, as well as providing details about the ways in which you can access support. Their website includes stories and videos from other New Zealand women who’ve experienced breast cancer and is good way of keeping up with local and international breast cancer news and research.
BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION NZ https://www.breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/
Breast Cancer Foundation specialist nurses help Kiwis to understand their breast cancer treatments and side effects, and to access support services, including free counselling – call 0800 BC NURSE (0800 226 8773) or email [email protected]. BCFNZ’s live webinars feature experts speaking on all aspects of cancer care and living with cancer. Watch past webinars on the website, where you’ll also find a database of current clinical trials. Patients and supporters can join the mybc online community.
BREAST CANCER TRIALS www.breastcancertrials.org.au
Breast Cancer Trials is the largest independent, oncology clinical trials research group in Australia and New Zealand and for more than 40 years, it has conducted a clinical trials research program for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. The research program involves almost 800 researchers at more than 100 institutions and their website lists their currently open clinical trials.
Metavivors NZ
Metavivors NZ is a supportive online community for New Zealanders living with advanced breast cancer, providing mutual support, friendship and information for those who find themselves facing diagnosis and treatment for advanced breast cancer. You can find out more about Metavivors NZ here. To join the Metavivors NZ Facebook group email: [email protected]
SWEET LOUISE https://sweetlouise.co.nz/
Sweet Louise provides practical, emotional and social support to people living with advanced breast cancer in New Zealand. We do this by offering time with a trained coordinator, hosting social gatherings and events, gifting vouchers to use on things like wellbeing experiences, readymade meals, cleaning, gardening and other support services. For more information or support call 0800 11 22 77