About Us
How we have helped
The BCFWA provides personalised support and care for those affected by breast cancer. Every person will have a unique experience with breast cancer, and we aim to provide services that will lighten the challenges not only for those diagnosed, but also for their family and carers.
The small things can make the biggest difference, and our practical support ranges from transport and accomodation assistance to assisting with treatment expenses. Often our services are tailored to individual need, and some of the ways we have recently helped are featured below.
Helping in smaller ways
They might not sound significant to everyone but sometimes the seemingly little things can be a significant barrier to a woman receiving quality care and follow-up restorative treatment.
We were very pleased to be asked to provide a petrol subsidy for a woman who was receiving Centrelink benefits and needed to travel three times a week from Collie to Bunbury for specialist treatments. With the high cost of fuel this was a serious financial burden. Our covering this cost was the difference between her receiving effective treatments and compromising, thus delaying her recovery.
Leilani (not her real name) approached us as she was very keen to attend the YWCA Encore after breast cancer gentle exercise program to help her to restore her mobility, flexibility and confidence. Her problem was that she needed someone to care for her young children while she was away. We were not able to provide a baby-sitter but we paid for a qualified child-carer already known to the family.
It’s really gratifying to know that we are not constrained by strict criteria for providing assistance but can provide personalised support and care in a way that meets the specific needs of families with whom we come into contact.
Breast Cancer Foundation of WA helps Perth mum receive life-saving treatment
Perth mother Kym was just 33 when diagnosed with HER-2 breast cancer - an aggressive form of the disease. Married with two children aged seven months and three years old, she immediately underwent a double mastectomy, lymph node removal, chemotherapy and six months later started ongoing hormone treatment.
If major surgery, chemo and hormone treatment wasn't enough for this young mum to cope with, Kym had the added pressure of knowing that this HER-2 type of cancer has a significantly increased risk of developing a secondary cancer within five years than the more common oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer. At the recommendation of her oncologist, Kym commenced Herceptin in April 2007. Herceptin is a drug that has been recently proven to have a high success rate in preventing a reoccurrence of this particular breast cancer and therefore significantly reduces the risk of death.
However, the powerful Herceptin is also extremely expensive - over $60 000 per year. Extensive lobbying of the Federal Government saw this drug listed on the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in October 2006, reducing the price dramatically and making it available to sufferers for less than $50 a month – a magnificent step forward for the Breast Cancer cause. Unfortunately, Kym, is one of the unlucky few who has fallen through the cracks. Women are only eligible for the subsidy if they begin Herceptin immediately following chemotherapy. Herceptin had not been clinically proven within Australia and therefore was unavailable at the time of Kym’s diagnosis (2005) and this meant that there would be an 18 month delay between chemo and the commencement of Herceptin. This small delay has left her facing a bill of around $5000.00 each month to increase her chances of being there to watch her children grow up.
When the BCFWA heard Kym's story we were touched by the unfairness of her situation and moved by her plight. Board Director and Specialist Breast Surgeon Dr David Ingram confirmed that Herceptin offered the best chance for a cancer free life, so the Foundation felt compelled to assist and are making monthly contributions towards this huge financial burden.
Today Kym is receiving Herceptin and is well and busy with her family and work.
“My family and I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to The Breast Cancer Foundation of Western Australia for your response to the letter I sent to you earlier this year. We appreciate that you have gone to the trouble of concerning yourselves with our situation and have kindly agreed to contribute towards my treatment against Breast Cancer. We would like you to know that this gesture has been received with the utmost appreciation.
What sets The Breast Cancer Foundation aside from the others is your focus on the individual. Whilst it is my belief that a focus towards a cancer free future and addressing the financial needs of the majority is of the highest importance, it is comforting to know that foundations such as yours exist to support women like myself who have otherwise slipped through the net.
Thanking you again for your favourable reply and endless support”
It's not always about the money
Sometimes we are able to help without spending money, thanks to the generosity of our wonderful volunteers!
Recently we were able to support a mum of two young children. Following her surgery she was under doctor’s orders not to lift anything heavier than a loaf of bread. Top it off with the need to move house at that time. Imagine how difficult that must have been for her and her little ones, especially the eighteen month old.
We were able to arrange for our volunteers to spend time with the family at home, hanging out the laundry, lifting the little ones in and out of the car and in and out of the cot at nap-times, etc. Some volunteers also helped with packing and unpacking at the other end, meal preparation and whatever else needed to be done.
If you would be willing to lend support, contact the BCFWA.
Treatment isn't the only challenge
During a journey with breast cancer, challenges don't just arise from the need to have treatment. Each family member will have their own journey, and the diagnosis of breast cancer can affect all aspects of life.
Loss of income can be a huge strain on individuals and families, and when the unexpected happens, it can be difficult to manage. Recently the BCFWA was able to access and arrange delivery of a second-hand refridgerator for a family when their fridge unexpectedly broke down while the Mother was going through treatment.
Keeping Families Together
When breast cancer strikes women in rural areas, the more common challenges associated with a diagnosis are compounded with extra challenges because most treatment is only accessible in the city.
Recently we helped a Single Mother from a remote area who was undergoing treatment. During this time, her son was involved in an accident, and was placed in Intensive Care. Naturally, she wanted and needed to be near him, as well as to have access to her own treatment. The BCFWA was able to organise accomodation and take care of the costs, to help minimize her stress, and to allow her to support her son during his recovery.
In another instance, the BCFWA supported a family from the country whilst their Mother was receiving palliative care in Perth. We covered the cost of accomodation for the family, so that they could be together during the last stages of her breast cancer journey.
Michelle
Michelle lives in Bunbury and was first diagnosed with breast cancer as a new mum at the age of 30. Two years on, Michelle has been diagnosed with advanced cancer. Michelle's wish was to get married so her friends rallied together to organise the wedding. With just one week to plan the whole wedding, Michelle's friend contacted the BCFWA to see if we could help. Within days we organised for a limousine to take Michelle and her wedding party to the ceremony and reception as well as luxury accomodation for the wedding night. Michelle and her friends have said that this touch of indulgence added something special to her wedding day.
"We felt so privileged to contribute to creating such special memories for Michelle and her family." - Nikki, BCFWA.
Tina
Tina* is a young, single mother living with her two children in Broome. Under the current state government scheme that provides accomodation and travel assistance to patients, Tina was not able to have a support person with her while staying in Perth for treatment. Tina was required to spend two weeks in Perth for surgery, followed shortly by an additional five weeks for radiotherapy. With financial support from the BCFWA, Tina was able to stay in a serviced apartment with the support of her mother staying with her for the duration of her treatment.
"These kinds of services are vital. The more we can do to minimise stress along the journey, the better." - Donna, BCFWA.
(* name has been changed)