Support groups
What is a support group?
A support group is simply a group of people who meet on a regular basis, share common issues and support one another through their experiences. Our support groups are facilitated by someone who has been through breast cancer or by a trained facilitator, depending on the group.
How do support groups help?
Being diagnosed with breast cancer can give rise to many new feelings and new issues in your life. Joining a support group can help you to share your feelings with people who understand what you’re going through. Being part of a support group can also give you the opportunity to help others through their experience while you are being helped.
What happens at a support group meeting?
Our support groups meet the needs of the individuals within that group. Each group is different and has different members that it supports. Some groups are more open and flexible and others offer more structure. At most meetings there is a general welcome, opportunity for you to share your experiences and feelings and sometimes a guest speaker. It is important to find a group that feels right for you.
When and where are the support group meetings?
The groups meet on a monthly basis, giving the opportunity for people to attend more than one group, if they feel the monthly contact is not enough.
North of the river support group - Heathridge
Third Monday of each month 12:30pm to 2:30pm
For all women
South of the river support group - Melville
Third Friday of each month 10:00am to midday
For all women
East of the river support group - Armadale
First Tuesday of each month 5:30pm to 7:30pm
For all women
“The Young and the Breastless” – young women’s group - Leederville
Second Monday of each month 12:00 noon to 2:00pm
For women under 40 or with school aged children
“Breast Friends” – Waikiki
Second Friday of each month 12:00 noon to 2:00pm.
For all women
"PYNKS" Support Group - young women with advanced breast cancer - The Mount Hospital
Contact Breast Cancer Care WA for details
Advanced breast cancer support group - Leederville
Fourth Friday of each month 1:00pm to 3:00pm
For women living with advanced (secondary) breast cancer
Pink Ferals support group - Denmark
Last Tuesday of each month 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Indigenous women breast cancer support groups - Broome, Geraldton and Perth
Contact Breast Cancer Care WA for details
Online support
If you can’t make it to a support group, but feel you would benefit from talking to other women living with breast cancer, visit www.breastcancerclick.com.au
Join the Click members online for group chat session from 7pm WST / 9pm EST on scheduled evenings each month. Click members jump online to chat about whatever is on their mind, from talking about breast cancer with family and friends to stress management ideas. This is a great to connect with people touched by breast cancer from across Oz in the comfort of your own home. Check out www.breastcancerclick.com.au for dates of the next session..
New Groups
If you would be interested in joining one of the above groups, please call Cathie on 9324 3703 or email cathie@breastcancer.org.au
“Belonging to a breast cancer support group has been one of the vital parts of my healing process. I first joined a group in 1997 where I met a group of ladies all diagnosed with breast cancer within 3 to 4 weeks of each other; all of us between the ages of 32 to 41 and we still meet 13 years later. When I was re-diagnosed in 2007 of metastases in my bones, I joined the Advanced Breast Cancer Support Group where I was inspired to meet people who are living with advanced cancer and where I learnt some useful coping skills on how to handle some of the side effects of the treatments I was going through. I found the group safe to express myself with people who relate. The group has been educational and informative on all sort of topics, all empowering in guiding me to help myself live well with cancer. Many thanks for the wonderful support and sense of knowing I’m not alone in my journey.” MaryAnn
“It is a group where you don’t have to censor what you say because “they may not understand” – they do. Information swapping is great as someone else has probably had the same treatment, hospital or doctor. You can exercise that black sense of humour without causing an awkward silence. It makes you realise what tough old birds we all are. Alternatively we may just have a natter over a cuppa and a biscuit.” Sally
“It took me about three months to work up the courage to join a support group, but I am so glad I did. All the women in my support group are different ages, have different backgrounds and family structures, but it is our breast cancer journey that brings us together. It makes a world of difference to be able to talk to people who really understand the physical and emotional challenges we face. I am particularly touched when long-term breast cancer survivors attend the support group meeting to offer their encouragement to women at the start of their treatment. In addition to the camaraderie, I appreciate the opportunity to find out the latest news from Breast Cancer Care WA and hear visiting speakers address relevant topics.” Tracy