Issue 17 Summer 2001 Breast Cancer Network Australia newsletter Herceptin for women with advanced breast cancer n October, the then Federal Howard, about Herceptin at Raelene Minister for Health, Dr Michael Boyle’s birthday party in June (never IWooldridge, announced that miss an opportunity!) and he had Herceptin would become available for followed that up by organising women with advanced breast cancer. meetings between the Network and This announcement was greeted with relevant Ministers and Advisors, delight and relief by women and their including with Dr Wooldridge. families all around Australia. Oncologists around Australia also Jill Suppree has become the ‘face’ of our It was the result of months of hard joined with us, urging for women to Herceptin campaign. Her letters to politicians work on the part of our Network, and have access to this drug. often contained drawings by her two sons. shows what team work can achieve! Individual Network members ran We knew Herceptin could be effec- letter-writing campaigns. tive for some women (see article on Jan Skoritch encouraged Canberra page 11) but, at a $1000 a week, few women to contact their politicians to women could afford to pay themselves. see what could be done. Some women had considered selling Jill Suppree, a young Melbourne their homes; one woman sold her farm woman with advanced disease, sent to pay for the drug. For women with letters to every MP, many accompanied young children, the chance of longer by drawings from her two young sons. survival times was even more vital. Other influential women went out of A proposal to put Herceptin on the their way, and their comfort zones, to Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme was lend their active support and speak up. rejected three times due to the cost. E-mails and letters flew thick and We swung into action! fast. One MP told us he’d received We at Breast Cancer This really was a combined effort. more than 3000 letters! Network Australia send all Several member groups decided to You can imagine the excitement our members and supporters support the Network’s policy that when it was finally announced that best wishes for the festive Herceptin be made available to all Herceptin would be available free of season, and a wondrous, women who needed it – not just those charge for our precious women. healthy year to follow. who could afford to pay. It shows the power of a combined Breast Cancer Action Group national voice and the need to be in INSIDE... devoted a newsletter to this campaign, there for the long haul. urging its women to write and e-mail The Network is delighted to have STATE ROUND-UP 2 their Members of Parliament. been able to play such an active role in HAIR-RAZING EFFORTS 4 BCAG NSW organised for women to this campaign. We wish to acknowl- be interviewed on national television edge the contribution of all those who FIELD OF WOMEN 6-11 to highlight their plight. took action – member groups, MY JOURNEY 12 Women in WA mounted a campaign, individuals, politicians, clinicians. DRAGON BOAT NEWS 13 while NT Breast Cancer Voice In the end, the winners are those organised a meeting with Senator women who need Herceptin and will YOUNG WOMEN’S FORUM 14 Grant Tambling, Parliamentary now be able to get it. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 15 Secretary for Health, to argue the case. – Lyn Swinburne, UPCOMING EVENTS 16 I spoke to the Prime Minister, John National Co-ordinator 1 State Round-up Federation presentation of this year’s Breakfast at the Westin Hotel, Sydney, TASMANIA Fashion Extravaganza. on Australia’s Breast Cancer Day. Norma claims this is her last year and Dr Michael Wooldridge launched the Several Network members were thanks are due to her for the past three much-awaited Consumer Guidelines invited to attend the stakeholder years in raising awareness in the booklet for women with advanced seminar on the Strengthening Support community of the positive side of a disease, while Network member, Fairlie Project being run by Siobhan Harper on diagnosis of breast cancer. Howard, spoke of the importance of behalf of the Commonwealth Health We are delighted to report that Calvary such a resource for women with Department. Hospital will be officially opening a advanced disease. Siobhan delivered her first report and Lymphoedema Clinic in February 2002. On October 20, the first Best Breast invited those present to nominate for the The doors open at the end of November Breakfast was hosted by BCAG NSW project reference group that will form the for a much-needed service in Canberra. and the NSW Breast Cancer Institute next phase of her three-year project. Two of our members have been on the at Old Government House in Three of our members, Margaret steering committee and we congratulate Parramatta. Tassell, Beth Batchelor and Gerry the management and physiotherapists at Another consumer advocacy training Rockliff, continue to work hard on their Calvary and vascular surgeon, Dr David course in Sydney during October has working group projects. We congratulate Hardman, in bringing this long-awaited recruited ‘new voices’. We wish Sally and thank them for their terrific efforts! clinic to Canberra. Lynch and Tessa Mallos well as they Australia’s Breast Cancer Day functions Elspeth Humphries, Anna Wellings attend a conference in San Antonio in were held in Hobart, Launceston and Booth and Leona Furstenberg presented December. Devonport. Deidre Moses reports that the women’s perspective to the BabyDocs From all the Network in NSW – best the mini Field of Women at the Royal program at The Canberra Hospital wishes for Christmas and renewed energy Hobart Hospital, went extremely well. recently. for our preparations for 2002. Planning has already commenced for Leona spoke passionately about issues Contact: Pam Bell (02) 9955 9313 or the major Field of Women, which will be for young women with breast cancer, [email protected] held in Hobart in 2003. Anyone including sexuality and fertility. interested in joining the committee, Contact: Anna Wellings Booth should phone me as soon as possible. (02) 6247 8470 or wbfamily@interact. QUEENSLAND Launceston members, Pauline Watson net.au or Elspeth Humphries and Beth Batchelor, attended the (02) 6239 6344. Capacity Building Workshop in During Breast Cancer Week, the Launceston during November. Wesley Breast Clinic hosted a This workshop, run by the NEW SOUTH WALES gala fashion parade in Brisbane with Commonwealth Office for the breast cancer survivors as models. A Status of Women, offers national A busy time for all in NSW! highlight was the appearance of John non-government women’s organisations Breast Cancer Action Group and Otto, men who have been diagnosed training about seeking change in policy NSW and other NSW BCNA members with breast cancer. or practice. contributed to the outstanding success of BreastScreen Northside invited Janelle Contact: Joan Williams (03) 6421 7700 the Herceptin campaign by writing Gamble and Leonie Young, together or [email protected] letters and making the most of speaking with Liddy Clark, the member for and media opportunities. Everyone is Clayfield, to speak at its mini Field of thrilled with the outcome. Women. THE ACT Eight Mini Fields of Women were held A special blessing by Tunbal song and across the State, with great success and law woman, Maroochy Baramban, and a ACT members, enthused and good representation from local politi- prayer by the Reverend Peter Lockyer, encouraged by Jan Skorich, were cians and celebrities. set the scene for the day, which finished active in supporting the Herceptin Decorated Bakers Delight stores with a fabulous cake featuring the pink campaign, the outcome of which we all throughout NSW added to community silhouette. applaud. awareness of the effects of breast cancer. Janelle Gamble was a guest speaker, This is a fantastic example of the power Congratulations must go to Rosanna along with the Premier’s wife, Heather of the Network – when women around Martinello and her team for their work Beattie, at a luncheon during Breast Australia combine in a campaign that in presenting the Young Women and Cancer Week. makes a difference. Breast Cancer Moving Forward Forum at Joan Sheldon, the member for Members were delighted to meet Jill Darling Harbour on October 21. Caloundra, was so impressed by the Field Suppree (the face of Herceptin) from Thanks also to the Network for its of Women in Brisbane that she invited all Victoria at the Bosom Buddies fashion financial sponsorship of this important female parliamentarians to meet with event in October. initiative. Network board member, Dr Cherrell Norma Bradley and her team are to be Eight hundred people attended the Hirst, and Leonie Young to discuss congratulated on a most successful National Breast Cancer Centre’s important issues relating to breast cancer. 2 in the near future. A few alternatives Community Centre. Susan Timpani ORTHERN ERRITORY N T have been thrown around, but the one runs workshops for many groups and a that seems to have the most support is breast cancer session is always included. Like everywhere else, October Breast Cancer Association of WA. Steps Dragons Abreast SA was launched in was a busy month. are in place for the change. October with a Dragonboat Association Thanks must go to the Admistrator’s Our wonderful dragon boat rowers, the SA (DASA) social event providing wife, Jeanette Anidomatis, who kindly Cockburn Amazons Dragons Abreast, special support. Our watermelon and hosted a cocktail party in Alice Springs took part in the ‘Bridge to Bridge’ event champagne drink went down well! and a luncheon in Darwin. Both were on Sunday 28 October – a 12km paddle The various dragon boat clubs cheered well attended and much enjoyed.