September 2007
The Young Ones
September 2007 Newsletter
In this month’s The Young Ones newsletter . . .
There is lots of activity to raise awareness of, and funds for, breast cancer in October, Australia’s breast cancer awareness month. Importantly for young Australian women, it’s also the month that the first national conference is to be held. It’s not too late to register for this event – details are included here.
In this month’s newsletter Aislinn Andrews shares her experience of breast cancer and the help she found in the gentle exercises of Feldenkrais. I’m looking forward to catching up with many of you at the conference.
Rita Marigliani, The Young Ones Coordinator
Up Close & Personal 2
There is a buzz in Melbourne amongst young breast cancer survivors. The conference date is looming close for the First National Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer. Behind the scenes YABC have been busy coordinating an array of tasks, from confirming speakers, garnering media interest, and trying to get word out to as many young women far and wide about the conference. Women will come together at the Jasper Hotel on the 13th and 14th of October to share stories, hear expert speakers, have fun, be informed and connect with each other. One of the many anticipated highlights of the conference will be a researcher from WA who is flying in for the event, Angela Ives, speaking about research she is involved in focussing on fertility after breast cancer, YABC Divas performances, as well as local experts engaged in an informative and lively hypothetical session on the Sunday. To date approx 140 young women have registered. Women will be coming from Benalla to Northern Territory. It’s shaping up to be a great event in what promises to be a busy breast cancer awareness month.
For further information, and to register, please check out the conference website www.yabc2007conference.org or email ya-bc@hotmail.com
The Young Ones – helping our memebers to attend Up Close and Personal 2
To help members who would otherwise be unable to attend the Up Close and Personal 2 Conference, The Young Ones has set aside funds to assist with travel, overnight accommodation (at the Jasper Hotel), or other associated costs. If you would like to attend the conference, but are finding the costs associated prohibative, please email me at ritamarigliani@netspace.net.au
Fertile Hope
Fertile Hope, the only organization specifically dedicated to cancer-related infertility, has just launched its brand new website at www.fertilehope.org. The site has numerous new features such as:
Explore the new website and increase your knowledge about breast cancer and fertility.
How Feldenkrais helped me get well after breast cancer treatment
I was diagnosed with aggressive HER-2 positive breast cancer in December of 2005. I went from being quite an active 26 year old, swimming three times a week, walking, cycling and doing yoga, to doing absolutely nothing thanks to the debilitating nature of my treatment. I started 3 months of chemo after New Year's in 2006, had a radical mastectomy and removal of all the lymph nodes on my right side in April, did another 3 months of chemo after that, then 5 weeks of radio, then started a year's worth of Herceptin in September together with a 5 year course of Tamoxifen. Basically, I spent 2006 feeling so weak, the wind could have blown me away.
At the start of 2007, my doctors recommended that I do more exercise in order to fight fatigue and regain my strength. But this was easier said than done. I could only walk for 15 minutes at a time before I would be so exhausted that I'd have to rest for 2 hours just to recover. Yoga was out of the question as classes went for an hour to an hour and a half and I simply didn't have that kind of stamina. Swimming was easier to start again, going from 20 laps of freestyle to 6 laps of breaststroke at a time. Again, swims wiped me out for the rest of the day, meaning I couldn't really do it on a work day or on a weekend day when I planned to go out on a weekend night. My mum, a yoga teacher in Perth, suggested Feldenkrais. I looked it up on the internet and found a teacher who ran classes in the city, not far from my house.
Feldenkrais was wonderful because it was something I COULD do, as opposed to all the things I COULDN'T. It was gentle, I could do it for an hour, I could do it before work and it wouldn't wipe me out for the rest of the day. It helped stretched out my joints and muscles which often ached after a Herceptin treatment. It also helped realign my spine and helped with a lower back problem which I had prior to my breast cancer diagnosis.
As well as helping me get better physically, Feldenkrais helped me mentally. The word 'can't' had been a recurring thought in my head for a year. I'd lost the confidence to do a lot of things because I just didn't trust my body to do what I wanted it to do. Going to class and being able to start doing exercise again was just such a nice feeling. It was the first step in my recovery process and it was a tangible sign, to myself at least, that I was getting better. Any kind of sign is a godsend as the recovery process is so frustratingly slow, you feel like you will never get your strength back.
I hope other women in my situation can benefit from Feldenkrais. It may not be for everyone but there are not a lot of options for women out there post-chemo who want to start doing physical exercise again - especially if they work full-time like me. Aislinn Andrews
For more information about Feldenkrais visit: feldenkrais.org.au
What’s Happening Next Month? (See The Young One website for updates)
Pink Lady Art Exhibition
Attached is information regarding the inaugural Pink Lady Art Exhibition to be held in Brighton on Saturday, 20th October. It is being organised by Lisa Sewards, a young breast cancer survivor. Money raised is going to Breast Cancer Network Australia and The National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Girls Night In – two of our supporters have sent details of their events:
Girls Night In - Danielle Murrihy
Friday the 19th of October 7.30 pm at Hallam Valley Primary school, Fleetwood drive Narre Warren
Cost: $10 per person (includes a glass of sparkling wine and a showbag)
We will have some serious fun with “the girls” and raise money for the The Cancer Council.
The evening will include wine tasings from Let’s Unwine Berwick, The Party Food Shop will be supplying hot finger food, Curves Gymnamsium will be there and are donating a $250 gym membership. There will be 4 party plan companies selling amazing stock – clothing, chocolate, jewllery and cards and stationery.
There will be a fashion parade from Undercover wear and chocolate samples to try. Brenda from PPC(Product Presentation Circuit) will be doing food tasting and demonstrations of yummy food. Plus heaps of door prizes and raffles
For tickets and enquiries ,contact Danielle Murrihy on 8790 3316 or dmurrihy@bigpond.net.au
Girls Night In Cocktail Party – Lisa Peterson
Women aged 18 years & over are invited to a…COCKTAIL PARTY, To raise money for the Cancer Council’s, Girls Night In.
Saturday October 27th 2007
7:30pm – 12:30am
Amstel Golf Club, 1000 Frankston-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne, 3977 Melways Reference 133 D5
Tickets: $30 per person – To be purchased & paid for by 13th October 2007
Includes: 1 free cocktail on arrival (
Choice of 2) on arrival finger food, tea & coffee
There will be Raffles, Door Prizes, Mini Auction and a Gift Bag for everyone who attends plus much more.
Numbers are limited so get in fast to secure your ticket
For tickets or information,
Call Lisa 03 5995 5598, 0423 244 264
BreaCan
BreaCan is a free, confidential information and support service for
people affected by gynaecological cancers or breast cancer, their
families and friends. Open 10am - 2pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Thursday 4th October, 12.00pm-1.30pm – Hormones R Hopping
Most of us know that hormones play an important role in our health and well being, but we may not understand why. Prof. Jeffrey Zajac, Endocrinologist and General Physician with Austin Health, will give an overview on hormones and how they work. He'll explain what happens when a woman's hormones change due to menopause, either naturally or chemotherapy induced, and how these changes might impact on a younger woman compared to an older woman. Jeffrey will also discuss the links between hormones and breast cancer, and other cancers.
Wednesday 10th October, 11.00am – 2.00pm – ‘Wordplay’
Josie Scott, BreaCan’s Co-Ordinator - Advanced Cancer, will facilitate this workshop and provide opportunities to try different creative writing exercises and ideas to get your pen flowing across the page! Come prepared to write and maybe read aloud - no previous experience necessary. Josie studied creative writing and has written and facilitated workshops ever since. Journal and lunch provided. Numbers are limited, so please book early.
Wednesday 17th October, 11.00am – 2.00pm – Music For The Mind, Body & Soul
We all have a connection with music. Our tastes may be different, but still, music has a way of touching our soul. Emma O’Brien, Senior Music Therapist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, will facilitate an interactive session about the way music can be used to help heal and maintain health and well being in our lives. Singing optional, ears a must! Lunch is provided so please let us know you’re coming.
BreaCan Resource Centre
Ground Floor, Queen Victoria Women’s Centre
210 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
PHONE 1300 781 500 (cost of a local call for country callers)
FAX (03) 9921 0840
breacan@breacan.org.au
www.breacan.org.au
Newsletter Contributions
We welcome all contributions to and feedback on, the newsletter. If you’ve recently read a book, seen a website, lecture or production that you think other young women who have experienced breast cancer would be interested in, or would like to share your story, we’d love to hear from you. Send all your stories, reviews contributions and feedback to ritamarigliani@netspace.net.au
Our next meeting: Thursday, 25 October
Contact details Rita Marigliani
The Young Ones Coordinator:
041 123 5964
Email: ritamarigliani@netspace.net.au
Website: www.theyoungones.asn.au
