ALBURY-WODONGA BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

The Tit Tattler would not be possible without the generosity of Conway Printing at Jindera who print the newsletter without charge.

Thanks also to Kellie and Kelvin Davies of K2 Design who donate their time and skills maintaining our website and providing technical support.

And thank you to our contributors whose input helps us to pass on so much important information, advice or just something to make us laugh.

Merry Christmas and a

happy, healthy new year

to all our dear readers!

25 January Mile High Dragon Boat Regatta Falls Creek

10 February LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER– to enrol contact Rosemary Creed 02 6021 3604

15 February Chinese New Year Dragon Boat Regatta Yarra River– World trade Centre Or regatta at Jindabyne

20 February AWBCSG MEETING 10 am Mitta Mitta Canoe Club

21 February Lake Hume Cycle Challenge AWBCSG Information Table at finishing line Noreuil Park, Albury

28 February and 1 March Brave Hearts on the Murray Inc Dragon Boat Regatta Gateway Island

20 March AWBCSG MEETING 10 am Mitta Mitta Canoe Club

24 March LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER– to enrol contact Rosemary Creed 02 6021 3604

DATES FOR THE DIARY

T he Albury-Wodonga Breast Cancer Support Group meets on the third Friday of each month, 10am to noon, at the Mitta Mitta Canoe Club building, Noreuil Park, Albury, a confidential and caring meeting, sharing

knowledge and experiences and offering comfort and friendship. Coffee and tea are supplied and you can bring nibbles to share if you wish.

PLEASE JOIN US

hydrotherapy pool every Wednesday at 12.30pm. For women who have or have had breast cancer, the exercises are gentle and focus mainly on lymphatic drainage. The format for the class is to meet and change in time for a 12.30pm start, stretching, gentle exercise using equipment and relaxation to finish. The class ends at 1.30pm The cost is $5.

H ydrotherapy is held at the Albury Base Hospital

CONTACTS

Committee Heather Knott (02) 6059 2314

Robyn Daly (02) 6021 5353

Marg Harrison (02) 6021 4551

Jodie Hart 0410 046 330

Marlene Gibson (02) 6021 6364

Barbara Iverson (02) 6056 1437

Feel free to contact any committee member for information or support.

Correspondence to: Heather Knott– Facilitator 4 Armstrong Terrace West Wodonga Vic 3690 kknott@iprimus.com.au Editor: Heather Knott kknott@iprimus.com.au Sub editor: Robyn Daly robyn.daly3@bigpond.com Hydrotherapy contact: Marlene Gibson (02) 6021 6364

Heather with Happenings

Hi Everyone,

I know I say it every year, but where has this year gone, each year seems to fly by faster than the last. I can’t believe I have been facilitator for twelve months. Thank you to everyone who has helped out during the year– delivering the tit tattler, making new ladies welcome to our group, doing the dishes and packing up after each meeting, manning stalls or supporting our activities– I have really appreciated it. Once again another

busy three months. As mentioned in the last Tit Tattler, we invited Carol Stevenson– a founding member of the AWBCSG– to our 19th Birthday celebrations. Carol lit the Remembrance Candle and we took time to acknowledge the ladies who have lost their breast cancer battle and good wishes to those who are currently undergoing treatment. Carol also brought along the photo albums of previous birthday celebrations to share. It was nice to look back over time and see who has been involved in the support group. We are planning to go out for lunch to celebrate our 20th birthday and look forward to lots of previous members joining us. So please set aside Friday 18th September 2015.

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month– a special time to acknowledge and support the many women, men and their families across the country affected by breast cancer with October 27th being Breast Cancer Day. There were many activities over the month raising awareness as well as funds for research. October is always a busy time for the National Breast Cancer Foundation which raises funds through Pink Ribbon Events for research into breast cancer. The Cancer Council also has a Pink Ribbon Fund Raiser during October to raise money to support those effected with breast and gynaecological cancer as well as for research and prevention. Breast Cancer Network Australia, with its Pink Lady, provides a support network as well as being involved in advocacy. BCNA uses October to acknowledge the incidence of breast cancer within the community and remind us to provide support to those affected. Some of the ladies from the support group manned the Cancer Council stall in the Myer Complex. Thank you to everyone who purchased merchandise, attended a fund raising event or helped a friend battling breast cancer– you support was greatly appreciated.

The AGM for the Albury Wodonga Cancer Foundation Inc. is held each October. Robyn and I attended and it is always interesting to hear what all the different support groups and agencies have done through out the year to support those on a cancer journey. Once again Brave Hearts on the Murray Inc. presented a cheque for $5000 and $10,000 was donated by a local Cancer Support Group that has folded. This money will go towards the Financial Hardship Program. We are so lucky to have so much support available in this area

but are enough people aware of what there is? At the AGM the Foundation launched their website which aims to provide comprehensive information about Cancer and Cancer Services in the Albury-Wodonga region at www.canceralburywodonga.com.au. Go on and have a look, it will be continually updated and feed back is welcome– is it user friendly, is there a mistake you have spotted, information that is missing? I need to get them to spell my name correctly and have them link up to our website.

At our October meeting Rosemary Creed, Look Good Feel Better Facilitator for Albury Wodonga, was our guest. In the Spring edition we mentioned the award that the local group won so it was nice to hear about the process involved and the history of LGFB. LGFB started in 1990 but it wasn’t until 2004 that it commenced in Albury Wodonga. In 2006 Rosemary became facilitator and was organizing 4 sessions a year with 5 or 6 ladies each session. In 2014 she has offered 8 sessions with between 16-20 ladies each time. There are 17 volunteers, with most of them having training in beauty, who help out at each session. Ladies who participate in the program come from as far away as Corryong, Benella, Euroa, Deniliquin and Henty. Many are able to work it in with their appointment at radiation or chemotherapy.

Complimentary Therapies Border Wellness Circle is held every second Thursday, 10.30am- 3pm, in the Boardroom of Murray Valley Private Hospital, Nordsvan Drv Wodonga . Women who have experienced any form of cancer are welcome to come along and enjoy complimentary therapies, self care activities as well as craft and pamper days. $2.50 covers lunch. Come along for a fun day of relaxation and friendship. For more details contact Brigitte on 0400681720 or email brigitte.weber@gsahs.health.nsw.gov.au for meeting dates.

Massage Therapist. Sue Butcher is also a registered lymphoedma massage therapist and has rooms at 468 Swift St Albury &15 McInnes St Holbrook. Sue can be contacted on 0427 369 570 or admin@backstraightmassage.com massageresults.com.au

PINC. Leanne Hodge a physiotherapist, is also accredited to deliver the PINC Cancer Rehabilitation program for women diagnosed with cancer. Leanne is based in Holbrook. Leanne can be contacted on 0417 616 957 or lhpysio@ozemail.com.au

2,650 registered participants and 153 teams

The local program was the most successful of the 52 that run in Victoria/Tasmania and then of the 180 Nation wide in 2013. A wonderful achievement for Rosemary and her team. Many of the ladies at our meeting have experienced a LGFB session and are grateful to have been able to be pampered for a morning by the lovely ladies. Rosemary and Jude Peterkin, McGrath Breast Care Nurse, attended the LGFB Ball in Sydney where the award was presented. They both had a most enjoyable time.

To round off a busy October, there was Border Relay For Life. This year Brave Hearts entered a team and buddied up with GO Support– Gynaecologial and Ovarian Cancer Support Group. Melissa Nixon, Wagga Cancer Council Office, congratulated the Border on being the 2nd highest Relay For Life fund raiser in Australia. The event is certainly well organized and runs smoothly– well done to Carl and his committee. It is great to see such community spirit and the two cities working together. It was lovely to meet up with ladies who are newly diagnosed and had come along to participate in the Survivors/Carers first lap. I also took part in the Hope Ceremony at dusk, a very moving experience.

Our November meeting was a Mini Field of Women held jointly with Brave Hearts on the Murray Inc. at Noreuil Park, hosted by Robyn Daly and Fiona Jones. Thank you to all the ladies who attended and helped out on the day, especially the ladies who came over from the Corowa Support Group. I am sorry that I was unable to be there with you all, to help pay tribute to all those affected by breast cancer in our community. I will have to make do with

looking at the photos and viewing the album with all of the tags that were placed on the pink ladies that Robyn puts together each year.

Wishing you a great Christmas and New Year and best wishes for 2015. Until our next tit tattler, keep cool and relax.

Heather Knott

THOUGHTS, PRAYERS and RAINBOWS

For any suffering loss, grief, sadness, any illness, just not feeling good or awaiting results, our thoughts, prayers and rainbows go out to you.

Denise A, Gail S, Noelene Mc, Raelene M, Wilma G, Christine J, Annie M, Kathy M and Vicki H

If you know of anyone who could use a thought, prayer and a rainbow, please let us know so they can be included in the next newsletter.

‘Love can bridge all distances.

Surely the substance of rainbows is love.’

Norma Hipwell and Joan Blackwood

at the Daffodil Day Stall at Myer

Centrepoint.

$14,692 was raised from the six

Albury merchandise sites.

Eric Turner, President Albury

Wodonga Cancer Foundation Inc,

having received a cheque from

Brave Hearts on the Murray Inc

Suzi Watson and Fiona Jones at

the AWCF AGM.

AWBCSG ladies enjoying

the sunshine at our

19th Birthday Meeting

in September

Minute silence at the Mini Field of Women

GO Support and Brave Hearts on the

Murray participating in the Survivors

and Carers Lap of Relay for Life- 2014

Corowa Support Group ladies, Jill Lawson,

Paddy Lowe and Julie Evans joined us for

the Mini Field of Women

BRAVE HEARTS NEWS

Bendigo Regatta was our first regatta for the season, and

was a great day for all. Very successful.

1st place Masters Women's 10s

2nd place Women's 20s

3rd place Mixed 10s (BH Gold Team)

4th place Premier Mixed 20s Just pipped at the post by a

dragon's whisker!

Our next regatta is at Wagga on Nov 30th. A very large

contingent is going, and much success is anticipated. The

following weekend we are hoping to send a team to Docklands

in Melbourne.

Brave Hearts and GO Support once again had a great weekend

at Relay For Life. Many thanks to all who participated and

sponsored.

We are extremely proud to announce Mike Beazley's

selection as coach for the Regional Victorian team at the

Nationals in Perth, April 2015. Training and selection for this

will soon start. There will also be a club team competing at

these titles.

A reminder of Pleasure Cruising on a Sunday afternoon for

those who want a gentle exercise and take in the tranquil

surrounds, we would love to have you join us. Times vary over

summer so phone Pauline on 0408 692 935 to enquire.

Cheers Mel x

Holbrook/Culcairn Cancer Support Group

Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month from 1pm alternating between Holbrook and Culcairn. The first meeting for 2015 is

2 February 1pm at Holbrook

Enquiries to Judy 0409 445 051 or Sharyn 0428 566 802

LOOK GOOD… FEEL BETTER for 2015

Sessions will be held on the following Tuesdays 9.15am – 12 10th February, 24th March, 5th May, 16th June

Please register at least 2 weeks prior to the session you wish to attend.

Contact Rosemary Creed 02 6021 3604 or email on

rtcreed@bigpond.com

KNITTED KNOCKERS Any ladies who have had a mastectomy recently or many

years ago and would like to try the

knitted knockers contact Gwenda

or the McGrath Nurses to arrange

a fitting. Gwenda 6056 0045

Jodie 0407 035 768

Jude 0428 284 642

YWCA Encore Gentle Hydro-therapy Exercise Program

Eight week program - 2 hours per week for women who have had breast cancer at any time in their lives.

The program is FREE of charge and held at Albury Base Hospital Tuesdays 3-5pm

Unfortunately there will be no February program in 2015. If you would like to register now for the October

program so you don’t miss out, please contact

Sigrid Brown: 0428 253 046

There are so many different organisations it is difficult to know what each does in relation to breast cancer. BCNA has put together the jigsaw below in an effort to help. However there are still many more. Breast Cancer Institute of Australia is the fundraising arm of ANZBCTG (Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group). If you purchase The Australian Women’s Health Diary you are supporting their research. Samuel Johnston and his Love Your Sister campaign is raising money for the Garvin Institute so it can continue its breast cancer research. It is almost twelve months since Sam was in Tallangatta on his around Australia trip by unicycle. The Cancer Council provides support and assistance as well as conducting awareness programs and funding research. I hope this has helped.

Interesting Research

Please advise if your mailing details are incorrect or if you do not wish to receive this newsletter. The newsletter can be emailed to you or you can access it from our website.

Have you visited our website lately? You can check out the calendar for details of our next meeting, and in the section ‘all the latest news’, you can subscribe to the newsletter and organise to be

notified when the website has been updated . Log in at http://awbcsg.com

The aim of the Albury-Wodonga Breast Cancer Support Group is to provide a confidential and caring meeting place where a group of women who have or who have had breast cancer can share knowledge, information and experiences. We can give and receive comfort, friendship and be a source of hope and acceptance to other women on their journey.

If undelivered

Please return to:

A–W BCSG

4 Armstrong Terrace

West Wodonga 3690

WISE WORDS Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome.

The Pink Ladies at our Mini Field of Women by the banks of the Murray River, Noreuil Park, Albury