In the time between waking up this morning and going to sleep tonight, 57 Australians will be told they have breast cancer. The same will happen tomorrow and the following day, making breast cancer the most common cancer affecting Australian women..

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are amplifying the voice and stories of our charity partner, Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).

Sussan has been proudly supporting BCNA for 17 years. Together with the support of our customers, we have raised more than $3.2 million for the organisation.

To discover more about how BCNA provides information, support and connection to Australian women, men, families and friends affected by breast cancer, we sat down with BCNA CEO, Kirsten Pilatti.

Who is BCNA? Why is BCNA’s network so valuable when someone is diagnosed with breast cancer?

Breast Cancer Network Australia is the largest consumer organisation for those living with breast cancer. Our role is to be the voice for those diagnosed and affected, to connect people with others going through a similar experience, and provide information and support to ensure the power goes back to the person who has been diagnosed.

BCNA has a network of over 160,000 people with a lived experience of breast cancer. How does BCNA use that insight to advocate for better care for everyone diagnosed?

With a network of 160,000 Australians affected by breast cancer, our power is in our numbers and the lived experience. With their insights, we can understand what it’s like to be diagnosed with breast cancer and go through our healthcare system, as well as where we need to advocate to improve it to ensure every Australian gets the best care, treatment and support.

As CEO of BCNA, what does Breast Cancer Awareness Month mean to you?

It means two things. One, it gives us a chance to reflect on how far we have come as an organisation and as a whole breast cancer group. We want to work with health professionals, the health system and the government to create positive change, so it’s an excellent chance to reflect on that. But as well as celebrating how far we have come, we also need to identify how far we still have to go. We know that this can be a.2 tricky time — particularly for those with incurable breast cancer, so we need to get that balance right.

BCNA is raising awareness of optimal care this month. What does optimal care mean?

Optimal care is about being patient centred. There is not one course of action for everyone diagnosed with breast cancer, and if we are genuinely patient-centred, then care will look different for everyone.

So optimal care is about looking at the patient’s needs and putting a plan together that covers not just the physical treatment of the cancer but the supportive care to look after the whole person. This might include their mental health, the health of their family and friends and even support for their work colleagues and wider community.

Access to care can vary, particularly depending on where you live. How can someone living regionally or rurally ensure they receive the best breast cancer care available to them?

We know nothing drives people crazier than learning a service was there for them, and they didn’t know about it. So, for people all over Australia, it’s about tapping into organisations like BCNA early in their treatment. This will help them navigate a very complex healthcare system and ensure they understand the options for them so we can have that optimal care based on their needs and not on the presumption of their needs. We know that the further you live from a metropolitan city, the worse your outcomes are. Hence, it becomes even more essential that people living in rural areas or marginalised groups get access to organisations like ours as soon as they are diagnosed.

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sussan is printing the BCNA Helpline (1800 500 258) in our changerooms across the country. What types of advice and support does the BCNA Helpline provide for people?

Our Helpline is a one-stop shop where you have a trusted, experienced staff member to help you navigate the healthcare system and ensure you understand all the options available to you. The great thing about this service is that someone at the end of the phone can tailor information and support to your individual experience, drawing on the experiences of 160,000 other people who have already linked in with us.

Another key information resource for BCNA is My Journey. What makes My Journey so helpful to someone’s breast cancer experience?

When you are diagnosed, there can often be a lot of information thrown at you; there’s a whole new language you need to learn, endless pamphlets to read, and it can be overwhelming. What My Journey does is curate the information, so you only get the information relevant to your specific diagnosis, how you identify and where you live — and we have a team ensuring it is entirely up to date. Whether you are a woman or man, identify as LGBTIQ+, First Peoples or live in a rural or regional location, My Journey has information and support tailored to your needs. You will hear directly from the people in your community with whom you connect and relate.

How does BCNA provide this connection with people going through a similar experience?

We provide connection through our in-person events and our online network, the largest peer-to-peer support network in the county. So, in the middle of the night, when someone can’t sleep, which is very common, they will jump on the online network, and someone else will be up and respond. It’s really powerful. We often hear from those in our community that they will hear about someone else’s experience, and it will thoroughly validate their own. And often, there are conversations they are having in their mind that they don’t want to have with their partner, children, or friends. We provide safe spaces for them to have those conversations. Even the other day, I talked to a woman who had gone through a separation post-breast cancer.

It’s so common, but no one talks about it because there is this shame, but as women start to talk about it, they realise, “oh my god, that happened to me, “or “yes, I am worried about that too.” That community of support is magical.

BCNA encourages people to be breast aware, so they can see their GP if they notice any changes. What types of changes should people look for that maybe they don’t realise?

I think most people know to look and feel for a lump, but any change, whether it be a dimpling of the skin, a rash that won’t go away or a discharge from the nipple, needs to be investigated. We know that early detection works, so don’t leave it. Prioritise your health. Go and see your GP.

We also want healthy women to know that after they are 40, they can go into the free breast screening program. And if you have a family history of breast cancer, discuss with your GP your actual risk. There are great tools such as iPrevent, where you can put all your family information in, and it will tell you your risk.

How important are partnerships like the one BCNA shares with Sussan?

Partnerships like the one we share with Sussan not only help us raise money but also raise awareness among the very group of women who need to be breast aware. Knowing that BCNA is there provides them with the tools they might need to support themselves or a loved one who has been diagnosed. That connection is very real and important for us and why this partnership is unique. Everyone is in it for the right reasons, and it’s about so much more than the money raised.