The North Shore Breast Friends meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7.00pm at a Takapuna (Auckland) venue which is confirmed each month. Please contact either Geraldine ((09) 480 9406) or Cathie ((09) 419 9342) for details - or call us on 0800BreaCanSupport (0800 273 222). New members are always welcome. 

Latest news: Members enjoy annual International Dinner

Some 'pink pilates' in July

Members offer inspiration

Members enjoy annual International Dinner

This report from Group Coordinator Jenny Short

North Shore Breast Cancer Support group held its annual International Dinner at Geraldine's house. This is an opportunity for members to bring some sort of cuisine from a culture they love.

For some it is a chance to bring some food representative of their homeland to share with others.

These dinner events are always enjoyable as members like to relax and converse freely with old friends and new, sharing experiences and often enjoying a good laugh.

One of last night's laughs was the story one member told of accidentally cooking her wig when trying to dry it in a hurry. Another told of someone accidentally dropping the  prosthesis out of her bra while at the supermarket checkout and kicking it under the counter hoping that no-one had noticed.

It was another night on the lighter side of things but very therapeutic. Fourteen members in all attended and we are all now looking forwad to our annual Christmas supper at Mary Anne's house on the 8^th of  December.

Some 'pink pilates' in July

Our venue was the Takapuna Senior Citizens’ Clubrooms, our meeting time, 7pm for 7.30 ...
it was the usual cold grey, miserable evening one becomes used to in July, so we didn’t expect a great turnout. People often prefer to hunker down near the fire on those nights.

However, to our surprise we had a gathering of twenty ladies, some new and keen to make contacts, others old friendly faces wanting to renew acquaintances and share experiences.

But all of us were keen to meet Megan from Pink Pilates, to hear what happens at a Pilates session and learn how it can help us and to find out how to join her Pink Pilates group.

Best of all, we were able to try some exercises with her there and then. Because we had such a good turnout, there were not enough mats for all to do the floor exercises, so we exercised in a standing position instead. I can attest to the fact that standing can be very effective as well. Megan is a great teacher. Some of our members are already participating in her group and are reaping great fitness benefits.

Megan can be contacted at her business, Active Physio Albany (Ph: 4441925) if anyone is interested in enrolling. After Megan had left the meeting, we went on to our usual caring/sharing round of introductions and questions. Another thoroughly enjoyable night!

Members offer inspiration, hope ... and a way forward 

It is still warm and balmy in the evenings and fifteen of us ventured out in April for the social gathering we hold every second month. (In fact it was so warm and balmy that we found ourselves participating in a group hot flush.) This time we had a supper evening at Geraldine’s house. No one is expected to bring food except for Coordinators but food always appears as if by magic. Some of us joke that we go for the suppers.

Deidre Parr took the opportunity to address us about the overall structure and history of BCS and gave members a small survey to complete. Once again, it was a very pleasant evening of caring and sharing. 

What a great turnout we had in March, new members and all! It is wonderful to see the mix of old friends and new friends every time we come. We had seventeen members and Deirdre Parr (Chair of BCS) was visiting us also.

It was a very dynamic meeting with a dynamic speaker. One of our own members (whose name we will not mention at her request) gave a rousing talk about keeping our own power for ourselves and not being cowed or broken by any experience or any other person.  We all felt immediately that we would start to manage our own lives – and our treatment and recovery – in a much more pro-active way.

We were enthralled by the new member who, at 30, had just finished chemo and was disappointed because she can only manage a 10km run at the moment. She is about to go in the Rotorua Marathon and usually does Iron Man events. She is an example to us all. First of all, as a non-drinker, non-smoker and a fit, healthy young person, we can see that this disease can strike anyone. Don’t believe the people who would have you believe you have brought it upon yourself in some way. She had in no way done anything to deserve having this experience so young. But she is also a great example of how keeping fit and active can help us top recover and get through treatments better. She was such a positive example for us all.

We spent some of the meeting listening to each other’s problems and trying to give words of support where possible. It was indeed a very caring and sharing meeting and we thank the ladies who were prepared to speak so openly and share their concerns. 

North Shore 'together again'

This report from Group Coordinator Jenny Short

 We have just had our first BCS meeting for the year. We met at the Senior Citizens’ Clubrooms in Takapuna and how wonderful it was to meet together again after the long Christmas/New Year break.
 
 We had no speaker, so just used the time to share experiences and support each other.

Once again I was reminded of how different our stories can be. We share a common problem but have to face it in a variety of ways, but the camaraderie of the group is obvious. Once a member, you feel you are surrounded by sympathetic friends who understand something of what you are experiencing. And our meetings are always very different, but always very enjoyable. Well – that’s how I feel. I hope you do too.

Our next meeting will be at the Senior Citizens’ rooms on Wednesday 9 March. and our guest speaker will be Janice Wood, Breast Care Nurse, Waitemata District Health Board. Many of us know Janice, and everyone who has been at a meeting with her before has really enjoyed what she has to say and the chance to ask her questions. Mark the date!
 
 And….my favourite saying this week:The happiest people don't have the best of everything - they just make the best of everything they have.

Good health to you all - Jenny
 

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