Breast cancer support group starts in the Tweed

A NEW breast cancer support group, Healing Together, has started meeting monthly in the Murwillumbah area.

The group will also host an afternoon tea launch on Saturday, June 28 providing an opportunity for women to meet one another and hear from local professional guest speakers.

Organisers Kate Stevenson and Joan Henderson are breast cancer survivors and saw a need in the community for a relaxed space for people living with and recovering from the disease.

“Joan and I both joined Dragons Abreast Wollumbin, so it’s a bit of a spin-off from that we thought was necessary,” Stevenson said.

“I was diagnosed in 2019, and I’m not originally from the area, so I found that I was pretty alone during my breast cancer journey.

“I would really have appreciated a group I could have joined to go along for a coffee and maybe get some information or just compare war stories.”

Guest speakers at the Healing Together launch include clinical nurse consultant and McGrath Cancer Care nurse Gabrielle Gardem and engagement strategy manager with Breastscreen NSW, Jennifer McKay.

Founder of Can Assist Tweed, Sandy Rogers, and specialist bra and prosthesis fitter Sheryl Mohan will also join the event to provide information and advice.

“There’s a need for this, and I know that I still need it,” Stevenson said.

“We’re busy at dragon boating, we paddle, and we leave, but we don’t talk about the nitty-gritty of what we’re doing, how we feel about scans that are coming up, etc.

“This is a chance to focus on more personal stuff and also the emotional stuff.”

The regular support group will meet at the Blonde Baker Café in Tumbulgum on the third Saturday of every month at 10 am.

“The feedback that I’ve had from the community is that there are a lot of people going through cancer in the area, including younger women who can often feel extremely isolated,” Stevenson said.

“People at any point along their cancer journey are welcome.”

Murwillumbah CWA will provide the afternoon tea at the CWA Hall on Saturday at 1.30 pm.

For information, call Amanda on 0473 552 138, or visit events.humanitix.com/healing-together