Grafton Breast Cancer Support Group

We're in the pink and learning to celebrate the cancer journey!!

The Grafton Breast Cancer Support Group is 1 of 2 support groups that have been established in the Clarence Valley, the other in Yamba.

Our support group started in 2004 and was established by Joan Thompson for people in the Clarence Valley who wish to meet in the daytime. Joan has since lost her life to secondary cancer.

Our support group has 15 active members comprising of 13 survivors and two carers. We liaise with Cathy Brophy the McGrath Breast Cancer Nurse in the Clarence Valley who attends our meetings. She is also our direct contact with Grafton Base Hospital Oncology.

We have cross links with other nationally recognised support organisations with several of our members belonging to those groups.  We are an active member group of BCNA (Breast Cancer Network of Australia).

Two of our members are Encore facilitators and many of us have participated in the program.

Encore is a YWCA health and fitness program for breast cancer survivors.

The Clarence Valley Dragons Abreast is another link group. Dragons Abreast is a nationwide dragon boat organisation providing for health and support of cancer survivors, carers and friends.

We also provide up-to-the-minute information and research data that we access from the Breast Cancer Network of Australia (of which we are a member group), the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Foundation the Cancer Council and many other sources. We have hosted Lymphodoema information session in South Grafton calling on the expertise of Kellie Shanley, a local physiotherapist. We work closely with the hospital physiotherapists, Lola McPhee and Kevin Hansell.

We are Grafton’s only breast cancer support group and hope to provide support for breast cancer survivors and their families in practical ways.

We have purchased essential items such as Lymphodoema sleeves, wigs for hair loss following chemotherapy, assist with loans for up-front prostheses costs, cook meals, send flowers and cards and hope to provide funding for home help and transport cancer survivors and their families in the Clarence Valley.

We are also involved in gaining funding to host “Pamper” days for men and women who have battled cancer in the Clarence Valley and have hosted 3 in the last 4 years and hosted 2 days for 20 women in May of 2010.

One of the goals of our group is to provide a place where survivors of breast cancer their families and carers can talk and share joys and concerns. We would like to be able to continue to provide support for our community.