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Facing breast cancer with a disability

Coping with breast cancer can be difficult. If you are also living with a disability, you may face additional challenges.

The needs of people with disabilities diagnosed with breast cancer may vary depending on individual circumstances, type of disability, financial situation, support networks, culture and many other factors.

Appropriate information and support can help you to feel more in control and able to participate in decisions about your treatment and care.

BCNA has resources designed specifically for people with a disability. These include fact sheets in Easy English and audio, as well as video resources. 

Living well with breast cancer and a disability

No two people with a disability will have the same experience. 

In this video, BCNA members Niki, Angela and Sara share their experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer while living with a disability. Health professionals also speak about the unique challenges for people with a disability diagnosed with breast cancer.

Watch - with captions (video, 5:20 minutes) 

Watch - without captions (video, 5:20 minutes) 

View a transcript of the video Living well with breast cancer and a disability (HTML). 

Caring for someone with a disability: the impact of breast cancer

Often carers don't identify themselves as carers because they feel that the role they're playing – and that's one of a daughter, a child, a parent, a sibling, a friend – it's that the caring is part and parcel of that role, but actually what they're doing is going above and beyond what someone else in that role would be doing.

– Tania Daniels, Carers Victoria

In this video, Carers Victoria’s Tania Daniels and medical oncologist Dr Vishal Boolell talk about the important role carers play in supporting people with breast cancer. Carers of people with a disability and breast cancer also share their experiences, and provide tips for other carers on looking after their own health and wellbeing. 

Watch - with captions (video, 5:16 minutes)

 

Watch - without captions (video, 5:16 minutes)


View a transcript of the Caring for someone with a disability: the impact of breast cancer video (HTML). 

Fact sheets 

You may like to look at our Accessible resources page. It contains Easy English fact sheets as well as audio and HTML versions. The Easy English fact sheets use simple words and pictures to help people understand breast cancer. 

BCNA’s Easy English fact sheets include: 

  • Feeling sad or worried
  • Sleepless nights
  • Lymphoedema
  • Bone health and breast cancer
  • Keep breast cancer away
  • Life after breast cancer.

Fact sheets for carers 

Are you a carer of someone with a disability and breast cancer, or looking for resources for your friend, family member or loved one? BCNA has produced the following fact sheets specifically for carers:

Understanding breast cancer: information for carers of a person with a disability

This fact sheet provides a basic understanding of breast cancer for carers of a person with a disability. It also provides information on some of the ways that your role might change when the person you are caring for has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

You’re important too: looking after yourself as a carer

This fact sheet provides information to help support you in your role as carer. It also provides some tips on looking after yourself.

You can download a PDF version or order a hard copy of Understanding breast cancer: information for carers of a person with a disability and You’re important too: looking after yourself as a carer through our online order form.

Resources for people who are caring for someone with breast cancer: information and support 

BCNA’s Resources for people who are caring for someone with breast cancer: information and support (PDF, 208 KB) fact sheet provides a comprehensive and helpful list of information resources, organisations and services for carers.

Where to find more information and support