Oral Presentation Cancer Survivorship 2017

Introduction

In 2003, as the BreaCan service began, women with advanced cancer wanted to access the service and to contribute as volunteers. Women told us that they:

• Felt isolated from family, friends and women with early cancer diagnoses
• Wanted to live life as well as possible
• Wanted to contribute to their community
• Had physical health issues
• Were fearful of what death looks like

Speaking with women we know that many still experience these same emotions in 2016.

Description

BreaCan’s dedicated program for women with advanced cancer involves the recruitment, training and support of women with advanced cancer as peer support volunteers. The program also involves information sessions that enable women with advanced cancer to learn more about living with cancer, share their experiences and feel less isolated.

BreaCan has recruited more than ten women with advanced cancer and a further eight women have been re-diagnosed whilst volunteering. In 2015/16, BreaCan had 169 women who had identified they had advanced cancer on their mailing list.

How these volunteers help BreaCan?

These volunteers:

• Share their understanding of advanced cancer with other women
• Educate and support other volunteers and staff about the diversity of cancer experience
• Keep BreaCan’s organisational ethos and policies mindful of and relevant to, the needs of women with advanced cancer.

These volunteers also gain support, information and sense of contribution from BreaCan.

Conclusion:

Including women with advanced cancer as volunteers at BreaCan has enabled a program of support to be available to women who:

• Are often not included in program delivery
• Can be excluded from other groups

Service users benefit from seeing these volunteers commitment to living life as well as possible.

The death of volunteers affects all who volunteer and work at BreaCan. These times require sensitive management and a commitment to ensuring their contributions are honoured appropriately.