Committee

Patron – Lois Muir

In January 2002 well-known sportswoman and coach, Lois Muir, became our Patron. Lois handled her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in a characteristically positive way.

Lois represented New Zealand in both basketball and netball and coached the New Zealand netball team for an unsurpassed 15 years until 1988. She is a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a well-earned recognition for her dedicated services to sport. The award recognises her service to netball and its administration. As well as her work in the administration of Netball New Zealand, Lois has served the Sports foundation, the Hillary Commission, the Masters Games and the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame into which she herself was inducted in 1993.

As a breast cancer survivor Lois is a wonderful role model to women who have experienced breast cancer and we are proud to have her as our Patron.

National Committee

Introducing Committee members: Anne Iosefa, Xiaozhen Huo, Violet Lawrence, Barbara Mason, Linley Rivers, Kim Sipeli, Sharon Unasa, Jennifer Woodroofe and Gillian Woods. Also part of the team are BCN Administrator Heather Stonestreet, Editor Sue Claridge, and Designer Debra Tunnicliffe, whose valuable professional work we depend on and greatly appreciate.

Anne Iosefa

Anne was diagnosed in 1989 "out of the blue" as having a largish breast tumour and after checking alternatives, [for which little information was available at that time] had a mastectomy-reconstruction done. She was introduced to BCN by a friend who also had been in treatment, and became interested in this outward-looking group who were not bogged down in establishment-only treatments, having enquiring minds. Since that time prevention has become her consuming interest, working in concert with other energetic members of the committee towards this end, with an ongoing project - "Stop Cancer Where it Starts".

Violet Lawrence

Kia ora, my name is Violet Lawrence, a five-time stroke and breast cancer survivor. I was impressed with BCN's attitude and decided to volunteer as a Maori woman who supports wahine who are going, or have gone through the problem where I am at. I was diagnosed as HER2 cancer and going through a treatment cycle 3 of Herceptin or Trastuzumab and feeling fantastic. Ka kite ano.

Barbara Mason

From 1975 to 1996 I was a scientific officer for the Auckland Breast Cancer Study Group and then employed on a Health Research Council Grant studying insulin-like growth factors in breast cancer. During this time Barbara Holt invited me to meetings of Breast Cancer Action (now Breast Cancer Network) and I have been on the committee since 1998. Leaving oncology nursing and entering research satisfied my desire to contribute to prevention and cure of cancer. It is this same desire and the enjoyable company that keeps me on the Breast Cancer Network committee.

Linley Rivers

Linley worked on the BCN committee for many years and after a break has returned to help out again. She is a long-term and enthusiastic member of the Busting with Life dragon boat team, has participated in many regattas and competitions both locally and overseas, and shared in the team's many successes. She also takes part in paddling in waka ama (outriggers).  Linley works in the field of Mental Health. She has had breast cancer twice, and has now remained cancer-free and healthy for more than15 years.

Jennifer Woodroofe

In 1997 I noticed something in my left breast which was more a feeling than a lump. A week after seeing my GP a partial mastectomy led to the diagnosis of a medullary breast cancer and this was followed by an auxillary lymph node dissection with a positive sentinel node. In my case the breast cancer was not detected by mammogram, and without an ultrasound the outcome could have been very different. 6 weeks of radiotherapy and 3 months of CMF chemotherapy followed the operations. These are not times I would like to repeat in a hurry, but I did manage to keep working all the way through. Unfortunately, breast and arm lymphoedema have resulted from the treatments, but as long as I stay alert to the triggers, it can be controlled. Lymphoedema is something that breast cancer patients who have had lymph node removal should be told about. It can happen at any stage of the journey.  

My family (husband, 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 1 very demanding Abyssinian cat), friends, a positive attitude, keeping busy, listening to one’s body and its needs, gardening, reading, and Ten Pin Bowling are all very important to me. And specially, I love listening to birds singing in the trees.

Sharon Unasa

I attended the BCN 2010 AGM with a family member who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2008 and had an operation plus radiation. Only a month ago after having follow-up tests, she got the all clear. She did not feel any lump in her breast and it was only picked up on a routine mammogram. From the AGM I was inspired to help spread the word about prevention and factors that contribute to breast cancer. Not knowing a lot myself about preventative measures, causes, treatment etc, it has been a huge learning curve for me.

Gillian Woods

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989 and a few years later joined Breast Cancer Action Aotearoa New Zealand – now called Breast Cancer Network. The early group worked with others for free screening, and published a unique newsletter that expressed women’s views. The group also questioned the dramatic rise in breast cancer incidence. A focus on risk reduction and prevention grew, and forms part of BCN’s role today. I help with the Stop Cancer Where it Starts project and website.

I am married with two sons, work part-time as a library assistant and enjoy my 3 grandchildren. To be a survivor of over 20 years seems astounding at times. Although more women survive breast cancer now and services are better, the incidence is still too high. We need to keep working for equitable breast cancer services for everyone, and to spread information to young women about reducing the risk.

Sue Claridge – Editor Upfront U Kaiora

Coming from the happy position of not having had breast cancer, becoming editor of Upfront, now Upfront U Kaiora, was a steep learning curve for me. While I thought that I was pretty well informed about breast cancer issues, being a woman concerned about my health and the mother of a daughter, in reality I have found that the whole business of breast cancer, from diagnosis through to post treatment life adjustment, is a complicated business.

There are a number of issues which come up time and again. I am a staunch advocate of the rights of women to obtain information and to make informed decisions about their health. Sadly, I am coming to the conclusion that this is as big an issue for women with breast cancer as it is for any other sector of the community dealing with health issues. Women faced with breast cancer are particularly vulnerable and it is essential that they feel that they 'own' the decisions surrounding their care and recovery. I hope that in my role as editor of Upfront U Kaiora, I can help inform women and facilitate more informed decision making.  

My husband Bryan and I have two children, Stephie and Jordan, and a loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback, Marley. I'm passionate about writing, organics, the environment and a better, healthier life. In my 'free' time I enjoy photography, house renovation and building furniture and one day I'll get back to camping, skiing and other outdoor pursuits.

BCN members with
Dr Andrew Shelling, June 2010.

Lois Muir, Patron

Anne Iosefa

BCN member

Violet Lawrence

BCN member

Barbara Mason

Linley Rivers

BCN member

Jennfer Woodroofe

BCN member

Gillian Woods

BCN member

Sue Claridge