Support, acceptance,
and aroha from us
for as long as you need.
Cuppa and a Chat 2024
Online support groups
From BCS Chair Liz Pennington
Tēnā koutou katoa
I'd like to invite you to share an informal Zoom 'cuppa and chat' with me. We have sessions once a month on a Monday and I hope you'll be able to join me. We'll share our experiences of breast cancer 'over a cuppa', and give and receive support within a confidential and peer-facilitated space. To find out more about all sessions this year, and to register, please click on the button below to visit the Events page on our site.
When you reach out to us for help, you'll be welcomed into a safe and confidential community of support, acceptance, and aroha for as long as you need.
Whether that's short-term through diagnosis and treatment, or long-term support into recovery, we want you to know you and your caregivers are not alone.
Download our service brochure ..
We're prepared a brochure that outlines our services, handy to keep on hand so you'll know what we offer and how we can help you.
How we can support you
Need to Talk?
Call our breast cancer support line for confidential support.
We're always here to support you. If you want to talk to someone about what you're going through, our breast cancer support line is available for you from 8.30am to 5.00pm, 365 days a year.
Individual support
Our peer support volunteers provide free 1:1 support either by phone, video calling (Zoom, Skype, Facebook Messenger), or in person by arrangement.
To get help, all you need to do is send us a message via our contact form or call us on 0800 273 222.
Personal stories
We're proud to feature a variety of personal stories from those who have experienced breast cancer.
While no person's experience or journey is the same, it can be comforting to see how others navigated their way through it, and the emotions, confusion, and questions you may have are perfectly normal.
Questions for your surgeon
We're prepared a brochure of questions you may find helpful when meeting with your surgical team for the first time.
The brochure has been prepared by women who have 'been there too' and may be a useful guide when deciding upon your treatment plan.
Buddy Programme
Our Buddy Programme matches newly diagnosed men and women from any culture or ethnicity with a trained breast cancer support Buddy who provides 1:1 emotional and practical support.
You may feel vulnerable in the weeks following a diagnosis and you’ll probably have many decisions to make about your treatment and care.
All aspects of life – personal, family, and professional – are impacted by the diagnosis which makes having the right support network around you critical.
Our Buddies do not provide medical advice (we’ll refer you to your medical team for this information) but they can provide helpful advice on a number of topics, including, but not limited to:
How it works
Step 1: Referral
Referrals for a breast cancer support Buddy are generally made via:
- Your dedicated breast care nurse (in public or private practice).
- Your GP, medical clinic, or other organisations such as the Cancer Society.
- Self-referral if you are newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
Step 2: Matchmaking
We match you with a breast cancer support Buddy who shares similar, or the same, characteristics of:
- Age.
- Ethnicity and cultural background.
- Sexual identity (if applicable).
- Family/young children.
- Diagnosis/surgery/treatment plan.
Once you have been paired with your Buddy, you then connect on a weekly basis for a 1:1 support session for approximately 4-6 weeks after diagnosis.
For more information about the breast cancer Buddy service please get in touch.
If you would like to volunteer as a breast cancer Buddy, please contact us for more information.
