Lea Lehndorf (left) and Joleen Ngaheu.
As more and more women recover from breast cancer, the value of solid support is evident, writes Pip Crombie.
Yes, it is true that each of us knows "someone who has been affected by breast cancer''.
But, sadly, we hear that phrase so often that it has almost lost its impact. Think through the friends, friends of friends, family members, mothers of your children's friends, work colleagues and more who have been and will in some way always be affected by their breast cancer.
Support is given to breast cancer sufferers, much of it small but meaningful and affecting.
Support is needed on a significant scale. In the Bay of Plenty, around 200 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Tauranga Breast Cancer Support Service (BCSS) is an independent charitable trust, set up in 1991 based on the principle that survivors support new patients and offer practical advice, emotional support and comfort by those who have been in the same situation.
The proceeds of all fundraising ventures by the Tauranga BCSS stay in the community, which stretches from Waihi to Maketu.
Service manager Lea Lehndorf has been in the role for two years. She has a background in corporate marketing, and relishes the opportunity to smooth the path for breast cancer sufferers, men and women.
"It's very rewarding for me to serve people in need. Giving them some silver lining moments as they go through what can be a really nasty experience, versus watching sales figures increase, is so gratifying,'' she says.
With over 26,000 charities in New Zealand, fundraising has been tougher and grants more difficult to secure over recent economically harder times. The Tauranga BCSS looked long and hard at funding opportunities that would involve more people than those who were always keen to dress up in pink.
Support does come at a cost. Chairperson of the trust, Michelle Whitmore, of Metro Marketing, hit on the idea of the 200 Club, a group that would fund the silver lining moments so necessary for those newly diagnosed with this disease.
The name arose from the approximate number of women diagnosed with breast cancer annually in the region. It's also the amount a member donates annually, which is then given to a newly diagnosed person via the Helping Hands service and includes beauty treatments and bill payments to housekeeping, lawnmowing and more.
Funds from the 200 Club facilitate training for support visitors and volunteers, information material, hosts groups at the Christopher St premises and free counselling for those in need.
Members of the 200 Club are given a membership certificate and an invitation to the Legacy Long Lunch, sponsored by Legacy Trust. This is on the first Friday of each August and is where women connect, relax, win spot prizes and hear from an inspirational speaker.
Last year's speaker was Dame Rosie Horton, this year Jane Hunter, of Marlborough's Hunter's Wines, will share her inspiring, non-breast cancer story. A member who cannot attend can send a proxy or, if they tell Lea, she can invite a newly diagnosed woman to revel in an enjoyable afternoon out.
There are several ways to join the 200 Club, the first by visiting the website and filling in an online form and making a payment. Local businesses are also involved, buying two to three memberships and using the lunch as an incentive or reward for staff.
The other way is by holding your own event, which Lea will attend and explain briefly the goal of the club. Suzanne Gartshore has been an active supporter over the years, having lost her own mother, Barbara, to the disease and supporting her aunt, Sue Harrison, when she was diagnosed in 2012.
Suzanne is the practice manager at the Da Vinci Clinic, the private practice of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon Mr Adam Bialostocki, who performs breast reconstructions for women who have undergone mastectomies. Every day, Suzanne deals with women with breast cancer. She recently gathered her friends for drinks and nibbles at her home with an invitation to become 200 Club members.
"I met Lea at the Long Lunch last year. Her enthusiasm and bubbly personality was contagious. She works so hard and is only paid for 25 hours and yet does so many more.
"Girls don't need an excuse to get together for a chat and a wine so I put it together with pink drinks and nibbles. I knew my friends would be just as enthusiastic as me to join the 200 Club.
"I think 31 gorgeous ladies joined that night and we will all get together again at the Long Lunch on the 1st of August. We all agreed that it is especially nice to contribute to the journey of local ladies and love that the funds stay local. We can all help a little bit.''
Sue, too, is a 200 Club member and says the support and positivity shown her was humbling.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2012. Not great timing as I was about to open a new business, but receiving news that you have cancer is never the right time. It is a disease that does not discriminate. Family history increases your risk, but you must have regular checks, history or not.
"Suzanne had already been through this with her mother, my sister Barbara, but she supported me, and introduced me to many other breast cancer survivors, all the most strong and amazing women, who encouraged me to be strong and positive.
"The 200 Club not only allows sufferers to enjoy all the little luxuries one wouldn't normally bother about or be able to afford but, as an ongoing social club, I would encourage all women to go along to any function, enjoy great food, great wine and the company is very special. A very cool idea and I do hope more people will become involved.''
In only its second year, the 200 Club has more than 110 members. Lea would love that to increase. The 200 Club is an opportunity to come together as a community and collectively have a bigger impact in the lives of those we support.
Breast cancer affects the community as a whole - the children whose mother has the disease, the husbands, workplaces and, as the quote Lea loves so much highlights, every little bit does make a difference:
"Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.''
- Sally Koch.
www.the200club.co.nz
Joleen Ngaheu's story
Tauranga's Joleen Ngaheu, is among the 200 Bay women diagnosed with breast cancer each year. She urges vigilance.
"I had an ache under my arm, the type of ache you get when you pull a muscle slightly, but it didn't seem to be going away. After a few days of stretching my arm I rubbed under it, and moved my hand across my left breast, where I found a very large lump. I was shocked and worried. I had no health insurance and was scared.
"A very good friend, who had had cancer four years earlier, told me to get to the doctor immediately and not to worry about health insurance. It was the best advice ever.''
Joleen is 38, a mother of four, a wife, daughter and sister. With no family history of the disease, and being under 40, she hadn't thought yet about mammograms or self-examination.
Within days of discovering the lump, she had had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy, and was referred to breast cancer nurse, Julie Bailey and her team. Joleen discovered she had stage 3 cancer in her breast and lymph nodes and within four weeks of finding the lump, she'd had a mastectomy, lymph nodes removed and breast reconstruction.
Six months of chemotherapy followed and Joleen will soon receive radiotherapy for five weeks followed by Herceptin for another year.
"The impact has been huge. Our children range from 2 to 13 years old. Dave [husband] and I needed to make sure that they were safe and supported. We talked to them and had people from the Breast Cancer Support Service, Cancer Society and Cancer Centre all available to help us be open and honest with the children.
"I resigned from my job with Guild & Spence Heat Pumps so I could focus on my recovery and they are still supporting us every day, especially with our daughter, who they sponsor with her passion for golf. My family and friends are amazing, dropping off food parcels, flowers, magazines, books and keeping a close eye on the kids.
"When you are in the deepest, darkest moment in your life, you are surrounded with the most genuine helpful people.
"When I was first diagnosed, the breast cancer nurse referred me to BCSS, but I didn't want to burden anyone so I didn't contact them at first.
"I just wanted to focus on day-to-day treatment and battling with my own head, trying to stay optimistic and positive.
"Finally, when I got my head around it and contacted BCSS, I met Katy and Lea and they have been awesome. I went along to the first gathering with Katy and what a breath of fresh air it was to meet, talk and laugh with people going through the same thing as me.
"A big weight was lifted off my shoulders and I felt alive. They have offered me support via Helping Hands and the 200 Club, and I have yet to take up the service, but my family and friends have been amazing at helping me through this, so I'm trying to think of something special to do for them and use the Helping Hands support to do it.
"My journey could have been avoided or minimised. We all need to keep vigilant with checking our breasts, or if we are at the doctor's for another reason, get checked. Oh, and don't forget to laugh a lot. It's the greatest feeling and really healing.''