Activities

Membership
Membership until July 2004 stood at a total of 444, made up of 17 life members and 427 ordinary members. Psychosocial support was offered to 512 individuals and 136 in group therapy.
 

Public Education & Awareness Activities
Public education and awareness activities included participation in the Estee Lauder Group of Companies Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Launch and weekend breast counselling booths; Wacoal Pink October Symposium and also at a Public Forum at Damansara Specialist Centre; Pantai Pink October Breastival and the Self Development Camp organised by the Pertubuhan Belia Sikh Malaysia in October 2003. 

13 women from various countries visited the BCWA to discuss “sociocultural aspects of breast cancer” on 21 February 2004. In March 2004, talks on Breast Cancer Experience & “BSE” was given to staff of Haliburton Energy; while in April 2004, 3 from BCWA (Ranjit, Margaret Gooi and Azizah Hamzah) participated in the Breast Cancer Awareness Programme for Angkatan Tentera Malaysia and Ranjit gave a talk on “The importance of Psychosocial support for patients & their family afflicted with life threatening diseases” in a forum organised by the Penang Association of Counselling & Psychology Organisation. 

In May 2004, Ranjit and Margaret returns to the Self-Development Camp organised by the Pertubuhan Belia Sikh Malaysia to give a talk on “Coping With Breast Cancer” while Ranjit spoke to the Women Sports & Fitness Foundation Malaysian on “ A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Experience”. In June 2004, Ranjit chaired a panel session during a forum on women’s health organised by the Malaysia Muslim Welfare Board & Selayang Town Council. 

Margaret Gooi, Lily Lee, Tammy and Marion conducted a workshop on Self Breast Examination for staff of Equatorial Hotel on 12 July 2004. Tay Jiat Hwa and Vivien were part of a panel on Breast Cancer at The Hainanese Association. BCWA members demonstrated SBE on 25 July 2004 while on 31 July 2004, the Margaret, Lily, Mei Quin and Marion participated in the Health Benefit Day of the Bandar Kinrara Residents’ Association.
 

Resources
A total of 235 prostheses were distributed to women diagnosed with breast cancer.
 

Building and Premises
The BCWA is still seeking to purchase a property (within the budget allocation) as current premises are too small for all the activities.
 

Social, Educational and Therapeutic Events
The BCWA members rejuvenate themselves at Estee Lauder’s Look Good Feel Good Programme in October 2003 and then, took a “de-stress” trip to the National Stud Farm in November 2003. The BCWA bid farewell to Leh Mee in farewell lunch and dinner in February 2004 while young survivors had “hi-tea” in March 2004 in Armada Hotel. Laughter therapy was next in April 2004. They watched 50 First Dates courtesy of Tanjung Golden Village, KLCC. The BCWA was off to the races (horse race course in Selangor) in May 2004. 

They supported the South Australia Dragon Abreast Team in Penang on 19-20 June 2004. This was a dragon boat race for breast cancer survivors. In July 2004, BCWA attend a talk on Nutrition in Breast Cancer on the 10^th while on the 19^th, they went for another Estee Lauder Look Good Feel Good session.
 

Training
The BCWA was involved in training with a self breast examination demonstration for the LPPKN nurses in December 2003. In March 2004, Margaret, Lily, Barbara and Tammy assist in the “How to be Breast Health Aware” Training programme. 

In April 2004, Ranjit participated in the 1^st National Conference on Cancer Research while BCWA will conduct a training programme on “psychosocial support for women with breast cancer” for the Program Nur Reach to Recovery. 

Donations
The BCWA received donations in the form of money or kind over the year from Baitiangong Followers Association Malaysia, Pusat Latihan Kraftangan Epal, artist Gary Tan, Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd, Halliburton Energy, Estee Lauder Group of Companies, DYMM Raja Permaisuri Agong (in honour of her majesty’s birthday), STC Equestrian & Sports Centre.
 

National Collaboration & Networking
The BCWA through its members participated in a variety of events, seminars and dialogue sessions. These included a seminar organised by the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nur Sejahtera Clinic Launch, Launch of the Chemoport Project in Putrajaya Hospital, Dialogue session in Putrajaya Hospital Breast & Endocrine Department and also at the Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara as well as a Majlis Mutiara Hati Negara organised by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. Ranbir attended the Relay for Life Training Workshop organised by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang branch.
 

Chatline Newsletter
Under the leadership of Lee Lay Ling, a total of 3 Chatline issues have been produced. Get your newsletter here
 

OutRageously PiNk Nite (OPN), 11 June 2004
This was a big night out for BCWA members who participated in this fun-styled breast health and cancer awareness programme. Read the reports on OPN by clicking here.

Discuss, feedback and ask us questions at the Radiology Malaysia FORUM

BCWA Contact Details 2^nd Floor Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, 16 Jalan Utara, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Tel:603-79540133
Fax: 603-79540122
(Mon-Fri: 10am to 4pm)E-mail: bcwa@streamyx.com

Volunteer for the BCWA?
Breast cancer not only affects the patient. It also affects their families and love ones. The BCWA can help to provide support to all those in need.

If you would like to volunteer your services to the BCWA, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Donate to the BCWA Building Fund!
We face severe space constraints currently. We are raising funds to build our own premises. You can help by donating in cash (cheques payable to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association) or kind.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information!