be breast aware
Bosom Buddies volunteers raise awareness of breast cancer in the community through our Breast Awareness Program. This program includes presentations to older students, local businesses, corporate or government organisations, social or sporting groups.
The program stresses the importance of self-awareness and early detection “being breast aware”. Presenters also suggest ways to support a friend, relative or workmate during their breast cancer treatment.
book your FREE presentation
Bosom Buddies would be delighted to come to your organisation and give a presentation. Presentations are given by one of our volunteers. You will:
- hear a story from a breast cancer survivor and be able to ask questions.
- learn critical facts about breast cancer and what a lump can feel like using our prosthesis breasts.
- take home a Bosom Buddies shower tag and lemon.
- receive material about local services and key sources of further information.
- have your presentation designed around your requirements and time limits.
For further information please contact Bosom Buddies on 0406 376 500 or email us.

We are the producers of the “Be Breast Aware” shower tag. This tag promotes early detection through regular self-examination. We distribute over 10,000 shower tags each year.
Call or email now to get your free shower tags!
0406 376 500
key facts

in the ACT Region, 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed
with breast cancer by the age of 85 — higher than the national average (nationally it is 1 in 7 women). The higher rate may be because more women are breast aware and use early detection (self-examination and mammograms) due to our socio-economic profile. While the detection rate is rising in this region so is the survival rate.

breast cancer is not an older woman’s disease; it can effect young women
More than a third of breast cancers are diagnosed in women younger than 50, and 6.5% of detected cancers are in women younger than 40. Did you know the youngest woman in Canberra to be diagnosed was 18!

women of all ages should be breast aware
irrespective of whether they attend for regular screening mammograms, all womenare encouraged to be aware of any new or unusual breast changes and to report these promptly to their GP. The “triple test” is the recommended approach to the investigation of breast symptoms. Finding breast cancer early increases the chance of surviving the disease.

survival from breast cancer in Australia is improving
with 90.8 out of every 100 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer surviving at least five years beyond diagnosis.

breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have had a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer than non-Indigenous women.

nationally, approximately 19,371 Australian women
will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer each year.

on average, 1% of diagnosed cases are in men
In Australia about 164 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

over 1.8 million women participated
in BreastScreen Australia in the 2016 and 2017 period.