1000 Women

This summer, while we are out enjoying the sunshine, warm water and good life, throughout New Zealand 1000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer – that's about eight every day.

The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation (NZBCF) is aiming to create a new, tailored counselling service for women with breast cancer and has launched an initiative called 1000 Tees for 1000 Women. The tees are unique and will be individually numbered – they are for sale for the dollar value of their individual number. Women diagnosed this summer will be the first to be offered the counselling service.

“Providing personalised support is overwhelmingly important. The 1,000 women diagnosed this summer will be at different stages in their lives, and will want support in different ways”, says Rebecca Wadey, official ambassador of 1000 Tees for 1000 Women, breast cancer survivor and journalist.

Counselling has been shown to significantly improve prospects for women going through treatment. In fact, a meta-analysis in the United States showed mortality rates were as much as 39% higher in patients who had been diagnosed with major depression.

The programme will complement the existing support framework provided by the NZBCF, which includes funding of one-on-one and group physical rehabilitation services, practical support services for women with advanced breast cancer, online and printed materials and a free breastcare nurse advice line, as well as assisting breast cancer support groups around the country.  

Visit www.1000women.co.nz  for more information.