Consumer information & advocacy

Information websites
Patient Decision Aids: This is part of the Ottawa Health Research Institute and affiliated with The Ottawa Hospital and The University of Ottawa. The Patient Decision Aids research program was developed to help patients and their health practitioners make "tough" healthcare decisions. The research team designs and tests decision aids and training programs for patients and health practitioners. The website provides resources and useful links, including the Ottawa Personal Decision Guide (OPDG) which is designed for any health-related and/or social decision. It is designed to help people assess their decision making needs, plan the next steps, and track their progress in decision making.

FORCE-Facing our risk of cancer empowered: FORCE is a nonprofit organization for women who are at high risk of getting these cancers due to their family history and genetic status, and for members of families in which a BRCA mutation may be present. Our web site can be a helpful resource for anyone who knows she is at risk, who wonders whether she might be at risk, or who cares about the issues and concerns that we face.

Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation: The Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF) is a non-profit organization whose purposes are to provide support and information by trained peer volunteers via the Breast Cancer Helpline, to help educate the public on the importance of early detection and breast self-exam, and to participate in community outreach programs.

National Breast Cancer Foundation Australia: The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is Australia’s only national not-for-profit foundation established to promote and support research into every aspect of breast cancer.

New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation: The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is a non-government funded charitable trust that aims to reduce the number of New Zealanders who die from breast cancer and improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by breast cancer.

NSW Breast Cancer Institute: The NSW Breast Cancer Institute aims to lead in the provision of breast cancer care for women, their families and society, through screening, treatment, research, information, diagnosis and education.

Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group: The ANZ BCTG is Australia's national organisation dedicated entirely to breast cancer research. It conducts a National Clinical Trials Program for the treatment of all stages of breast cancer and for the prevention of breast cancer.

The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre): The EPPI-Centre was established in 1993 to address the need for a systematic approach to the organisation and review of evidence-based work on social interventions. The work and publications of the Centre engage health and education policy makers, practitioners and service users in discussions about how researchers can make their work more relevant and how to use research findings.

The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is 1 of the 27 institutes and centres that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH is one of eight agencies under the Public Health Service (PHS) in the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). NCCAM is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals.

Virtual Cancer Centre: Virtual Cancer Centre, Australia's leading online cancer information resource has been developed by cancer specialists from Oncology, Haematology, Radiation Oncology, Palliative care and Surgery for patients, carers and family through to medical professionals. This online community provides cancer information on diseases, treatment, breaking news and links to support organisations all around Australia.

Advocacy websites
Breast Cancer Network Australia: Breast Cancer Network Australia works to empower, inform, represent and link together Aystralians who are personally affected by breast cacner. It is driven by women who have themselves experienced breast cancer.

NSW Cancer Council: Advocacy, or speaking out with and on behalf of others, is one way The Cancer Council NSW is fighting to defeat cancer. They campaign to reduce cancer risks and improve services for everyone in New South Wales - from lobbying for a well-funded anti-smoking campaign, to training consumers to have their say in the provision of health services.

Europa Donna:  EUROPA DONNA the European Breast Cancer Coalition is an independent, non profit organisation whose members are affiliated groups from countries throughout Europe. The Coalition works to raise awareness of breast cancer and to mobilise the support of European women in pressing for improved breast cancer education, appropriate screening, optimal treatment and care and increased funding for research. EUROPA DONNA represents the interests of European women regarding breast cancer to local and national authorities as well as to institutions of the European Union.

National Breast Cancer Coalition: National Breast Cancer Coalition is America's largest breast cancer advocacy group, with more than 600 member organizations and 70,000 individual members and supporters. Committed to ending breast cancer, the NBCC and its sister organization, the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, work to educate and train individuals to be effective activists and to influence the public policies that affect breast cancer research and treatment.

Young Survival Coalition: The Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the only international, non-profit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to the concerns and issues that are unique to young women and breast cancer. Through action, advocacy and awareness, the YSC seeks to educate the medical, research, breast cancer and legislative communities and to persuade them to address breast cancer in women 40 and under. The YSC also serves as a point of contact for young women living with breast cancer.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is not a substitute for medical advice. Anyone viewing the site must therefore assess whether it is appropriate, in the light of his or her own individual circumstances, to act upon the relevant information. The Cochrane Breast Cancer Group endeavours to provide informative and up to date information relevant to breast cancer. Information displayed is for the interest and information of those seeking information relevant to breast cancer. The Cochrane Breast Cancer Group does not endorse particular view points in any of the information displayed or endorse or take responsibility for the quality of any website links.