Managing stress and improving wellbeing with mindfulness and meditation

A breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care often prove to be an extremely difficult and emotional experience for individuals and their supporters. It is common to experience stress when facing uncertainty and significant life changes but finding strategies that help manage and reduce stress can improve your wellbeing. 

BCNA hosted a webcast: Managing stress and improving wellbeing with mindfulness and meditation on Wednesday 15 February, 2023.  

In this webcast, we heard from mindfulness expert Professor Craig Hassed OAM, Medical Practitioner and Associate Professor Dr Emma Warnecke and BCNA member and mindfulness and meditation teacher Iris Bar. 

Craig works within the Faculty of Medicine at Monash University and is the coordinator of mindfulness programs across Monash. He has developed and integrated a world-first mindfulness-based healthy lifestyle course into the Monash medical curriculum called Health Enhancement Program and was also the founding president of Meditation Australia. 

Emma is a Medical Practitioner and Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania, School of Medicine, and a BCNA Consumer Representative. She has practiced meditation for over 30 years and found it valuable when she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2018. 

Iris was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2016 that had spread to her bones, spine and liver. To support her healing and recovery, Iris began to meditate and practice mindfulness daily, prompting her to become an accredited mindfulness and meditation teacher to help others. 

This webcast addressed what mindfulness and meditation are and how they can be helpful during various stages of breast cancer care. It also explored the research and evidence, the key benefits, how people can practice them, and how they can help reduce stress and enhance wellbeing. 

Read Mindfulness and meditation resources..