Hey everyone, I'm Shan.
My pronouns are they/them. 

I was diagnosed with estrogen + early stage 3 breast/chest cancer in January 2021 at 35 (Actually my gp confirmed it a couple of days before Christmas but I had to wait till all the doctors came back from holidays to get my biopsy results) 

I had fertility preservation, a double mastectomy, axillary surgery, 5 rounds of chemo and 5 weeks of radiation. I was living in Melbourne at the time and in lockdown for most of my treatment so my family was unable to travel from NSW to help with my care. For that I owe an unending amount of gratitude to my partner at the time. And my incredible friends. 

My scan in March was all clear and I'm now on daily hormone blockers and monthly injections. 

Every time I went to the hospital there was usually something relating to my gender identity that made the shock of this diagnosis and the bombardment of all the treatments harder to take. Sometimes it was minor, like having to constantly correct my pronouns or having the fake boob bra constantly shoved in my face after saying I didn't want it.

Sometimes it was major like being bullied into an appointment with the plastic surgeon so they could peer pressure me into getting a reconstruction or one of the nurses pulling me aside and telling me I'm young and I might not have the same partner or the same ideas about my body in the future so I should reconsider my decision. 

Even though I was incredibly lucky to have a partner who advocated for me when I didn't have the energy or couldn't see the point, all these incidents, major and minor, built up and added to the enormous amount of strain my body and mind was and is undergoing. 

I looked online for a support service that felt right to me. I asked the hospital if they had any resources. There was nothing specific. No support groups specifically for my partner either. 

Fast forward to the tail end of my treatment and with the help of some very clever friends we received a $10,000 grant from Trans Victoria to start the Trans & Gender Diverse Cancer Support Network or TGDCSN. 

I’d like to use my experience and the support we've been given to give back to folks in our community. For people who are living with a diagnosis, their partners and people who are post treatment. To create a safe space for us to grieve together, share our hopes and fears and our frustrations. To help each other get through it and continue to help each other to process and heal.