Beyond the Will

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Beyond the Will

Holistic end-of-life planning is more than formal documents (will and advanced care plan). It needs doing before it’s really needed.

It reflects our values, interests and the breadth of our lives: emotional housekeeping, end-of-life, our legacy and more.

26/04/2026

What’s the difference between and a cure?

Remission: no evidence of cancer and no evidence of recurrence.
Cured: has not come back for five years.

The reason is that generally the likelihood of decreases over time. So following , if the patient has no cancer it's said they have been cured.

Photo PeterMac (no idea if remission is occurring)

25/04/2026

Legislation to introduce in England and Wales has failed due to time running out for the final debate.

Supporters have blamed a small number of the members of the who proposed over 1,200 amendments to the bill. Apparently a record.

The bill was passed by a majority of 55 votes in the lower house and is in many ways quite similar to legislation which has been reviewed and found safe.

13/04/2026

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the breast. It usually starts in the lining of the breast ducts or lobules, and can grow into cancerous (malignant) tumours.

Most breast cancers are found when they are invasive. This means that the cancer has spread from the breast ducts or lobules into the surrounding breast tissue.

Invasive breast cancer can be early, locally advanced or advanced (metastatic). Advanced breast cancer is when cancer cells have spread (metastasised) outside the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.

About 5% of cancers are advanced when breast cancer is first diagnosed.

This information has been prepared to help you understand more about early and locally advanced breast cancer, and includes a short section on advanced (metastatic) breast cancer.

Contact cancer support

The breasts
The lymphatic system

Your guide to best cancer care
A lot can happen in a hurry when you’re diagnosed with cancer. The guide to best cancer care for breast cancer can help you make sense of what should happen.

It will help you with what questions to ask your health professionals to make sure you receive the best care at every step.

Read the guide

Types of breast conditions
Non-invasive breast conditions
Invasive breast conditions
How common is breast cancer?
There are about 20,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia every year.

Women
In Australia, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women (apart from common skin cancers), with one in eight women diagnosed by age 85.

Young women can get breast cancer, but it is more common over the age of 40, and the risk increases with age. In rare cases, pregnant or breastfeeding women can get breast cancer.

See a doctor about any persistent lump noticed during pregnancy.

Men
About 220 men (most aged over 60) are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. It is treated in the same way as for women. Transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people

For more information, visit or .

12/04/2026

The most lethal gynaecological cancer is . This is the cancer which killed both my grandmother and mother.

Within the past decade, it has been shown that the serious cancers originate in the fallopian tubes - not in the . This has resulted in Canadian researchers pioneering - including removal of the for (women over childbearing age) during any .

This could of developing serous ovarian cancer by nearly 80%.

11/04/2026

When is it useful to have someone with you at a ?

Some situations include if the patient has a , is being provided with complex , speaks a language different from the practitioner, is stressed or anxious and may also be very .

These are all common reasons for people to leave a consultation feeling confused, overwhelmed or with .

A family member or friend can provide , assist by taking , checking with the patient whether they've understood the information and asking additional questions.

10/04/2026

generally have been ignored, women in particular. But a Queensland has established something wonderful.

never danced until she joined at 75 and has been a regular attendee for 4 years. Fellow classmate 84-year-old had danced professionally, but found freedom and joy in moving without constraints.

Initially the class had about 6 attendees, but now around 30 regularly attend. This wonderful community provides connection, movement, creativity and the opportunity to develop a new skill or rekindle a lost one.

09/04/2026

Our have the aim of being the world's leading zoo-based . They are currently working to protect 27 on the brink of .

study, research, undertake , advocate and .

If you're interested check out their which includes information on specific projects - link posted below.

08/04/2026

Serious constitutes approximately 60-70% of ovarian cancers. It has a five-year below 50%.

The are working on a test using their blood-based to . They plan to collect samples from 1,500 participants over three years, with funding from the .

Whilst in the early stages it is important research and arguably long overdue. has long been underfunded in comparison to research on male issues.

07/04/2026

, an award winning actor, diagnosed with has won the Judges' Award for creating and starring in an adaptation of The .

This is no small feat as affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, which tell your muscles what to do. This results in increasing weakness, loss of control of muscles and significantly shortens .

A new drug being trialled has allowed him to regain feeling in his feet and will likely add some years to his life. This will be completed in 2028.

03/04/2026

Did you know 15 Victorian and are endangered or at risk of extinction?

These aren't just pond dwellers, they live across
🐸alpine regions
🐸grasslands
🐸sandy areas
🐸treetops, and of course
🐸 rivers, ponds and lakes.

This beautiful is facing in the wild within years. Many others are quietly disappearing with no fanfare and little awareness of their imminent demise. When a frog falls silent, something precious is .

02/04/2026

Sometimes we take for granted the hard-won and long-lobbied for options that exist at the in Victoria.

Our legislation was the result of decades of advocacy. Informed and open discussions were necessary. Thoughtful and compassionate legislators - many of whom understood that peoples' values and priorities may be very different from their own - were also critically important.

This young Spanish women was finally able to access after being vigorously opposed by her father, and the . I believe it shouldn't be that hard.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/26/spanish-woman-wins-legal-battle-to-end-her-life-under-euthanasia-law?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

01/04/2026

What happens at the end of our lives can be consistent with our .

Caring for the earth and repairing or preventing human damage to our environment can be continued at the end of our life. Choices like or use far less resources than or .

Some options give back to the land in ways that have been used for centuries. If you'd like support and at your own pace, reach out anytime through beyondthewill.com.au.

Address

Merri-bek, Naarm
Melbourne, VIC

Telephone

+61419334086

Website

http://www.beyondthewill.com.au/

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