There is a silent crisis unfolding in Australia: young women diagnosed with breast cancer are being left behind. While the system rightly focuses on detection and treatment, it fails to recognise that survival is only the beginning of the journey.
I know this personally.
At 32, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and forced to navigate a healthcare landscape that didn’t account for my age, stage of life, or mental wellbeing. I was fortunate to be able to have support and to access mental health supports as I needed, but this is not the case for most of the young women I have met. From lack of support groups to difficulties navigating the mental healthcare system and a lack of resources tailored to a young woman rethinking fertility, career, or even mortality.
This year, we’ve seen a monumental shift — government funding committed to changing that landscape. It’s the kind of investment that signals a long-overdue national awakening. But funding alone isn’t enough. We must change how we view care.
If a young woman survives cancer but is left emotionally shattered, have we really done our job? Support must go beyond the clinical. We must build systems that support identity, resilience, and community.
This is why So Brave is creating the country’s first Mental Health Hub for young cancer survivors. It’s trauma-informed. It’s digital. It’s tailored to real lives.
Because the fight doesn’t end when treatment does. And neither should our care.