Thursday Girls

21/10/2025

Thursday Girls Group is proudly supported by Community Bank Inner East, part of Bendigo Bank. After receiving a $5,000 grant this year, we met with Kate Bellamy, the Community Engagement Advisor, who shared with us how to maximise our partnership.

Did you know that if you conduct a 5 minute Home Loan Health Check with Community Bank Inner East and mention our name, we will be in a stronger position next year to be eligible for another grant.

You never know, it may be the best 5 minute conversation you have this week.

Contact Kate Bellamy, who represents Ashburton, Balwyn, Canterbury & Surrey Hills
M 0478 435 736 E kate.bellamy@bendigoadelaide.com.au



Community Bank Inner East

21/10/2025

Thursday Girls Group regularly attends Counterpart's Wellbeing Days for women with a cancer diagnosis - most often out in the rural and regional parts of Victoria.

Over the last 18 months, this has included Geelong, Ballarat, Hamilton, Apollo Bay, Echuca, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Traralgon and Colac.

More than just a scenic road trip by Thursday Girls Group Volunteers, these days give us a chance to meet the local health support teams for cancer patients, including Breast Care Nurses, manager of the local cancer support centres and local practitioners in exercise physiology, art therapy, dieticians and many other disciplines. Sometimes we connect with women with Metastatic Breast Cancer, and sometimes they join our group, after meeting us in person. We make good connections and can explain better what we do.

We always come away feeling lighter than when we arrived, and I'm sure you'll be the same.

If you live in West Metro Melbourne (or further afield), today is the last day for registrations at next Tuesday's Wellbeing Day at Whitten Oval.

Looking forward to another great day!

Click the link to register: http://counterpart.org.au/events

20/10/2025

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we try to do our bit to build awareness around Metastatic Breast Cancer. A lot of people don't know how it is different to Early Breast Cancer, including many women prior to being diagnosed.

This quote came from one of our Thursday Girls.

"I haven't had a break. I've been having chemo for six years straight".

Imagine doing chemo once. Then imagine doing chemo as part of an ongoing treatment plan.

Financially, emotionally and physically - it's a lot. And many women struggle to find the right support for themselves and their family.

If you know someone who has been diagnosed, but is doing it alone, please let them know about our free, weekly group counselling services. It can really help to be in the room (or in the zoom) with women going through some of the same emotions, symptoms and challenges.

20/10/2025

We would love to share some beautiful photos from our High Tea - click on the link and enter the password 'thursday'.

https://glimmerphotography3.shootproof.com/gallery/28498349/

Many thanks to Katie Levanes for donating her time so generously in making some wonderful memories of this special day.

And thanks once again to all of our sponsors, donors, entertainers, guests and helpers who helped us raise nearly $16K in one day.

If you came along, feel free to tag us in your socials or send us your favourite photos from the day.

If you missed out this year, we hope you will come and join us in 2026!

And if you would like to support us in other ways or if you know an organisation or person who would be a great fit, please get in touch.

We have some exciting news to share soon, so stay tuned.

15/10/2025

Today was the inaugural Community Connections lunch by Its the Little Things Community and Hawthorn Rotary.

It was such a lovely chance to hear about what other not for profits in the area are up to.

It’s the Little Things Community are a wonderful organisation who create and deliver home style, flavoursome meals and acts of kindness to the vulnerable in our community.

They offered to make quiches for our High Tea which were very much enjoyed by our guests and helped us raise funds for our services.

I ran into some of the lovely staff from which gave me a chance to thank them again for our wonderful venue on Sunday.

I also reconnected with Kate from who donated the massive gourmet hamper for our raffle and Julie from Eastsider News who also advertised our High Tea event in their newsletter.

There are so many fantastic organisations out there doing good work - we are proud to part of this space in Victoria.

09/10/2025

Only a couple of days until we hold our major fundraising event for 2025 - a High Tea featuring some of Melbourne's best patisseries all in one room with Denise Scott as a guest performer.

Caspers Pies & Pastries are renowned for being Melbourne's Finest Pies. They are also proud to supply pies exclusively to major events all across Melbourne.

We are very grateful to Caspers Pies & Pastries, and all our supporters this weekend. With their support, we are able to guarantee the event as a fundraising success.

This will mean we can continue to deliver our free, weekly group counselling to women with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Moving from a volunteer-led organisation to one with paid professional employees has meant a greater focus is needed on building a sustainable service. In turn, this means our fundraising is ever more important.

If you can't make the event, you can still participate in our silent auction, including getting your portrait painted by artist Gino Severin. Click on this link to place a bid. https://shoutforgood.com/auctions/high-tea-silent-auction

.com.au

09/10/2025

If you were paying attention, you may see the name Kai Urban Retreat pop up repeatedly on our socials. There's a few very good reasons for this.

Kai Urban Retreat
- support our members regularly with free massage or spa treatments
- donated a $200 door prize and 100 vouchers for $15 off services to our High Tea
- run a beautiful accessible business, with doors wide enough for wheelchairs, spacious enough for a hoist and carer chairs in the room for those needing extra help and the most beautiful team.

We are really grateful for everything they do for us, but even more than that, they have established a business which is thoughtful, beautiful and welcoming.

Drop in and check it out or book a service there soon. You won't be disappointed and you'll be supporting a local business who have a good heart.

09/10/2025

Here is a personal note about the importance of tea in my life, and the inspiration for our High Tea event this Sunday:

Making a pot of loose leaf tea is a ritual that reminds me of my mother, who died in 2021 from Metastatic Breast Cancer. Next week she would have been 80. I cannot count the number of pots of tea we shared, especially over the last weeks of her life. I gifted her numerous teapots and various flavours of tea from my favourite tea brands over the years. I cannot drink a cup of tea without thinking of her.

What would be a High Tea without the best tea Melbourne has to offer? Both our tea partners originated in Melbourne and both were the top brands in our wish list!

We are very pleased to have Monista Tea Co. and T2 Tea supplying all our teas for the day.

Monista Tea Co., a local female-owned and run business since 2018 will be supplying our loose leaf black teas on the day.

Born and brewed in Melbourne, T2 Tea is supplying their herbal blends to balance the sugar hit of the High Tea fare.

07/10/2025

More than 4,400 women in Victoria have been diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Thursday Girls Group counselling provides those women who join our groups with a safe space to share their feelings and experiences. In doing so, they build connections and ‘a team’ of women who understand, at least to some extent.

In breast cancer awareness month, you may find yourself lost, unrecognised in the narrative.

At Thursday Girls, we see you. We can be your team. If you have been diagnosed with advanced or metastatic breast cancer, get in touch and see if we are the right fit for you.

Membership is free, but the service is invaluable for those feeling alone. Visit our website to learn more. You can join in person (in Melbourne) or online for rural and regional women.

04/10/2025

In one week from today, we are holding our inaugural Thursday Girls High Tea.

At the time of posting, there are ZERO tickets left!

This event is our major fundraiser of the year, and brings together some of our Thursday Girls, their friends, family and supporters of Thursday Girls.

It is always bittersweet, as we have lost a number of our members since our last big event. However we take this time to celebrate the memories we are making with each other, and the connections we build through our group counselling.

If you are not joining us, feel free to participate in the silent auction! Bidding closes at 4pm next Sunday 12 October. Make a bid now or set a reminder so you don't miss out.

Our major prize is the gift of having your portrait painted (or that of someone you love). Valued at $2500, this includes a photoshoot in the comfort of your own home with Glimmer Photography and the artist, Gino Severin, from which he will craft a beautiful keepsake portrait.

Other beautiful prizes include artworks from Corry Price, Dena Ashbolt, Sabi Klein and Amber Holmes.

Scan the QR code, or click on the link to place your bid. https://shoutforgood.com/auctions/high-tea-silent-auction

We are so grateful to these wonderful artists for giving us such beautiful art to share in support of Thursday Girls.

03/10/2025

I came across this in our past posts. Still very relevant .

METAvivor is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of advanced breast cancer and equity in research and patient support.

03/10/2025

We are often asked how metastatic breast cancer / Stage IV / advanced breast cancer differs from early breast cancer.

The METAvivor site USA offers the following explanation:

“Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is the stage where the disease becomes life-threatening. This occurs when breast cancer cells break away from the original tumor and spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, or brain. Regardless of where the cancer spreads, it remains breast cancer—meaning that liver metastasis is not classified as liver cancer. Once breast cancer has metastasized, it is considered incurable and ultimately fatal.”

However, it is important to remember that whilst this disease is currently incurable it is treatable and many Thursday Girls live well past the current statistic of 5 years.

Treatments are being developed which many of us have benefited from.