The Field of Women is Breast Cancer Network Australia’s signature event that aims to bring the statistics of breast cancer to life in a meaningful and visually powerful way that highlights the personal impact of breast cancer on our community.
The inaugural Field of Women was planted on the lawns of Parliament House, Canberra, in 1998 at the launch of BCNA. The visual display was extremely moving as 10,000 Pink Lady silhouettes stood for the women who were diagnosed that year and 2,500 white silhouettes stood for those we would lose.
In 2005, we held the very first Field of Women ‘LIVE’ event in partnership with the Melbourne Football Club. The Field of Women ‘LIVE’ means that people join together to form BCNA’s Pink Lady and not just planting a field of pink lady silhouettes.
Field of Women ‘LIVE’ has since been staged in 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2018 with last year's 2023 event, the sixth Field of Women event staged.
Last year's 2023 event was staged as part of BCNA’s 25th anniversary year and acknowledged the achievements and advancements made in supporting Australians affected by breast cancer over that time.
Mini-Field of Women tributes feature throughout the year in local communities around Australia. Anyone can host a Mini-Field tribute at the school, workplace or sporting group.
In non-Field of Women LIVE years like this year (2024) , BCNA hosts the Pink Lady Match with Melbourne Football Club at the MCG.
Since 2021, a Virtual Pink Lady has also been available to enable people, no matter where they live to get involved, help fill the Pink Lady and leave their own personal messages online, in support, memory or celebration.
Get involved
1998
Inaugural Field of Women on the lawns of Parliament House, Canberra, at the first National Conference for Women with Breast Cancer
1999
Field of Women - MCG silhouette planting and Treasury Gardens, Melbourne
2000
Field of Women - The Esplanade, Perth
2001
Field of Women planting - Suncorp Metway Park, Brisbane & Victoria Square, Adelaide
2002
Field of Women planting – The Cenotaph, Hobart
2005
First Field of Women LIVE event – MCG, Melbourne
The beginning of our long term partnership with Melbourne Football Club
2007
Field of Women LIVE - ANZ Stadium, Homebush (now ACCOR Stadium)
2009
Mini-Fields nationally - image ACT Calvary Hospital
2010
Field of Women LIVE- MCG, Melbourne
2013
Field of Women planting - Sydney
2014
Field of Women LIVE – MCG, Melbourne
2015
Pink Lady Match – MCG, Melbourne
2016
Pink Lady Match – MCG, Melbourne
2017
Pink Lady Match – MCG, Melbourne
2018
Field of Women LIVE – MCG, Melbourne
Melbourne for BCNA’s 20th anniversary, prior to Pink Lady Match (Melbourne V Sydney Swans)
2018
Parliament House Canberra, re-enactment of first Field of Women planting in 1998 for BCNA’s 20th Anniversary
2019
Pink Lady Match - MCG, Melbourne
2020
Pink Lady Match cancelled - no AFL matches played in May due to COVID-19
2021
Pink Lady Match and Virtual Pink Lady - MCG, Melbourne
(due to COVID-19 restrictions, no crowd permitted at match)
2022
Pink Lady Match and Virtual Pink Lady - MCG, Melbourne
2023
Field of Women LIVE – MCG, Melbourne
To be staged prior to the AFL Round 23 Pink Lady Match and Virtual Pink Lady.