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UrduRegistration is now open. With the theme “The Power of Community: Seen. Heard. Connected,” the hybrid conference kicks off with virtual workshops on April 26 and follows with in-person and streamed plenary sessions April 28–30. A limited number of travel grants and fee waivers are available to individuals who qualify, as well as a discounted rate for accompanying caregivers.
Two Tracks, Both In-Person and Virtual
“This year’s program reflects our experience that people newly diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer have different informational and support needs than those who have been living with metastatic disease for longer periods,” said Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) CEO Jean Sachs, MSS, MLSP. “We’ll have distinct programming tailored to those who are looking to understand the ramifications of the diagnosis, as well as those seeking to manage long-term side effects and treatment decisions.”
“People need to know from the start that metastatic breast cancer is different — the questions are different,” said Sheila Godreau, 52, of Bradenton, FL. Diagnosed in 2015, she trained as an LBBC Hear My Voice Advocate and helped shape the conference content. “It looks at the whole person — not just treatment.” The conference will also have an in-person component for the first time since 2020. “I’ll be seeing people face to face whom I’ve only ever seen on the screen,” Godreau said. “It’s the suckiest club to be a member of, but these people are your true-blue friends.”
The conference is expected to attract 400–500 people in person and triple that virtually. Programming will enable virtual participants to attend plenary sessions, take part in breakout sessions, and connect online for informational and inspiring meetups.
Metastatic breast cancer (MBC), also known as stage IV breast cancer, is cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to a distant area of the body such as the bones, lungs, liver, or brain. Metastatic breast cancer can be treated but not cured. There are an estimated 168,300 Americans currently living with metastatic breast cancer, and it takes the lives of more than 43,000 Americans a year.
No matter how long they have been living with metastatic breast cancer, all attendees will benefit from hearing about the latest treatments from leading oncology professionals as well as the psychosocial coping strategies of peers with lived experience. Topics range from the cost of cancer to managing emotions to reclaiming the body’s healing power through movement. Sessions for yoga, art therapy and discussion of nutrition will be offered.
Tools for Advocacy
Another signature feature of LBBC’s Thriving Together conference is empowering people who are dealing with metastatic breast cancer with tools to communicate their needs as well as to advocate for research to find cures for this disease. “We want to change the conversation around metastatic breast cancer by creating more space for people to air their unique experiences,” said Sachs.
Since 2015, LBBC has run the Hear My Voice Metastatic Breast Cancer Advocacy Program that annually trains a group of people who are living with MBC to educate the community and advocate for better treatments, more scientific research, and more inclusion of the patient voice in clinical trials. The 2023 class, diverse in age, ethnicity, geography, and sub-type, is being trained virtually and will attend and volunteer at the conference.
Longstanding Focus on the Metastatic Community
LBBC is a longstanding leader in dedicated services for people with metastatic breast cancer, including original research, advocacy trainings, a comprehensive website, a peer support Helpline, and a resource guide for the newly diagnosed. The organization’s 2006 Silent Voices study was the first-ever nationwide assessment of psychosocial needs for people with metastatic breast cancer, and LBBC is one of the founding organizational members of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance.
“It’s only because there are so many more treatments available today than there were 17 years ago that we can offer a track focusing on survivorship issues in people living longer with metastatic breast cancer,” said Janine E. Guglielmino, MA, LBBC’s Vice President for Mission Delivery and Vice Chair of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance. “That’s the good news. But even with these successes, significant challenges remain in improving survival and coping with the side effects of these exciting and novel new treatments.”
More information on the conference is available at LBBC.ORG and by following the Twitter handle #LBBCMetsConf.
The 2023 conference is presented by Lilly with support from Leadership Sponsor AstraZeneca, Lead Organizational Sponsor Forward4Tobi; and Signature Sponsors Eisai, Gilead Oncology, the Jeanne & Richard Kaskey Foundation, Merck, Pfizer, Seagen, and The Tutu Project.
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About Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Living Beyond Breast Cancer is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to create a world that understands there is more than one way to have breast cancer. To fulfill its mission of providing trusted information and a community of support to those impacted by the disease, Living Beyond Breast Cancer offers on-demand emotional, practical and evidence-based content. Nearly 30 years since its inception, the organization remains committed to creating a culture of acceptance — where sharing the diversity of the lived experience of breast cancer fosters self-advocacy and hope. For more information, visit LBBC.org.
