Thriving Together: 2023 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer
The Power of Community: Seen. Heard. Connected.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s 17th annual Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer was held April 28-30, 2023 as a hybrid conference in Philadelphia, PA in-person and virtually via our online conference platform. We welcomed over 365 people in-person and over 300 attendees on our virtual platform.
To all the attendees, speakers, vendors and volunteers who joined us in bringing the metastatic breast cancer community together in-person for the first time since 2019…thank you. Your support and contributions made this event a success, and we couldn't have done it without you.
One of the most impactful aspects of the Thriving Together conference was the deep connections and life-long friendships that were formed among attendees. For many individuals living with metastatic breast cancer, finding a supportive community can be challenging. However, this conference provided a safe space for people to come together, share their experiences, and form meaningful relationships.
We are grateful for the bonds that were formed and the strength they bring to the metastatic breast cancer community.
On this page
Featured recording
Keynote: Living well with metastatic breast cancer
Speakers: Stephanie Broadnax Broussard, LCSW, ACHP-SW and Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO
Sunday, April 30 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (ET)
Get the information and tools you need to manage the physical and emotional impact of metastatic breast cancer and its treatments. Explore the quality-of-life issues that impact living well, the gift of self-care, and how to define well-being for yourself to live as fully as possible.
Recordings
Learn more about each of the sessions held during this year's Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer and find links to watch session recordings on our YouTube channel in the 2023 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer playlist. Some sessions are also available in audio format on our SoundCloud or as complete transcripts.
Keynote | Ask the expert: Diet, physical activity and sleep
Speakers: Rachel Beller, MS, RDN and Pallav K. Mehta, MD
Saturday, April 29 | 9:45 – 11:00 a.m. (ET)
We all know a good diet, exercise, and adequate rest help to optimize well-being. As a person living with metastatic breast cancer, you may face unique challenges in these areas. In this 60-minute Q&A session, ask your questions and gather strategies from our experts about optimizing your nutrition and getting the sleep and physical activity you crave.
Keynote | Recently approved therapies and promising approaches for the future
Speaker: Nancy U. Lin, MD
Saturday, April 29 | 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Hear about drugs that have been approved for metastatic breast cancer over the last 2 years and how they impact each subtype of breast cancer. Learn how these latest approvals compare with previous standard-of-care therapies, what we know, and what we don’t, and hear about the exciting drugs and approaches in the pipeline for the next 3 to 5 years.
Keynote | Coping with grief
Speaker: Kelly Grosklags, LICSW, BCD, FAAGC
Saturday, April 29 | 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (ET)
In this session, we will discuss the implications of daily loss while living with MBC. There are both subtle and profound losses that can influence feelings of sadness, anxiety, and depression. Our speaker will discuss the concept of anticipatory grief and how important it is to name your losses and allow others in for support.
Keynote | Shared voices: Learning from each other
Panelists: Thomasina Butler, Sheila Godreau, Cheryl Law, and Deb Ontiveros
Sunday, April 30 | 9:45 – 11:00 a.m. (ET)
Listen to, learn from, and share with a panel of your peers. Topics will include living with uncertainty, setting goals and having hope, parenting, navigating relationships with friends and family, managing finances, work and insurance matters, and much more.
Keynote | Living well with metastatic breast cancer
Speakers: Stephanie Broadnax Broussard, LCSW, ACHP-SW and Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO
Sunday, April 30 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (ET)
Get the information and tools you need to manage the physical and emotional impact of metastatic breast cancer and its treatments. Explore the quality-of-life issues that impact living well, the gift of self-care, and how to define well-being for yourself to live as fully as possible.
Breakout | Newly diagnosed: A guide for understanding a diagnosis of MBC
Speaker: Zanetta Lamar, MD
Wednesday, April 26 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Whether this is your first breast cancer diagnosis, or you have had breast cancer before, learning you have metastatic breast cancer is likely to be overwhelming. This session is designed to provide you with the medical information and practical support necessary to help you make informed decisions about your treatment and to get your bearings during the first months after a metastatic diagnosis. This session may also be helpful to those who aren’t newly diagnosed but need a basic understanding of metastatic breast cancer and how it is treated.
Breakout | Living long term with MBC: Making treatment decisions
Speakers: Virginia Borges, MD, MMSc and Abigail Johnston
Wednesday, April 26 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
As a person living long term with mets, you may have experienced several lines of treatment or changes to your treatment. We’ll explore the variables involved in making these decisions, the questions you can ask to better understand available treatment options, ways to honor your quality-of-life goals (including when to halt or stop treatment), and how to communicate your decisions and needs effectively with your provider and your family.
Breakout | Bone mets
Speakers: Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD and Katherine N. Weilbaecher, MD
Wednesday, April 26 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
The bones are the most common place for breast cancer to spread. In this session, learn about treatment options, and get strategies to limit side effects, manage bone pain, and maintain bone strength. We’ll also discuss how to understand screening tests, and we’ll share updates on clinical trials studying new treatments and quality of life.
Breakout | Managing side effects
Speaker: Kimberly A. Curseen, MD
Wednesday, April 26 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Managing side effects of your treatment is crucial to living well with metastatic breast cancer. In this session, learn about effective strategies to manage side effects from targeted, localized, and systemic treatments. Ask questions of our expert and share tips with others in the chat throughout this session.
Breakout | Newly diagnosed: Managing emotions
Speakers: Jenny Burkholder and Celeste Vaughan-Briggs, LCSW
Wednesday, April 26 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (ET)
A metastatic breast cancer diagnosis can feel like a shock to the system. If you’ve recently been diagnosed, we know that you may be experiencing intense emotions and uncertainty. Join this breakout to explore these complex emotions, hear from others who have been there and get strategies for managing feelings now and as you go forward.
Breakout | Living long-term with MBC: A panel discussion on the tough stuff
Facilitator: Cheryl Hughes, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
Panelists: Ann Camden, Stephanie Walker, and Toni Willis
Wednesday, April 26 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (ET)
Living with metastatic breast cancer can feel like a roller coaster. You may have experienced several changes in treatment, managed many side effects, and had to make hard choices about practical matters like career, relationships, and how to spend your time and energy. Join this breakout session to discuss these challenges, hear from others like you, and get strategies for managing the toll that these medical, emotional, and everyday matters take from you over time.
Breakout | The cost of cancer for MBC patients
Speakers: Mary E. Costello and Pam Traxel
Wednesday, April 26 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (ET)
According to a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, around 20% of adults who have personally had cancer or have a family member who had cancer said they owe $10,000 or more in medical debt. This debt has been fueled in part by the "eye-popping price tags" of new treatments. For those living with metastatic breast cancer, that dollar amount is most likely much higher. This workshop looks at the costs of cancer seen through the lens of metastatic breast cancer patients. The cost of cancer care and potential advocacy solutions will be explored by American Cancer Society’s Pam Traxel, while Mary E. Costello, an MBC advocate, will share her story of facing staggering medical costs.
Breakout | Managing pain
Speaker: Joshua A. Jones, MD, MA
Wednesday, April 26 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (ET)
Understand different types of pain, and hear about medicines and methods to manage pain while preserving your quality of life. Learn how to include pain management in your overall treatment plan, including ways to communicate with your doctor about concerns and finding resources and pain specialists.
Advisory committee
We are grateful to this year’s advisory committee who have partnered with us to ensure the annual conference remains relevant and inclusive of all the ways people experience this disease.
Speakers
Rachel Beller, MS, RDN
CEO, Beller Nutritional Institute
Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD
Associate Professor in Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine
Virginia Borges, MD, MMSc
Deputy Head, Division of Medical Oncology; Director, Breast Cancer Research Program & Young Women’s Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Stephanie Broadnax Broussard, LCSW, APHSW-C
Director of Palliative Care and Social Work, Texas Oncology
Jenny Burkholder
Patient Advocate
Thomasina Butler
Patient Advocate, New York
Ann Camden*
Patient Advocate
Mary E. Costello
Patient Advocate, Maryland
Kimberly Curseen, MD
Director, Supportive and Palliative Care Outpatient Services, Emory Healthcare
Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO
Director, The Pelvic Malignancies Program, Lifespan Cancer Institute
Gregory D. Garber, MSW, LCSW
Administrative Director, Division of Supportive Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Health
Sheila Godreau
Patient Advocate, Florida
Kelly Grosklags, LICSW, BCD, FAAGC, FT
Clinical social worker
Farah Hassanbhai-Kapoor
Yoga Instructor
Nancy Herard-Marshall*
Patient Advocate; Dance/Movement Therapist
Cheryl Hughes, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
Oncology Clinical Therapist II, Inova Life With Cancer
Abigail M. Johnston, JD
Director of Mentorship & Legal Clinics, Project Life
Joshua A. Jones, MD, MA
Director, Palliative Radiotherapy Service, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Zanetta Lamar, MD
Medical Oncologist, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
Cheryl Law
Patient Advocate, Alabama
Nancy U. Lin, MD
Associate Chief, Division of Breast Oncology; Director, Metastatic Breast Cancer Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Natasha McIntosh
Patient Advocate, North Carolina
Stephanie McLeod-Estevez, LCPC
Licensed clinical professional counselor; art therapist
Pallav K. Mehta, MD
Medical Director, Reimagine Care; Assistant Professor of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper
Deb Ontiveros
Patient Advocate, Utah
Pam Traxel
Senior Vice President, ACS CAN
Celeste Vaughan-Briggs, LCSW
Program Manager, Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program; Oncology Social Worker at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson
Stephanie Walker
Registered Nurse
Katherine N. Weilbaecher, MD
Oliver M. Langenberg Distinguished Professor, Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine
Toni Willis
Patient Advocate, Texas
Thank you
Presenting sponsor
Leadership sponsor
Lead Organizational Sponsor
Title Sponsor
Signature sponsors
Benefactors
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Cancer Today Magazine/American Association for Cancer Research
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Foundation Medicine
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Genentech
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Menarini Stemline
Supporters
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Celcuity
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GE HealthCare
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Relay Therapeutics
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TerSera
Friends
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BJNB Foundation
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BriaCell
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Lynda Gross Guardian Angel Fund
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Outcomes4Me
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Natera
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Paula A. Seidman Fund
Related resources
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