The YSC has developed several programs to help reduce the sense of isolation, provide information and address the unique issues faced by young women with metastatic breast cancer, a particularly underserved population. We provide information for women newly diagnosed with metastatic disease who need to know about advances in treatment and clinical trials, as with these advances in treatment, breast cancer may be managed as a chronic disease.
Young women are living full and successful lives with breast cancer but often want to talk to others who are going through similar experiences e.g. raising children, managing careers and school, and relationship issues. To facilitate this, we offer telephone networking sessions to bring women together so that they may share experiences and support each other. The calls take place monthly, from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m., EST. Sessions for the first quarter of 2008 will be:
-
Monday, May 5, 2008, from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m., EST
-
Tuesday, June 10, 2008, from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m., EST
-
Tuesday, July 8, 2008, from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m., EST
-
Monday, August 11, 2008, from 8:00 - 9:30 p.m., EST
A completed YSC Demographic Questionnaire is required for participation. If you have not completed this form within the last 6 months, if there are changes to your previous submission or if you have never completed the questionnaire, please download and complete this form. Please return your completed form to ywabc@youngsurvival.org prior to your participating on the call. This form is used to help the facilitator meet your needs, address your concerns, and is required prior to your participation. The form provides ample space for you to include specific issues that you would like to discuss during these sessions.
Contact us directly if you prefer to receive one-to-one peer support.
We are preparing resources for women with advanced disease, their caregivers and their health care professionals including an educational video to increase awareness and help decrease isolation; a CD-rom for the medical community that highlights the special issues that these young women face; brochures and fact sheets. We will announce on the YSC home page as these materials become available.