Listen to, learn from, and share with a panel of your peers. Topics 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.

About the speakers

Babs is a 2024 Hear My Voice advocate and a metastatic breast cancer thriver who challenges both stigma and toxic positivity surrounding illness. She shares the full spectrum of breast cancer — holding space for hard days alongside hopeful ones — to empower others with metastatic disease and help build more welcoming, inclusive communities.

LaFreda “Freda” Chrispen is a metastatic breast cancer advocate and digital creator who blends honesty, humor, and heart to support others navigating this disease. Freda was diagnosed in 2023 with ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, later found to have spread to her spine. She has undergone chemotherapy, multiple rounds of radiation, and ongoing targeted and endocrine therapies.

Marialuisa “Alycia” Villasana is a metastatic breast cancer advocate who has been living with stage IV disease for more than six years. Breast cancer has been part of her life since her initial diagnosis with early-stage breast cancer in 2003. Her lived experiences have given her a perspective on authenticity, resilience, and connection as a mom, spouse, daughter, friend, and human.

Melanie Ottersen is a 2024 Hear My Voice advocate who was diagnosed with de novo triple negative metastatic breast cancer in July 2018. She has been no evidence of disease (NED) since August 2022 and has been an active member of Living Beyond Breast Cancer for several years.

Learn more about the Thriving Together: 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/metsconf26

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

Living with metastatic breast cancer often means navigating ongoing treatments, symptoms, and side effects that can impact daily life. This session will help you understand how palliative care can help manage symptoms such as pain and fatigue, as well as support emotional well-being.

Pallavi Kumar, MD, MPH explains what palliative care is, what it isn’t, and how to access it.

About the speaker

Dr. Pallavi Kumar is a medical oncologist and palliative care physician at Penn Medicine, where she serves as the section chief of oncology palliative care within the division of hematology-oncology. She is also an associate professor of clinical medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Thriving Together: 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/metsconf26

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

This session is split up into three presentations that build upon the next, offering practical tools to help you stay grounded, present, and nourished.

Setting the tone: Yoga and movement: Slow, accessible movements coordinated with breathing release tension, awaken the body, and calm the nervous system, with options for seated or standing participation.

Nourishment & hydration: Learn practical nutrition and hydration strategies to help you feel your best. You’ll learn simple tips for staying energized, hydrated, and nourished — supporting sustained focus, emotional resilience, and overall well-being.

Mindfulness, meditation & ecotherapy: This session blends mindfulness and meditation with elements of ecotherapy to help participants process information and reconnect with calm and balance. Guided practices focus on breath, body, and nature-inspired imagery to support clarity and emotional regulation.

About the speakers

Rana Walker, MEd, RScP, is an Emmy award-winning life coach, mental health therapist, writer, producer, and certified yoga instructor with more than two decades of experience creating wellness-centered spaces for personal growth and healing.

Kevin Hubbard, MEd, LPC, CMIP, is a licensed professional counselor and the owner of Mind Over Matter Counseling and Consulting, LLC, a small group private practice based in Philadelphia, Pa.

Erin Pellegrin, RD, LDN, serves as the senior director of culinary nutrition and education at Unite for HER, where she has been a member of the culinary nutrition team since 2018.

Learn more about the Thriving Together: 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/metsconf26

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

To understand personalized medicine, it is important to understand the role of biomarker testing, genetic testing, and the right dose for you. Our speaker will walk you through the research currently happening to ensure that everyone receives the best treatment for their specific cancer and how this research is applicable in the clinic.

About the speakers

Dr. Seth Wander is a medical oncologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital with clinical and translational research expertise in breast cancer and cancer genomics. He serves as the director of translational research for the Breast Oncology Program, where he leads a multidisciplinary team focused on understanding how cancers develop resistance to standard therapies and on advancing novel, personalized treatment approaches.

Dr. Elena Michaels is a hematology/oncology fellow in the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute combined fellowship program in Boston, Mass. She is pursuing a career in breast medical oncology and is committed to providing evidence-based, patient-centered care for individuals with breast cancer.

Learn more about the Thriving Together: 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/metsconf26

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

During this session, hear our speakers provide treatment updates, suggest what to look for in the future, and discuss how far we have come. Presentations are followed by a discussion and time for audience questions.

About the Speakers

Dr. Borges founded and directs the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Clinic at the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center. The YWBCC of Colorado covers the unique issues of young women at diagnosis, through treatment, and beyond.

Dr. Cescon is a medical oncologist and clinician scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the University of Toronto, Canada where he leads a lab-based research program largely focused on the development of new therapies and biomarkers for breast cancer.

Learn more about the Thriving Together: 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/metsconf26

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

Nutrition advice can feel overwhelming after a breast cancer diagnosis—especially when it’s coming from social media, headlines, or well-meaning friends and family. Is sugar really “feeding cancer”? Should you avoid soy? What about alcohol, supplements, or popular diets?

In this free, 60-minute webinar, oncology dietitian Julie Lanford, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, breaks down the most common nutrition myths and national dietary guidelines using current scientific evidence. You’ll leave this session with easy ways to add more nourishment to your routine with less fear. Lynn Folkman, LBBC's Manager, Community Engagement, moderated the conversation. Read more about the webinar here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/simplifying-breast-cancer-nutrition

Julie is the Community Engagement Director for Cancer Services, a non-profit in Winston-Salem, NC. She is a registered dietitian, licensed nutritionist, and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition with 20 years experience working in oncology. Read Julie's full bio here: https://www.lbbc.org/about-us/reviewer/julie-lg-lanford

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

Each year, the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) brings together thousands of clinicians, researchers, and advocates from around the world to share the most important discoveries and innovations in breast cancer research and care.

Harold J. Burstein, MD, PhD breaks down the most meaningful updates from this year’s symposium—what’s new, what’s promising, and what may change care for those at diagnosed with breast cancer. Caroline Koffke, RN, BSN, OCN, LBBC’s Director, Educational and Healthcare Provider Programs, moderated the conversation. Read more about the webinar here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/updates-from-2025-san-antonio-breast-cancer-symposium

Harold J. Burstein, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of academic partnerships at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he also practices as a breast oncologist. Read Dr. Burstein's full bio here: https://www.lbbc.org/about-us/speaker/harold-j-burstein

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

For people living with metastatic breast cancer, treatment is lifelong. How dosing decisions are made — and how those choices are discussed — can have a profound impact on your patients’ daily lives, emotional well-being, and treatment adherence.

Our panel shared practical strategies and real-world examples of how adjusting treatment cadence and dosing can preserve quality of life while maintaining clinical effectiveness. They also discussed new bilingual tools from LBBC in partnership with Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center that support shared decision-making and enhance patient education.

About the speakers

Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH

Dr. Leader is a professor in the division of population science, department of medical oncology at Thomas Jefferson University. As an associate director for community outreach and engagement at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson, an NCI-designated cancer center, Dr. Leader leads research focused on health disparities, community engagement, and health communication across the cancer continuum.

Julia Maués

Julia is a patient advocate and cofounder of GRASP. Julia leads the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative (PCDI), which advocates for treatment strategies that optimize both efficacy and tolerability to improve patient outcomes.

Learn more about patient-centered dosing: https://www.lbbc.org/about-breast-cancer/types-breast-cancer/metastatic-breast-cancer/side-effects/patient-centered-dosing

Learn more about the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative: https://www.therightdose.org/

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

Want to explore clinical trials but unsure how to begin? Learn how to search for trials, what to expect when participating, and how barriers like cost or location are being addressed so more people can benefit.

About the speaker

Sara Horton, MD

Strategic Clinical Trials Access and Partnerships, Lead, Quantum Leap Healthcare Collaborative

Sara Horton, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist, currently holds the position of executive director of access and diversity at Quantum Leap Healthcare, a non-profit organization devoted to supporting breast cancer clinical trials. In addition, she holds an affiliate associate professorship at Howard University Cancer Center and serves as a medical oncologist for the Howard University Cancer Center Transdisciplinary Breast Cancer Clinic.

This is the final session of our four-part series, "Effective treatment & side effect support | Innovations in breast cancer care". When you’re facing breast cancer, understanding your options can make all the difference. This series brings together leading experts and patient advocates to help you speak up for your needs, manage side effects, and navigate treatment decisions with confidence.

This free, four-part webinar series is designed to help people with breast cancer — whether facing a new diagnosis, in treatment, or living with metastatic disease — get real answers to real challenges. Learn more about the series here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/innovations-in-care-2025

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991

Menopause — whether natural, treatment-induced, or from hormone therapy — can bring challenging symptoms that affect daily life. Dr. Laila Agrawal shares the latest on safe hormone therapy after diagnosis, non-hormonal options, and practical tips to help you feel like yourself again.

About the speaker

Laila Agrawal, MD

Board-Certified Medical Oncologist, Norton Healthcare

Laila Agrawal is a board-certified medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer. She has a sexual health clinic for women diagnosed with cancer at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky.

This is the third session of our four-part series, "Effective treatment & side effect support | Innovations in breast cancer care". When you’re facing breast cancer, understanding your options can make all the difference. This series brings together leading experts and patient advocates to help you speak up for your needs, manage side effects, and navigate treatment decisions with confidence.

This free, four-part webinar series is designed to help people with breast cancer — whether facing a new diagnosis, in treatment, or living with metastatic disease — get real answers to real challenges. Learn more about the series here: https://www.lbbc.org/community/events/innovations-in-care-2025

At Living Beyond Breast Cancer, we make sure people facing breast cancer have the support they need. We’re here with real answers, real stories, and real help—every step of the way.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbeyondbreastcancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-beyond-breast-cancer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/livingbeyondbc

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/LBBC1991