My next adventure is attending the C4YW conference in Seattle, WA. I leave on Thursday Feb 21. I am traveling all by myself. This is a giant leap for me. I will meet up with two of my friends from my Park City experience. It is going to be so much fun. I get to learn all about things that affect women my age going through breast cancer. I also get to spend more time with my friends from Park City. They will be traveling from Tennessee and Missouri. I was able to receive a travel grant that will help pay for my flight, hotel and the registration fee is waived. I feel very BLESSED! I will report on my adventures.
Life has been so so busy since Christmas. I went back to school and I am doing an internship with my principal. I want to finish my endorsement so that I can work in administration some day! This next week I will be helping with the Multicultural Night at school. What a busy week. My trip will complete it and give me a little rest.
Here is a little information about C4YW:
Thirteen years ago, in collaboration with the Breast Health Institute, Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC)
held the first Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer. The conference was
created in response to a survey LBBC conducted of women under the age of 45 who had been
diagnosed with breast cancer. Survey data indicated these women wanted a day-long educational
program targeted to address their needs while providing a forum to network with others who shared
similar situations. The conference drew 300 women from 17 states and consisted of a morning plenary
session and six afternoon workshops. The following year, LBBC partnered with Young Survival Coalition
(YSC), who played an important role in building attendance by inviting its members to the conference.
Today this one-of-a-kind event, renamed C4YW in 2010, is the only conference dedicated exclusively to
the unique needs of young women affected by breast cancer, as well as the needs of their families,
friends, supporters and caregivers. C4YW addresses the fact that when a young woman is diagnosed
with breast cancer, she often feels isolated and alone. Her psychosocial and medical issues are
fundamentally different than those of older, post-menopausal women, as is the impact of her diagnosis.
C4YW acknowledges these issues by delivering educational sessions that provide attendees relevant
information in easy-to-understand language.
LBBC and YSC work closely with the world’s most respected health professionals to ensure C4YW
content reflects the most current interests of women diagnosed with all stages of breast cancer.
Information is always conveyed compassionately and intelligently during three days of plenary sessions
and specialized workshops. In addition, sessions for caregivers, partners, families and friends are also
featured.
C4YW 2013 takes place Friday, February 22 – Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue
on Seattle’s East Side - with an anticipated attendance of almost 1,000 participants from across the
country and around the world. More than 75 exhibitors, many that specialize in services specifically for
the breast cancer community, will also be on-site to provide participants with access to additional
resources, information and products.
For the past seven years, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has generously supported C4YW, providing
travel grant funding to ensure that women experiencing financial challenges have access to the
conference.Fact Sheet: Young Women and Breast Cancer
The Facts
Despite the prevailing opinions that young women don’t get breast cancer, the reality is that they can
and they do. Here are some important and startling facts about breast cancer in young women:
- In 2008, the American Cancer Society projects 182,460 new cases of breast cancer in females; it
is estimated that 10,000 of these women will be under 40 years of age, and nearly 23,000 will be
under 45 years of age.
1 One in 20 women with breast cancer is under age 40 when diagnosed. One in 8 women
diagnosed with breast cancer is younger than 45 when diagnosed.
2 Breast cancer accounts for 26% of all cancer in females 15-39 years of age and 39% of all
cancer in 35- to 39-year-olds.
3 Young women’s breast cancers are generally more aggressive and result in lower survival rates. Increasingly, evidence suggests that breast cancer before age 40 is biologically different from
the majority of breast cancer that occurs in older women. Women younger than 25 may have a
third type of biologically distinct breast cancer. As the incidence of young women with breast cancer is much lower than in older women, young women are often an underrepresented population in research studies.
The Issues Young women diagnosed with breast cancer face a myriad of issues that may significantly impact their quality and quantity of life. Some of these concerns include:
Body Image: It may be challenging for some women to embrace their new body after breast
cancer-related surgery.
Relationships & Dating: Whether married or single, intimacy issues may arise for women who’ve
been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Fertility: Breast cancer treatment may affect a woman’s future plans to have children.
Financial Challenges: Breast cancer can dramatically impact a woman’s financial stability when
