PHILADELPHIA, PA., July 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a brand new format to provide both information and support, Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) has announced that registration is now open for Wellness Weekend, a combination of the nonprofit's national annual fall conference and signature fundraising event that will take place Sept. 18-20, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. For those who qualify, a limited number of travel grants and fee waivers will be available.
Breast Cancer Today: Individual Treatments, Shared Experiences, the conference portion of the weekend, will feature programming developed in collaboration with the country's most respected health professionals. To assist participants in creating a conference experience that best suits their needs, optional tracks are being offered specific to different types and stages of breast cancer:
- Triple-negative, for those whose cancer is estrogen, progesterone and HER2-negative (this track is being presented in partnership with the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation);
- Hormone receptor-positive or HER2-positive, for those with breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive, or both; and
- Metastatic, for those managing all types of stage IV disease.
In addition, non-tracked workshops of general interest will address topics that include nutrition, caregiving and fertility.
The 4th Annual Yoga on the Steps: Denver will take place Sunday morning at Cheesman Park. The fundraiser, LBBC's unique twist on the more traditional charity walk or run, is an all-level outdoor yoga class followed by a Healthy Living Expo. Conference registrants will receive complimentary access to the event. For those not attending the conference, there is a small entrance fee. LBBC hopes that all who plan on attending will also fundraise to further the organization's mission of connecting people to trusted breast cancer information and a community of support.
Wellness Weekend will offer "three days of information, connection and inspiration" according to LBBC's CEO Jean A. Sachs, MSS, MLSP. "A breast cancer diagnosis today is complicated and often requires women to make decisions about their treatment plan," she continued. "This conference will help women sort through information and learn about how to improve their quality of life, and will connect them with others in a similar situation."
Nancy Clark of Hendersonville, North Carolina, has been attending LBBC conferences bi-annually for as long as they've been being held. "The leading lights of breast cancer treatment and research who participate in the conferences have made a commitment to support LBBC in its important work of educating and encouraging those of us who've been told, 'I'm sorry, it's breast cancer.' Clark says. "I've been able to keep up to date with the current research and treatment advances, and to pass that knowledge on to the many people I've counseled via the LBBC Breast Cancer Helpline."
Those interested in learning more about Wellness Weekend, the conference and Yoga on the Steps: Denver can get detailed information online at lbbc.org/wellnessweekend or by calling (855) 807-6386. The event is made possible through the support of event sponsors including Susan G. Komen and Cancer Today magazine.
Featured Speakers
Kim Allison, MD
Associate Professor of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Author of Red Sunshine and Breast Cancer Survivor
Kim Allison, MD, specializes in and is director of breast pathology. She has a special interest in the development of diagnostic standards and new diagnostic and therapy-related tumor markers, and has published on issues in diagnostic agreement, establishing appropriate diagnostic criteria and clinical management of a variety of entities. Dr. Allison is also interested in the immune system's response to neoplasia and pregnancy-associated breast cancers. She is the author of Red Sunshine: A Story of Strength and Inspiration from a Doctor Who Survived Stage 3 Breast Cancer.
Hollye Harrington Jacobs, RN, MS, MSW
The Silver Pen
Hollye Harrington Jacobs, RN, MS, MSW, is a sought-after speaker, nurse, social worker, child development specialist, and the best-selling author of The Silver Lining, A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer. She is a respected expert in women's health and wellness, appearing regularly on national TV and contributing to The Huffington Post since 2011. In October 2014, she launched The Silver Lining Companion Guide, a condensed version of her original book that Allstate Insurance is distributing for free for one year to every person impacted by breast cancer. Diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39, she launched her blog, thesilverpen.com soon after diagnosis; through her blog she offered other women support and guidance through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and survivorship.
Pallav K. Mehta, MD
Attending Physician, Division of Hematology/Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper
Pallav K. Mehta, MD, is a medical oncologist/hematologist with expertise in breast cancer and integrative oncology currently practicing in the Philadelphia area. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, hematology and integrative medicine, and has been the cancer liaison physician to the Commission on Cancer (CoC). Dr. Mehta has served as a local principal investigator and developed a broad integrative medicine initiative aimed at patients with cancer. He recently co-authored a book, After Cancer Care on the topics of exercise, nutrition, and stress modification in patients with cancer, set for publication August 25, 2015.
Claire Petretti Marti, E-RYT, NASM-CPT
Breast Cancer Survivor & Yoga Teacher
Claire Petretti Marti, E-RYT, NASM-CPT, has been practicing, studying, and teaching yoga since 1999. Ms. Petretti Marti teaches dynamic Vinyasa flow, combined with fun, upbeat music and is an RYT-500 Yoga Alliance instructor. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and a Reiki Level 2 Practitioner. Ms. Petretti Marti's Stage II breast cancer diagnosis inspired her to earn her Yoga for Cancer Therapy certification. She teaches classes for people living with cancer, and released a Yoga for Cancer Recovery DVD. She offers more videos at yogadownload.com and oceansoulyoga.com.
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About Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) is a nonprofit organization whose vision is a world where no one impacted by breast cancer feels uninformed or alone. To strive toward reaching that vision, LBBC's mission is to connect people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support. LBBC addresses the current needs of people affected by breast cancer, whether they are newly diagnosed, in treatment, in recovery or living with a history of or managing a metastatic form of the disease. Resources are developed in collaboration with the nation's leading oncologists, health professionals and ally organizations and are delivered by people who understand the physical and emotional complexities of breast cancer. LBBC offers its programs and services in a variety of printed and digital formats. For more information, visit them at LBBC.org.
About Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation
The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation strives to be a credible source for triple-negative breast cancer information, a catalyst for science and patient advocacy groups, and a caring community with meaningful services for patients and their families. TNBCF's goals are to ignite interest in the study of triple-negative breast cancer among researchers, physicians, educators and scientists; to support professionals seeking to identify the cause(s) of triple-negative breast cancer; and to discover new and effective treatment options. For more information, visit them at tnbcfoundation.org.