Not Your 'Grandma's Disease': Breast Cancer Conference Brings Young Adults Together

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Registration open for largest breast conference just for young adults.

Los Angeles, CA (October 8, 2019) -- Young Survival Coalition (YSC) brings its fifth annual conference out west, where it will host more than 600 young adults affected by breast cancer in Los Angeles, California, March 6-8, 2020. Registration is now open for the YSC Summit, the largest global conference exclusively for young adults diagnosed age 40 and under and their co-survivor support networks.

YSC State Leader, Alexis Corbitt, said, “I thought of breast cancer as a grandma’s disease, but I was diagnosed at age 32.” Like Dr. Corbitt, more than 13,000 young adults will be diagnosed this year before their 41st birthday. The emotional and medical concerns affecting this population are different from people who are diagnosed later in their lives.

For them, the YSC Summit features inspirational speakers, educational and psychosocial workshops and wellness activities addressing the unique issues that young adults with breast cancer and their co-survivors face. Participants will have access to the most current, evidence-based information to make decisions about their health care. A key component is the opportunity to network with a community of other young survivors and co-survivors from across the world.

“The YSC Summit empowers and educates, but that’s not what is most powerful,” said Jennifer Merschdorf, Chief Executive Officer of Young Survival Coalition, who was diagnosed at age 36. “There is nothing more extraordinary than watching these young adults meet others who can share their experiences. They’re building communities that will last their lifetimes.”

Registration is open at summit.youngsurvival.org.

The YSC Summit will be March 6-8, 2020, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites. Early-bird registration is $150 and financial assistance is available to help with the cost of attending.

The conference includes workshop sessions for those newly diagnosed as well as those finished with treatment. There are special tracks for co-survivors and for young adults living with metastatic breast cancer. Workshops led by healthcare professionals will focus on topics such as dating, fertility and family planning, genetics, managing the emotions of others, ways to implement healthy lifestyle changes, and coping strategies for co-survivors. This year’s lineup will also include a half-day retreat for metastatic survivors and their co-survivors.

Video highlights of past Summits can be found here.

For complete registration details, schedule of workshops and speakers, please visit summit.youngsurvival.org or call 877.972.1011.

About Young Survival Coalition (YSC) ®

Established in 1998, Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the largest nonprofit dedicated exclusively to young adults diagnosed with breast cancer age 40 and under and their co-survivor support networks. YSC also educates and influences the medical, research and legislative communities to address breast cancer in young adults.

Through educational resources and programming, annual conferences, and local and online support networks, YSC ensures no young adult faces breast cancer alone.