Help Attend ESMO to Advance Breast Cancer Research

For my upcoming birthday in August, I am asking friends and family to consider supporting this fundraiser on my behalf.

Recently, I received the exciting news that I have been accepted to attend ESMO, which is a large international breast cancer conference in Berlin, Germany, this October.

ESMO stands for the European Society for Medical Oncology.

It is an honor to be selected to travel there.

I will have an opportunity to learn all about the latest clinical research and data unfolding about finding better treatments, learning more about the causes of all breast cancers, and getting an opportunity to be at this very large global conference that is all about breast cancer. There will be good networking opportunities and chances to meet with researchers and share the information about the organizations here in the States.

It is another educational opportunity as a patient advocate to immerse myself in these global conferences.

The information I learn will not only serve my own community of Lowell, Michigan, but also help me connect internationally with newly diagnosed patients and support fellow patient advocates in their own journeys.

This also gives me a platform to expand my patient advocacy by connecting with research institutions and assisting with clinical trials, becoming an important factor in research.

I have been a student of the science behind breast cancer and have been developing my skills as a patient advocate by networking with clinical researchers and educating myself through graduate programs like NBCC's Project LEAD, which is our National Breast Cancer Coalition.

I am also serving on the board of my founding patient advocacy organization called the LBCA, which stands for Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance. I have been a volunteer patient advocate with this organization since my diagnosis, and I continue to be committed to supporting and volunteering with them.

I feel attending these international conferences only enhances my ability to pay it forward to help others going through breast cancer.

I am receiving some funding from the European organization, but it is very minimal compared to the extensive cost of attending this conference, especially with traveling from the United States, and the rising costs of airline tickets, accommodation, transportation, and food expenses.

I wish there was more funding available without having to lean on friends and family, but this is not the case.

With the hopes of learning the current information coming down the pipeline, I, like other patient advocates, can draw more awareness and share information as it unfolds, as many new developments are unveiled at these conferences.

In the last few years, I unfortunately know of at least ten amazing women who were also passionate patient advocates, who sadly passed away from this deadly disease. They were between the ages of 40 and 70. In my book, that's way too young to have your life taken too soon. We need more information, and we all need to do better.

I will thank you in advance for any donation; however small, it will be helpful.