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Posts Tagged ‘conference’

Survivor Spotlight – Heather Stempka, Erie County

Posted By on September 19th, 2011 at 2:03 pm | 0 comments.

Following her second breast cancer diagnosis at 33 years old, Heather Stempka wanted to reassure other young women that they didn’t have to take the breast cancer journey on their own. She co-founded Linked by Pink, which is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about breast cancer in young women, particularly those who were diagnosed under the age of 45, and that provides resources to them.

While Linked by Pink is based in Erie, PA, Heather has used social media outlets like Facebook to broaden the horizons for the organization. Heather will be presenting the “Advocacy Using Social Media” workshop at the 2011 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference on Tuesday, October 11.

Heather’s passion for helping people led her back to school to finish her degree in psychology with a minor in crisis counseling. She will graduate next summer from Liberty University.

Linked by Pink offers $500 medical grants to assist women battling breast cancer. Currently, the grants are only available to those who live within a 45 mile radius of Erie, PA, although they hope to extend their reach further in the future. For information on how to apply for these grants, visit the Linked by Pink website.

Check Your Calendar for PBCC Conference

Posted By on September 19th, 2011 at 2:01 pm | 0 comments.

Is Tuesday, October 11 circled on your calendar? If not, there’s still time to join hundreds of breast cancer survivors and advocates at the PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference in Harrisburg for an unforgettable day full of educational workshops, engaging speakers, a delicious luncheon, and many new friends. Register now using coupon code PINK to save $10 off your $85 registration fee.

Help us honor the achievements of our 2011 Conference Award Recipients, who have each made significant contributions in the fight against breast cancer in their own way – whether it be through research or treatment of the disease, or through advocacy and fundraising. Choose from 13 workshops with topics varying from cutting edge research to advocacy. Browse our exhibitor tables and get a head start on holiday shopping.

With something for everyone, you don’t want to miss the PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference. Register now. Click here.

Share Your Story and Win

Posted By on September 19th, 2011 at 2:00 pm | 0 comments.

As breast cancer survivors, we each have a story. Most have a similar beginning – usually with the words, “You have breast cancer.” But what happens next is what makes each of us unique. How we respond, what we must do, what decisions we make – no two journeys are the same. We at the PBCC want to hear your stories.

We want to share them with other breast cancer survivors, advocates and family members. We are holding a contest for survivors to submit their stories, which we may feature in an upcoming Survivor Spotlight in either our Pink Link or FrontLine newsletters. One grand prize winner will receive two FREE registrations for our 2011 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference, and everyone will receive a free gift for submitting their story. Entry details can be found here.

Something for Everyone at October 11 Conference

Posted By on August 15th, 2011 at 8:51 am | 0 comments.

October is just around the corner – which means the time to register for the PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference is NOW! The conference is a perfect blend of education and inspiration for everyone who has been touched by breast cancer. Join us in honoring our 2011 Pink Ribbon Award Recipients Dr. Thomas G. Frazier and Mimi Barash Coppersmith, who have each championed the cause in different ways, at our exciting Pink Ribbon Luncheon.

With workshops covering topics from advocacy to treatment, there’s certainly something for all to take away from the day-long conference. Whether you are a breast cancer survivor, a friend or family member, a health care provider, a community leader, or a concerned citizen – the PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference is for you. Click here to see a complete list of the workshop sessions scheduled for this exciting day!

Survivor Spotlight – Nicole Shaffer – Lititz, PA

Posted By on July 15th, 2011 at 8:55 am | 0 comments.

Nicole with husband Dave and their children Blair, Brandon, and Brady.

Nicole Shaffer was familiar with the PBCC years before her breast cancer diagnosis. Nicole, an occupational health nurse practitioner at Johnson & Johnson in Lititz,  participated in the annual Freshburst Race to benefit the PBCC in 2007. In December 2008 at the age of 35, Nicole found a lump in her breast.

A mammogram and an ultrasound both came back negative, but she wasn’t satisfied. That lump bothered her and she followed up with a surgeon and had an MRI. The surgeon confirmed that she had DCIS and Nicole had a bi-lateral mastectomy.

She has expanded her commitment to the PBCC, representing Lancaster County in our traveling photo exhibit, and co-presenting the workshop “Young Survivorship: Finding Your New Normal” at the 2010 PBCC Annual Conference.

Nicole believes that her purpose in life is to help other women. She was always a compassionate nurse but now where cancer is involved she finds herself reaching out even more. She never misses an opportunity to remind a woman to listen to her own body. Those initial tests Nicole had were read as negative but she knew something was wrong.

Nicole is now director of occupational health and wellness for North America with Pfizer. She and her husband Dave have three boys ages 9, 7 and 5. She loves to cook, spend time with her family hiking, biking and just being outside.

PBCC Conference Awardees Announced

Posted By on July 15th, 2011 at 8:51 am | 0 comments.

Join us in honoring the 2011 PBCC Conference Award Recipients on Tuesday, October 11! Dr. Thomas G. Frazier, Medical Director of the Main Line Health – Bryn Mawr Comprehensive Breast Center, and Mimi Barash Coppersmith, Chairman of The Barash Group, will receive the Pink Ribbon Award. Dr. Susan Domchek of the Abramson Cancer Center and the University of Pennsylvania will be presented with the Potamkin Award.

 

The Shining Light Award will be given to Grassroots Partners Rob Ziemba and Jon Jehrio for their continued support of the PBCC through an annual ice hockey event featuring the Hanson Brothers. These deserving individuals have each made significant contributions to the fight against breast cancer. Their contributions vary in nature, with some battling the disease in a medical setting through treating patients or conducting research while others participate through advocacy or fundraising efforts. Want to be a part of the celebration? Register now to receive the early bird rate on your registration.

On the FrontLine: Summer 2011

Posted By on June 20th, 2011 at 1:46 pm | 0 comments.

Check out the Summer 2011 edition of our print newsletter, FrontLine!

Get Twice as Much Out of the Conference When You Bring a Friend

Posted By on June 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am | 0 comments.

Make your PBCC Annual Conference experience twice as nice by taking advantage of our Bring a Friend Conference Registration discount. Buddy up and sign up for the October 11, 2011 conference, which will feature workshops on topics to challenge your mind and your soul – topics ranging from surgical options for breast cancer to the healing power of forgiveness.

Early bird Bring a Friend Registration for the conference is $100, which covers the cost of two conference registrations. Register as a pair and treat a friend, sister, daughter, mother, or colleague to an inspiring day devoted to breast cancer issues. Individual early bird registrations are $65 each.

Confirmed workshop topics and presenters include:

Free Treatment: The Ins and Outs of PA’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program presented by Joe Burkhart, PA Department of Health and Jane Marsteller, PA Department of Public Welfare

Inflammatory Breast Cancer presented by Massimo Cristofanilli, M.D., Fox Chase Cancer Center

Release! The Healing Power of Forgiveness presented by Rev. Dr. Michael Barry, Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Living Well During and After Breast Cancer: Stress Reduction and a Healthy Lifestyle presented by Aimée E. Todd-Pillman, PsyD, The Reading Hospital Regional Cancer Center and Amy Burke, Windber Medical Center

The Basics of Chemotherapy presented by Kathryn A. Peroutka, M.D., Andrews & Patel Associates, PC

The Latest In Breast Cancer Research and Clinical Trials presented by Priya Rastogi, M.D., NSABP

Breast Imaging 101 presented by Alison Chetlen, D.O., Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Does The Food We Eat Have an Impact on Our Health After Surviving Breast Cancer? presented by Dawn Palacios, R.D., LDN, Good Samaritan Hospital

Surgical Treatment Options for Breast Cancer: Which Way is the Pendulum Swinging Now? presented by Sun Yong Lee, M.D., FACS, Jefferson Breast Care Center

Many more workshops will be announced in the coming weeks, so please check the conference website for more details!

Register for the 2011 Annual Conference! Scholarships, Travel Grants Available

Posted By on May 16th, 2011 at 12:59 pm | 4 comments.

Survivors, advocates, health care providers, business and community leaders will be gathering in Harrisburg for the 2011 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Annual Conference on Tuesday, October 11 – and we want YOU to be there, too! Online early bird registration rates now available. If you are unable to register due to the cost, we have travel grant and scholarship applications available online as well to provide assistance to you so that you may attend.

Those who register now can save with our Early Bird Registration for one at $65 or our Bring a Friend Registration for two at $100! Conference registration is your ticket to all of the events of the day including speakers, workshops, exhibit hall vendors, the Pink Ribbon luncheon and more. Workshops offered will feature topics designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences, regardless of how their lives have been touched by breast cancer. Topics include Leadership, Advocacy, and Education; Advances in Treatment; Research and Clinical Trials; Breast Cancer Survivorship; The Mind/Body Connection; and Caring for the Caregiver.

A number of conference scholarships are provided each year through the Cary Massa Memorial Scholarship Fund. To memorialize Cary, an active member of the ABC’S support group of Carlisle and a dedicated PBCC Annual Conference volunteer, friends and family worked with the PBCC to create the fund to provide a means for those who wish to attend the conference but would be unable to do so because of their financial situation. Applications for travel grants, full scholarships, and partial scholarships are now available. Travel grant applications are due August 5. Scholarship applications are due September 30.

Don’t miss out on this exciting day! Join us on Tuesday, October 11 for the 2011 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Annual Conference!

President’s Corner: 3-D Breast Scans Aid in Early Detection, Lessening False Positives

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am | 0 comments.

Recently approved by the FDA, 3-D breast scan systems provide radiologists with a clearer, spatially accurate representation of breast tissue to accompany the image provided by a mammogram. The 3-D reconstruction will make it easier to detect and identify possible malignancies in the breast tissue that may not have been visible prior to the 3-D technology.

The 3-D scan will provide radiologists with the ability to better analyze tumors found in the breast and help reduce the likelihood of false positives. A recent Philadelphia Inquirer article on the topic provided insights by radiologists familiar with the 3-D breast scan technology, formally called “tomosynthesis”. They showed that the 3-D breast scan will allow them to see any tumors more clearly than mammography alone. However, it is important to note that at this stage, the 3-D scan would not be a replacement for the traditional 2-D mammogram; rather, it would be used in conjunction with a traditional mammogram to provide a clearer picture of the inside of the breast. It is also important to remember that the 3-D scan provides a higher dose of radiation than do currently used mammograms, and the long-term effects of it on the breast are unknown.  Any woman considering this procedure should review it with her physician.

Information on cutting-edge breast cancer news and research will be available at the PA Breast Cancer Coalition Annual Conference on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 in Harrisburg. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Register today to join us for this inspirational and educational gathering of breast cancer advocates and survivors.