|
Dear Clinical Care Working Group Member,
We realize it has been a few months since our last communication - summer just flew by! We hope you’ve taken some time to rest and renew. You are receiving this update because you joined our Clinical Care Working Group. As we transition into what is sure to be a very busy fall “BCAM” season, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past few months and share some important updates. First, Working Group meetings will resume in early 2024 – more information coming your way soon. Thanks for your patience during this transition. We hope this interim communication helps keep you informed on the ongoing efforts within the Clinical Care Working Group and also sparks your interest in getting engaged with us in the coming year!
If you would like to get involved with any of the subcommittees or other Alliance initiatives, please contact Dana. Also, don’t forget to check your profile on the Member Dashboard periodically to ensure we are up-to-date on your or your organization's MBC advocacy efforts.
The Clinical Care Working Group priorities include addressing financial toxicity in all aspects of living with MBC, and increasing education to healthcare providers about the urgent need to diversify clinical trials. Here are highlights on some of our initiative’s from the summer and moving into fall:
-
The Black Wo(Men) Speak (BWS) initiative has focused primarily on the identified theme of educating the community-at-large (healthcare providers, MBC patients) on increasing diversity in clinical trials. Stephanie Walker spoke at the Association of Northern California Oncologists (ANCO) Health Equity Research Summit on September 9th in San Francisco, and provided the patient perspective on health equity and oncology. In addition, an abstract entitled “Black Wo(Men) Speak about clinical trials: Are you listening?” was recently submitted and accepted for poster consideration to the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology annual meeting, JADPRO Live, to be held in November in Orlando, FL. Authors include Stephanie Walker (Lead), Martha Carlson, Dr. Monique Gary, Dr. Tisha Felder, and Medha Deoras-Sutliff.
-
The Patient Centered Dosing Initiative (PCDI) has fully transitioned as a subcommittee under the Clinical Care Working Group. PCDI members Martha Carlson, Janice Cowden, Christine Houser, Anne Loeser, Julia Mauès, & Sheila McGlown continue to actively participate in ASCO and /or FDA Initiatives and have been presenting the project's efforts in-person and virtually at several key convenings this year. The PCDI group also submitted an abstract that was accepted for poster consideration to JADPRO Live, entitled “Importance of Provider-Patient Discussions About Oncology Dose Optimization”. To learn more on PCDI’s current and future efforts, visit the member dashboard here.
-
Experiencing financial toxicity, or want to learn more about this topic? Explore our searchable library of financial resources from Alliance members. We will be connecting with each of you to make sure this listing is up-to-date and easy to navigate. Check out our latest blog featuring Alliance member Joanna Morales, Esq., cancer rights attorney, author, speaker and CEO of Triage Cancer. This is the first in a series on the impact of financial toxicity. Stay tuned to our blog, Facebook and Twitter channels to learn more on our efforts to address financial toxicity in all aspects of living with MBC.
- BCAM is coming! Look for MBCA’s video campaign on “Reimaging Clinical Trials” highlighting the experiences and efforts of several of our members and partners.
As we shift gears into 2024, our sights will be set on new projects/endeavors, including increasing access and education to palliative and supportive care for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
Upcoming Events
-
International Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer Symposium 2023 | September 28-30 | Pittsburgh, PA | More info here
-
YSC Wellness Summit |October 6-8 | Hybrid (Austin, TX) | More info here
-
MBCA Webinar | An Introduction to Understanding & Engaging in MBC Policy & Legislative Advocacy | October 12th 12:00-1:30 PM EDT | More info here
-
ABC7 | November 9-11 | Hybrid (Lisbon, Portugal) | More info here
-
JADPRO Live, November 9-12 | Orlando, FL | More info here
- SABCS 2023| December 5-9 | Save the date | December 5th Semiannual All Member Meeting at SABCS | San Antonio, TX | Registration open soon!
We thank you for your support and will continue to keep you updated. Please feel free to reach out to us at ClinicalCareWorkingGroup@mbcalliance.org if you have any questions.
With gratitude,
| 
