The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is the annual breast cancer conference that brings together researchers, clinicians, patients and manufacturers from all over the world to discuss the latest breast cancer research. Last December, we were pleased to be able to attend in-person, and we'd like to share with you the highlights from SABCS.

The past year allowed us a return to a more normal routine in a lot of ways, and our blogs from 2022 reflect that. Posts about being able to gather for the holidays, get mastectomy tattoos, and having in-person healthcare visits were some of the topics of our top 10 blog posts from last year.

CBCN connects patients, caregivers, health care professionals, researchers, public health agencies and industry stakeholders to improve knowledge translation and promote optimal health outcomes for Canadians with breast cancer. We do this through the promotion of information sharing, education, and advocacy activities. As we look forward to the new year, we would also like to look back on 2022 and share what CBCN has achieved on behalf of Canadian breast cancer patients, their loved ones, and caregivers.

Tomorrow, November 29^th is Giving Tuesday, the world’s largest generosity movement. Created in 2012, it was a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Make someone smile, help a neighbour or a stranger, show up for an issue you care about, or give some of what you have to those in need. Giving Tuesday is a time when people come together to celebrate giving and participate in activities that support charities and non-profits; to thank, help, give, show kindness, and share with others. Donations made to CBCN help us fulfill these needs for people dealing with breast cancer, their loved ones, and caregivers.

Depending on your situation, your financial needs can come in different forms, from needing money to pay for rent, to needing help with paying for treatments, to requiring help with parking costs when you go for cancer treatments. To highlight the various types of programs listed in FinancialNavigator, we have put together this blogpost series.

In today’s post, we provide the questions that were sent in and asked during the live session of our Questions and Experts session held in June 2022. In this session, Rachel Mador-House, a certified Genetic Counsellor, answered questions about genetics and genetic testing. In the parentheses, you’ll find the timestamp of where to find the question in the on-demand video.

To highlight the various types of programs listed in FinancialNavigator, we have put together this blogpost series, FinNav 5. In this post, we highlight five programs that provide prostheses, wigs, and other care support items and packages.

In today’s post, we provide the questions that were sent in and asked during the live session of our Questions and Experts session held in April 2022. In this session, Dr. Jean Seely, Head of the Breast Imaging Section at the Ottawa Hospital, answered questions about breast screening and imaging after breast cancer. In the parentheses, you’ll find the timestamp of where to find the question in the on-demand video. Read our Screening AFTER Breast Cancer Advocacy Guide to learn more about follow-up surveillance for those who have had breast cancer and to learn how to advocate to access the appropriate testing.

Point of view: You’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and you’re overwhelmed, confused, scared, and more. You are still having a hard time accepting being diagnosed and don’t know where to start in finding out more medical information about your diagnosis as well as trying to prepare yourself emotionally. While you’ve probably received some type of handout from you doctor, there’s still more information that you need to wrap your head about this change in your life. You’ve also likely searched Google for non-medical information but you are having a hard time finding this information.

This World Cancer Day, the focus is on how to ‘Close the Care Gap’. It is a call for everyone to not only become aware of the inequities that exist in cancer care, but to get actively involved in addressing and reducing such inequities. These inequities can be due to systemic and social barriers, as well as general access to care. While such gaps exist, they can be reduced and eventually eliminated. Below, we outline what CBCN is doing to close the breast cancer care gap and what you can do too.