Happy New Year!
As we step into 2025, I’m reflecting on our incredible journey and looking ahead to the exciting initiatives we have planned for the coming year.
First, a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 REACH Survivor’s Symposium. It was a day of connection, empowerment, and learning. Planning for the 2025 Symposium is already underway, and we can’t wait to build on this year’s success!
The Pose for Pink Fashion Show was another highlight of 2024. Our models lit up the runway, and the event raised vital funds to support our programs. Check out photos from the show on our website, and if you’d like to model in the 2025 show, let us know by replying to this email!
Education is at the heart of our mission, and our What’s Normal, What’s Not (WNWN) and Breast Health Peer Educator (BHPE) trainings are making a difference. The WNWN program empowers community members with life-saving knowledge about breast health and breast cancer, including a hands-on self-breast check training. If you’re interested in scheduling a training for your organization or community, click here.
Our BHPE training, created with support from Novant Health and the American Cancer Society, and now extended with funding from UNC Chapel Hill, equips community leaders with the tools they need to make an impact. We’re so grateful for the support that allows us to expand this program across Eastern North Carolina. Learn more about becoming a Breast Health Peer Educator here, and register for the next training.
The Pink Squad, a membership program designed to address the unique health and wellness needs of breast cancer patients and survivors, is launching in 2025! We want to know what topics you'd like to learn about. Just reply to this email to share your thoughts.
And, most importantly, we’re so thrilled to welcome Maggie to the GBTP team! Maggie’s expertise, lived experience, and warm personality make her a fantastic addition. Stop by the office to say hello and welcome her to the team. With Maggie on the team, 2025 will be our best year yet!
Finally, I had the honor of attending the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) last month. The latest research and advancements shared at the conference reaffirmed the importance of the work we do every day. I'm particularly excited to see groundbreaking new therapies in the pipeline that will help our metastatic breast cancer community live well longer. It was also great to see the amount of research happening to show the benefit of integrative therapies for patients and survivors. In fact, Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) teamed up and released new guidelines about integrative care for managing fatigue and for the use of cannabis in cancer care. Check out those guidelines here. Stay tuned for more as we integrate what I’ve learned from the conference into our programs and advocacy work.
Thank you for your continued support and passion for our mission. Together, we’re making a difference in the lives of breast cancer patients and survivors. Here’s to a bright and impactful 2025!
New in 2025 - Monthly Workshops
Beginning January, GBTP will offer monthly on-site workshops at our Independence Mall location. Workshops cover helpful and relevant topics ranging from Goal Setting & Vision Board Creation to Healthy Eating to Bone Health and so much more. These on-site workshops are an opportunity to learn something new and also a chance to connect in person with other area breast cancer survivors. Check out our website to see what's coming and to register. Workshops will be recorded and posted online for those who are unable to attend in person.
Join us for REACH 2025
March 29, 2025
This year's theme will focus on Healthy Relationships and will offer a great day of learning, sharing, and community with sessions focused on intimacy after cancer, nurturing a healthy relationship with food, creating a healing & healthy environment in your home, and more. We will also have local practitioners on-site to share the benefits of different healing modalities such as reiki, massage, meditation, lymphatic massage and more.
This year's REACH Symposium will be held on the UNC-W campus and will run from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Visit our website for more information and to register. Limited scholarships are available.
Register - Breast Health Peer Educator Training!
Our Breast Health Peer Educator Program is a unique initiative aimed at training community members to become breast health advocates. This train-the-trainer program empowers peer educators with the knowledge and skills to educate others in their communities about breast health and breast self-exams. The next in-person training will be held January 25, 2025 10am-2pm at GBTP Office. Click here to register.
