Earning the scholarship to participate in the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium has been an experience beyond anything I have imagined. In the five days that the Symposium was held, we were introduced to new trends, new therapeutic options, and new knowledge in the treatment of breast cancer.
Breast cancer represents 200 different diseases and all of them were addressed during SABCS. Accomplished oncologists and researchers analyzed the findings of their work in various clinical studies, of all phases, sharing with us their valuable knowledge and giving the hope that the cure that all of us aspire will sometime be found.
Moreover, during the Mentoring Sessions organized by the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, on a daily basis, all highlights of the day were explained in a simple, understanding language (without too medical jargon) by doctors that volunteer for the work. These sessions should be introduced in all conferences, allowing patient advocates to understand a little more the scientific aspects involved. Congratulations to ABCF on this initiative and all their state-of-the-art organization. Handling all these advocates, from different parts of the world, is not easy and they have excelled!
At the end of the day, what remains is the knowledge and the empowerment it provides to all of us who have decided to have a voice in the cancer society and not just silently and passively accept what the doctor says. One last thing and maybe my personal commitment is to make all the stakeholders involved in the treatment of cancer understand that behind the cancerous cells, always analyzed and described so vividly, there is a human being and maybe a more holistic approach in treating this disease can be a pathway to accomplish better results.
Thank you ECPC for this opportunity!
With gratitude,
Myrto Maria Skotida