Contact Information

Patients and Families Conference

Phone: 617-724-1822

Email: mghcancerconf@partners.org

For further information, or if you have questions, please call 617-724-1822 or email mghcancerconf@partners.org.

Explore the Patients and Families Conference

    Overview

    This year's conference will be held virtually. Please check back for more updates!

    Join Mass General Cancer Center staff, clinicians and other individuals living with, through and beyond cancer. All Mass General Cancer Center current and past patients and their family members and friends are welcome to attend this free annual event.

    The annual Patients and Families Conference is organized by the Cancer Center’s Network for Patients & Families and the Maxwell V. Blum Cancer Resource Program and is made possible by a grant from the Conquer Cancer Coalition of Massachusetts.

    2019 Conference

    Finding Your Place in the World after Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges

    Saturday, June 15th, 2019 | 8:30am – 1:30pm
    Simches Bldg
    Mass General Hospital, Boston

    Cancer diagnosis and treatment can change your life forever. Even after active treatment ends, many of us can be caught off-guard by the emotional challenges we continue to face. There is often uncertainty in managing the what ifs…what if my cancer comes back, or what if I have trouble adjusting to life after cancer.

    Some people describe their experience dealing with cancer as an ongoing trauma. Many may feel that they are alone in their thinking. You are not alone.

    The Mass General Cancer Center community is here to support you and help answer any questions as you think about life after a cancer diagnosis. How does psychological stress affect people who have cancer? How can we learn to cope with psychological stress? What do people who have had cancer want their caregivers and family members to know? How can you be your own best advocate for better health? How can you continue to heal? What does your ‘new normal’ look like?

    This free conference will address how Mass General Cancer Center is working to better recognize and combat traumatic thinking. You will be given tools and resources to help you find and maintain your emotional footing as you adapt to your new reality.

    Agenda

    Conference Emcee: Billy Costa, Radio and Television Personality

    8:30am-9:00am: Registration
    9:00am-9:15am: Welcome and Introduction

    • Mara Bloom, JD

      Executive Director, Mass General Cancer Center

    • Jeff Peppercorn, MD, MPH

      Associate Professor of Medicine
      Director, Supportive Care and Survivorship

    9:15am-9:45am: Presentation: Immunotherapy as Innovation

    • Justin Gainor, MD

      Director, Targeted Immunotherapy

    9:45am-10:30am: Interview: Framing the Issue: A Chat with Oncology Social Work

    • Leanne Miller, MSW, LICSW

      Oncology Social Worker

    • Jennifer D'Alotto, MSW, LICSW

      Oncology Social Worker

    10:30am-10:45am: Break
    10:45am-11:30am: Interview: Lifestyle Medicine

    • Betsy O'Donnell, MD

      Director, Lifestyle Medicine Clinic

    11:30am-12:15pm: Interview: Resiliency and Stress-Management

    • Gisele Perez, PhD

      Psychologist, Behavioral Medicine Service

    12:20am-12:30pm: Closing Exercise

    • Rev. Donna Blagdan, BCC

      Spiritual Care Provider, Oncology

    12:30am-1:30pm: Lunch and Networking

     

    2019 Conference Videos

    Executive Director Mara Bloom welcomes attendees and introduces Jeff Peppercorn, MD, Director of Survivorship and Supportive Care, who talks about the Cancer Center’s approach to treating the whole person.

    Our emcee Billy Costa welcomes Justin Gainor, MD. Dr. Gainor provides an overview of immunotherapy and what we are doing at Mass General Cancer Center to push these therapies forward.

    Oncology Social Workers Leanne Miller and Jennifer D’Alotto talk about their approaches to working with patients who exhibit traumatic thinking as part of their cancer experience.

    Lifestyle Medicine Clinic Director Betsy O’Donnell, MD, talks about the importance of diet and exercise after a cancer diagnosis and how the clinic can help patients meet their needs.

    Gisele Perez, PhD, sits down with Billy Costa to share techniques to strengthen your mind-body skills. She gives examples of how such skills can positively impact the cancer experience.

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    2018 Conference Videos

    Own Your Story: Creating Meaning from Your Cancer Experience. How do you create meaning within your cancer experience? We all have diverse ways of making our experiences meaningful. What else have others done to find a sense of meaning from their cancer experience? Learn from patients, caregivers, and care providers and connect with others as we discover new goals and possibilities together.

    Executive Director Mara Bloom opens the day by discussing the wide array of supportive care tools at the Cancer Center. She acknowledges those who helped to make this event possible.

    Matthew Frigault, MD gives an overview of CAR T-Cell Therapy and its impact on patients while also sharing Mass General Cancer Center initiatives that strive to advance and better understand this exciting treatment.

    David Ryan, MD highlights two concepts from his book, co-authored with Dr. Vicki Jackson, titled "Living with Cancer: A Step by Step Guide for Coping Medically and Emotionally with a Serious Illness." (1) prognostic awareness and (2) how your idea of time after you were diagnosed with cancer.

    Counselors across different disciplines come together to describe their work with patients, dispel misconceptions, and reflect the importance of making a connection with patients.

    Mass General Cancer Center patients, who have worked with counselors on our provider panel, start off by introducing themselves.

    Members of our panel share how they’ve found a sense of meaning in their cancer journeys. They talk about what matters most to them, how they have changed, and finish with advice they would give to someone newly diagnosed.

    The panel answers questions from the audience.

    Fill your heart with compassion, love, and wellness as Katrina Scott leads us in a guided meditation.

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    2016 Conference Videos

    Sustaining Hope and Cultivating Resilience: The Emotional Impact of Innovations in Cancer Therapies. This conference explored the impact of innovations on the patient experience as well as strategies for maintaining emotional balance through the ups and downs of treatment.

    Executive Director Mara Bloom welcomes everyone, discusses the wide array of supportive care tools at the Cancer Center and acknowledges those who helped to make this event possible.

    Krista Rubin, NP gives an overview of what immunotherapy is and how it is changing the face of cancer care while also acknowledging the challenges that both patients and providers face in the realm of immune therapy.

    Lauren DeMarco addresses the many ways we cope and how we can adapt our coping styles to different situations and transitions when your life is affected by cancer.

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    Cancer Survivorship

    Learn about the resources and support that is available to help you manage all aspects of your life after your initial treatment is complete.

    Learn more

    The Story Project

    The Story Project is our effort to capture the stories from the people in our Mass General Cancer Center community.

    View stories

    Supportive Care Services

    Our support programs can help patients and their families cope with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis.

    Learn more