Living Beyond Breast Cancer's Jean Sachs: It's Time to Change the Conversation

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Living Beyond Breast Cancer CEO Jean Sachs says it's time to change the conversation -- to be more inclusive of the diversity of people affected and the many ways of experiencing breast cancer.

"Each person faces a web of complex medical decisions based on the type of breast cancer and availability of treatments, and because of varied access due to insurance status or finances or the color of their skin. Many lack crucial social and emotional support, or face barriers to accessing the information they need. Though some are living longer than ever before, all people with metastatic breast cancer desperately need better treatments that deliver better outcomes, and they need those positive outcomes to be distributed across the diversity of people impacted by the disease."

"This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’m focused on the ways LBBC can lead change, inside and out. We’ll do that by offering tips to participate, and by modeling the ways the dialogue around breast cancer must change. Breast cancer no longer has a single storyline. Starting with us, we will speak to its complexities. Only by sharing the perspectives of our diverse community members – by age, race and ethnicity, sex and gender identity, income and place of residence, and other factors – can we begin to paint a full picture of the breast cancer experience."

"I remain hopeful that together, we can make the experience of breast cancer different for those facing this disease. We can ensure everyone has access to the information, support, and resources of our resilient community. And we must insist the conversation include them, whomever they are, so no one ever feels they must face breast cancer alone."

With more than 25 years at the helm of a leading national information and support organization, Jean Sachs is available to comment on the psychosocial aspects of today's breast cancer patient experience.