Younger Women Together: In person

• 9.30 -10am: Registration including tea and coffee
• 10 -10.30am: Welcome and introduction - including icebreaker
• 10.30am - 12.00: Connect and share. Breakout sessions and an opportunity to connect with others who have a similar diagnosis.
• 12.00pm - 1.00pm: Lunch
• 1.00pm - 2.15pm: Choose from one of the following break-out groups: Relationships and communication, menopause, fertility
• 2.15pm -2.30pm: Refreshments
• 2.30pm -3.30pm: Choose from one of the following break-out groups: Coping with change and uncertainty, menopause, intimacy after breast cancer
• 3.30pm - 4.15pm: Panel Q&A with BCN and volunteers
• 4.15pm - 4.30pm: Closing session and evaluations

Friday:

• 9.45 - 10am: Registration
• 10.00 – 10:30: Welcome and Introduction to the Event including Icebreaker.
• 10:30 – 11:45: Connect and Share
• 11:45 – 12:15: Refreshment Break
• 12:15 – 13.15: Q&A with oncologist
• 13:15 – 14:15: Lunch
• 14:15 – 15:30: Break Out Groups: Intimacy, Breast Reconstruction, Relationships and communication, Menopause
• 15:30 – 15:45: Refreshment Break
• 15:45 – 16:45: Break Out Groups: Laughter workshop. Exercise
• 16:45: Free time / social time
• 19.00: Dinner and social time

Saturday:

• 09.30 – 10:45: Break Out Groups: Intimacy, Menopausal symptoms, Relationships and communication, Fertility
• 10:45 - 11.00: Refreshment break
• 11.00 – 12:15: Coping with change and uncertainty
• 12:15 – 13:30: Lunch
• 13.30 – 14:30: Break Out Groups: Healthy eating and diet myths, Mindfulness
• 14.30 – 15.00: Refreshment Break
• 15.00 – 15:45: What now? Further support
• 15:45 – 16:15: Close and goodbye

Younger Women Together covers topics tailored to women aged 18-45 with a primary breast cancer diagnosis. Every session is led by a trained facilitator or qualified expert in the relevant field. Some sessions are open to everyone, and others you get to choose. When you fill out the registration form, you can select the break-out groups you’d like to attend.  At a 1-day event, you can pick 1 session, at a residential you can pick 4. 

We can’t guarantee exactly what topics will be covered at the event you’re looking to attend, but these are usually on offer: 

Coping with change and uncertainty   

Explore the impact of your breast cancer diagnosis and find coping strategies.   

Break-out groups: 

Fertility after treatment  

This session aims to provide support and information about the effects breast cancer treatment can have on fertility, together with the emotional impact so commonly associated with it.   

Relationships and communication  

Begin to explore how your feelings about others and your relationships with them may have changed. This session is facilitated by an experienced therapist. 

Intimacy after a breast cancer diagnosis 

A chance to talk about the impact of your breast cancer diagnosis and its treatment on current and potential intimate relationships. This session is facilitated by an experienced therapist. 

At 2-day residential events, you'll get to choose further sessions, in addition to those above. Here are the kinds of topics you could expect: 

Menopausal symptoms 

Learn how treatments for breast cancer can bring on a premature menopause and discuss how you can alleviate symptoms. 

Exercise 

Explore the benefits of exercise after breast cancer and get practical tips on managing fatigue and being more physically active. 

Healthy eating and diet myths 

Bust myths around foods and cancer risk. Plus get practical suggestions for putting healthy eating into practice in daily life. 

Laughter workshop 

Learn how we can use laughter in our daily lives to help us to be healthier, happier and less stressed. 

Mindfulness workshop 

A taster session of mindfulness, covering the benefits of using mindfulness as a coping mechanism.  

Breast reconstruction 

Get an overview of the different breast reconstructive options and the various factors that can influence what is recommended by a surgeon. 

You’ll get more in-depth information on all these sessions after registering. 

We’re working to make our Younger Women Together services as accessible as possible. All in person events are held in venues close to a train station and with car parking on-site or close by. Venues have accessible toilets and disabled car parking, and rooms are located on the ground floor or on the first floor with lift access.  

If you need more support from us to take part in our services, we’ll do everything we can to make reasonable adjustments. You can let us know about any adjustments you may need when you register. 

We’ll send you the exact venue location and details once you’ve registered. If you need further support, please contact us. 

Thanks to our generous supporters, our services are always free. This includes meals and refreshments and, for our 2-day events, overnight accommodation. If you have any dietary requirements, let us know when you register so we can make sure we cater for you. 

But we know that getting to events might still cost you money – for example if you have to pay for travel. We’re committed to supporting everyone affected by breast cancer to live well. So, if you need help covering the costs of attending our services, you can apply for financial support through our Access Fund. 

We understand that unexpected events might mean you can no longer attend after registering. If you could email us in advance, that’d be great. It helps us with arrangements for groups and catering, and we might be able to offer your place to someone else.   

Once you’ve signed up for an in-person event, we’ll email you to confirm your place. All the information you need, including the programme and venue, will be in the email. We’ll also email you a few weeks before the event as a reminder. 

Between 10 and 30 people attend our in person events. They will all be women aged 18-45 with a primary breast cancer diagnosis. Plus at least 3 members of Breast Cancer Now staff will support the event.       

Absolutely. Whether your question hasn’t been answered here, or you’d like to know something in more detail, we’re here to help. Email us or call 0345 077 1893.