Over 200 Colorectal Cancer Patients, Survivors, and Caregivers to Take Part in the 15th Annual National Conference focused on Patient Empowerment

Now in its 15th year, the Colon Cancer Alliance’s annual National Conference will honor and celebrate colorectal patients and families, survivors, and caregivers. This two-day conference at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, is made up of those who have been personally affected by colorectal cancer in their lives. The theme of the conference is “Tomorrow can’t wait,” and this year’s focus is all about patient empowerment.

“An empowered patient is educated in all aspects of the patient journey, understands the need for an open and honest dialogue with their healthcare team, and is able to advocate for themselves and others. The Colon Cancer Alliance understands that now is the time to empower our community: Tomorrow can’t wait” - Michael Sapienza, CEO, Colon Cancer Alliance.

Close to 75 percent of conference attendees are colorectal cancer patients, and 35 percent of them are currently undergoing treatments. Attendees will participate and discover through interactive discussion the important role that patient empowerment plays in all aspects of a colorectal cancer diagnosis.

“Feeling like you have a community of support and information to help you along your journey is the most important goal of this event. We want attendees to feel empowered, educated, and to provide a shared sense of camaraderie,” Michael Sapienza said.

The conference will empower all participants. The theme of Tomorrow Can’t Wait carries into the agenda packed with empowerment-focused topics ranging from effective communication when talking to healthcare professionals, to support around important needs and challenges caregivers face. Additionally, attendees will participate in out-of-the-box plenary sessions that include the following:

• Clinical Trials: What All Patients Need To Know
• Case Study Interactive Discussion with Leading Healthcare Professionals
• Relationships and Intimacy

This year’s conference is sold out, but the Colon Cancer Alliance will livestream the event. The event link can be found here and will be live Nov. 1. This event was made possible through the support of our trusted partners: Genentech, Lilly Oncology, Array BioPharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BTG, Merck, Taiho Oncology, Clinical Genomics, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boston Biomedical, Epigenomics and Igynta, and the Cleveland Clinic.

A very special announcement will be made the first night of the conference...stay tuned for more exciting details.

About Colon Cancer Alliance

The Colon Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colon cancer within our lifetime. Our mission is to knock colon cancer out of the top three cancer killers. We are doing this by championing prevention, funding cutting-edge research and providing the highest quality patient support services.