Supporting Young Breast Cancer Survivors, Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients, and their Families - A significant number of breast cancer survivors in the state of Texas are Young Breast Cancer Survivors (YBCS). Because Texas has a high concentration of vulnerable populations, including the largest rural population and the largest medically uninsured population in the United States, many YBCS and metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients lack accessible support services for navigating survivorship. The Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC) is committed to providing comprehensive and culturally competent breast cancer support services to YBCS and MBC survivors in Central Texas and across the United States, with an emphasis on reaching populations that are systemically underserved. Through robust collaborations with partner organizations, coalitions, and other breast cancer stakeholders, BCRC will expand its outreach and psychosocial support services to broaden its impact and reach more clients from economically and socially marginalized populations. BCRC will continue fulfilling needs in breast cancer survivorship care within Texas and across the country to achieve the following outcomes: (1) increased engagement and contribution of organizations that serve YBCS, MBC patients, caregivers, family, and friends to structural and psychosocial support services; (2) increased use of culturally appropriate interventions to expand program reach among survivors that come from various cultures, identities, and backgrounds; (3) established and maintained structural and psychosocial services in settings that are readily patronized by patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends; (4) increased equitable access to psychosocial and structural support services for all YBCS, including MBC patients and their families, by supporting organizations and entities that serve this population; and (5) improved quality of life among all YBCS. As the largest provider of breast cancer specific psychosocial support services in Central Texas, BCRC has a duty to improve outcomes for clients and a unique opportunity to make a resounding impact on the quality of life of breast cancer survivors nationwide.
