Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarships

Welcome to The Breastcancer.org Podcast, the podcast that brings you the latest information on breast cancer research, treatments, side effects, and survivorship issues through expert interviews, as well as personal stories from people affected by breast cancer. Here’s your host, Breastcancer.org senior editor, Jamie DePolo.

Jamie DePolo: Hello, I’m Jamie DePolo, senior editor at Breastcancer.org. I’m podcasting live from the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. I’m joined by Andrea Hans, community moderator and meet-up facilitator at Breastcancer.org, who also serves as an advocacy trainer for the Tigerlily Foundation. She was diagnosed with stage II triple-negative breast cancer when she was 28. Andrea has expertise in public health and health policy, and works to empower young women to advocate for themselves and understand their breast cancer risk factors.

Andrea received an Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation Advocate Scholarship to attend this year’s conference. Andrea, welcome to the podcast.

Andrea Hans: Hi, thanks so much for having me.

Jamie DePolo: So, to start, can you talk a little bit about your transition from somebody who was diagnosed with breast cancer to an advocate, because I know that’s not the transition that everyone makes?

Andrea Hans: Sure, absolutely. So… I, early on when I was diagnosed, I feel like because there was such a loss of control and things that I couldn’t do, I looked for ways that I could really gain some of that control back. And I think what motivated me was trying to make a difference, trying to make change, knowing that even though I felt happy with my experience, a lot of people that I meet really struggle, and are really overwhelmed, and that’s where advocacy came in.

So, I came across Tigerlily on social media, and I reached out about doing their advocacy program, and after I went through it myself, I thought, you know, how can I do more? How can I get more involved? And I became a trainer myself. So, that was really, really special, because to work with people who are, who have gone through similar diagnosis and are thinking, now what? Now what can I do? Or how can I use this to help make a difference for other people? I think that’s really the goal.

And it doesn’t have to involve, you know, policy change at the federal level, is what I always tell people. Change can be implemented in a lot of different ways in your community, with skills that you already have. And I think for a lot of, a lot of people going through breast cancer treatment or cancer treatment, or any kind of patient, there’s an empowered feeling that you feel when you can have a say in decisions, when you can have a say in how systems are being changed, and it’s an incredible feeling. Yeah.

Jamie DePolo: Oh, I bet. Now, was that part of the reason, too, that you wanted to become a moderator and a meet-up facilitator at Breastcancer.org? I mean, it sounds like it would be the same…

Andrea Hans: Yes. Yes, absolutely. I was so excited, and I’m so grateful to Breastcancer.org, because I’m someone who’s used the resources. I’m familiar with the community, with the resources that are being put out, and I feel like it’s such an honor to be part of the Breastcancer.org family. I’m, I feel, like, starstruck. I’m always like, oh my goodness, because it is, it is, you know, to have used the resources and used a lot of the services, and then come in and be part of it, I think, is really special. 

That’s all we want. I think all advocates want is to have a say in how things are being done. So, I’m so happy to be a community moderator and connect people to resources, but also work with everyone on the team.

Jamie DePolo: Excellent. Well, we’re thrilled to have you. Now, tell us a little bit about the Alamo Scholarship program. So, how did you hear about the program, what was the application process? Like, from what, I’ve talked to past scholars, it seems like it’s pretty rigorous?

Andrea Hans: Yes. So, I, it was my goal to come to SABCS about a year and a half ago, and a big barrier, I think, to being able to come is the cost.

Jamie DePolo: Sure.

Andrea Hans: Not only do you take time off work, but it’s also the cost of the hotel, and the travel, and…right. So, I wasn’t able to come last year, and I thought, how can I make this happen? Like, there has to be something we can do. And so, I was at a YSC event, a Young Survival Coalition event, and I got connected there with someone from the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, and they said, we provide a scholarship program. It includes a travel grant, and I thought, oh my goodness, this is what I’ve been looking for.

So, I was ready to apply, but their applications weren’t open yet. So, I had, I was looking out, I was saving that information. The day that it went live, I sent my application through, because this was, I was like, one way or another, I’m coming to SABCS. I needed a nominating organization, so that was Tigerlily. They nominated me, and then you need a letter of recommendation. You need to show work that you’ve done in the advocacy space. 

So, because it is, it is a pretty dense schedule, in terms of what we do while we’re here, they want to make sure that the people coming are ready, they’re going to be advocates back in their own communities. So, it is kind of an intense application process, but it should not deter anyone from applying. I mean, if I did it, you can do it. So, what else would I say? Oh, and then, you write a paper, basically, as part of the application process.

Jamie DePolo: A paper on, like, what you have done, or what you hope to do, or…?

Andrea Hans: So, looking at the program, you…and again, it’s going to be, like, a drafted, like, tentative schedule, but you kind of look at the topics that are going to be talked about, and you pick a topic that speaks to you, and that you’re interested in. And the goal is to then, after this week, write a, like a final paper, that’ll then be published on the web site. And then, you can use it to, like, hopefully, if you’re involved, like, in a newsletter, or, like, through advocacy programs that have, however you can disseminate that information, do so, because not everybody gets to come to SABCS. So, it’s important to be able to talk about the topics that were talked about this week.

Jamie DePolo: Okay, so, besides attending the conference, and then you have to write a paper after you’re done, is there anything else that goes along with it? Like, is it a whole kind of a year program, or is it really just attending the conference?

Andrea Hans: So, it’s attending the conference, but it, we basically have, like, a schedule, which I think is really nice. I would say it’s almost like a cohort, we’re a cohort of scholars, because I always tell people, I feel like I’m back in school. So, we got here, we have to be here by Monday, before the conference starts, and then you’re here, you can leave Friday night or Saturday morning. So, it really is the full week, but there are advocacy chats, like, sort of like small assignments that you do leading up to the conference, to kind of get you into the atmosphere of what’s going to be talked about, what are some important topics, emerging topics, the latest science.

And then, when we arrive, there’s an orientation, and then there’s a welcome dinner, and we all take a group photo. There’s 23 of us scholars here this year. Usually, they try to give out between 24 and 36 scholarships, and they’re international, which I was so surprised to see. We have, we have a woman from Australia, a woman from Nigeria, a woman from India. People are coming from around the country as Alamo scholars, which is fantastic. 

And then, during the week that we’re here, the schedule I mentioned, we basically have lunch sessions, where we can have a more, I think, intimate discussion with, like, I think tomorrow we’re hearing about some new FDA protocols, and every evening, there is a, kind of a summary of the day, what was talked about in different sessions, and things like that. So, it is kind of like, we are truly here as scholars for the week, having active, like, learning sessions.

We have our own space, our own classroom, sort of, if you will, and we interact with the other scholars, and get to know, like, how did you, you know, come about, into the program, and what’s your, you know, passion, and I think that’s really lovely, to have a cohort.

Jamie DePolo: No, that is, and then, I’m assuming too that, I don’t know if there are alumni activities for scholars, but it sounds like, given the intensity of the program, there might be. Is there?

Andrea Hans: Yes. So, that was at the welcome dinner yesterday that we went to. I thought it was mainly for us, for the current Alamo scholars, and then I realized there were so many people there, and it was previous Alamo scholars. And so, previous, and so, I met a woman who was an Alamo scholar 10 years ago, and she talked about how much it’s changed in the last 10 years, not just the program itself, but also SABCS. And I think that’s really…I mean, you get a lot of really great advice, too.

I was told to, you know, like, wear comfortable shoes, and make sure that I’m hydrating and drinking water. So, I think just talking to people that have been in your position, that are like, oh, it’s a nice bond. It’s like…someone said it’s like a sorority. It kind of is. It really is, like, you feel very taken care of, and the coordinators are amazing. If there’s anything, like, you know, you can’t figure something out, they’re so welcoming, and so…I think just to feel, like, taken care of during such a large event, where if I hadn’t been here with Alamo scholars, I probably would’ve been more overwhelmed.

Jamie DePolo: For sure. It’s a very, it’s a very large event, and I think the other thing that is kind of interesting from my perspective, not having been in the program, but you could kind of, sort of trace how advocacy is working over time, because I’m sure that role has kind of changed as there have been new treatments, new organizations, all those kinds of things.

Andrea Hans: Yeah. One of the things that was really fascinating to hear, the president of ABCF, the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, was talking about how when this started 27 years ago, the advocacy program, they weren’t allowed into the rooms. So, they would say, like, oh, but you’re not a researcher, you’re not a scientist, you’re not a healthcare provider, so why do you want to come to these events? And that’s really how it started, and so, they were allowed to come in.

Advocates were allowed to come in, but they didn’t have chairs, and they sat in the back, on the floor. And so…but so, think of how far we’ve come now, and how important is that, and how important is it to have different people at the table speaking about experiences. And I was at a session this morning about, so important, dos and don’ts of communication with people with MBC, and there were, I was at a table with one other advocate, and the rest were kind of, like, clinicians, or researchers, people in support. 

And I said, you know, one of the, I mean, this is a great conversation to have, but also, let’s talk about, like, what’s really happening right now, and like, how we can address that. So, I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like 27 years ago, if advocates weren’t even allowed at the table. What were those conversations like?

Jamie DePolo: Very one-sided, I would guess.

Andrea Hans: Absolutely, because in the beginning, it was like, well, you know, things are moving towards a, in a good direction, and this is kind of, like, what we’re seeing. And I was like, this is very different than what I’m seeing, especially moderating MBC groups. I hear it every, every, every time we meet, you know? The ideal would be to have this effective communication strategy, but a lot of people are still finding out information, and then having to navigate it on their own, and it’s extremely overwhelming.

So, I think, yes, we’ve come a long way, but also, let’s talk about what’s actually happening right now, and how we can change that, because I think we still have a ways to go.

Jamie DePolo: Absolutely. I agree. Andrea, thank you so much for joining me. It was lovely to meet you, and thank you for your time, because it sounds like you don’t have a lot of free time here.

Andrea Hans: Thank you so much. It was my pleasure.

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