Okay, you caught us. Our New Year's Intentions aren't new. Each year, we begin a new year with renewed intentions to embody our values - community, compassion, and change - in all aspects of our mission.

In 2024, we will continue to...

-- Build and strengthen our community, recognizing that we cannot do our work alone, and that those we serve benefit when we can share resources and collaborate effectively together.

-- Continue prioritizing compassion at all levels of our agency through our ongoing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and cultural-humility training with staff, board, and volunteers.

-- Work with and help strengthen the coalitions of change-makers in the Bay Area creating improved systems of care for all patients, survivors, and caregivers.

As always, thank you for being part of our journey to meet the needs of women and gender-expansive individuals facing a cancer diagnosis.

Changing Standards of Care through Community-Focused Coalitions

During the pandemic, health disparities for certain populations were seen with stark clarity. As a result, new energy and awareness has been brought to the importance of culturally-informed, community-based care in correcting inequalities in health.

With over three and a half decades of meeting the needs of under-served patients and survivors, Women's Cancer Resource Center is uniquely informed on how the success of an individual's treatment plan often hinges on factors beyond traditional medical care. Our experience makes WCRC a respected contributor to the growing coalition of Bay Area providers, policy makers, and fellow grass-roots organizations advancing community transformation in our systems of care.

This month, Community Engagement Director & Client Support Clinician Dolores Moorehead will be joining a panel of experts at Alameda County Breast Health Seminars: Patient Advocacy & Caregiver Support, sponsored by Stanford Medicine. Part of an ongoing seminar series in collaboration with Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, this virtual presentation will focus on the benefits of support services for caregivers in advancing health equity for breast cancer patients of color. Register to attend on Saturday, January 20th (10:30am - 12pm PST) at Eventbrite.

Together with our partners, WCRC continues to work towards a community of care that understands effective medical care encompasses more than just clinical treatments. It includes addressing social, cultural, and community factors that significantly impact health outcomes.

WCRC's Upcoming Community Events!

2024 Swim A Mile / Move A Mile for Women with Cancer

Saturday & Sunday - May 11^th and 12^th, 2024

Mark your calendars! This year's Swim A Mile / Move A Mile for Women with Cancer will be extra special - taking place Mother's Day weekend at Mills College at Northeastern University's Trefethan Aquatics Center.

Registration opens February 1^st at wcrc.org/swim!

Art of the African Diaspora Satellite Exhibition and Artists Reception

Show runs from February 1^st through March 31^st

Reception: Friday, February 16th | 5:00 to 7:00 pm

The Art of the African Diaspora is returning for their annual satellite exhibition hosted at the JanRae Community Art Gallery of WCRC. Art of the African Diaspora is the longest running event of its kind in the Bay Area. The showcase exhibition at Richmond Art Center features work by over 150 artists of African descent and is accompanied by open studios and satellite exhibitions throughout the Bay Area.

This year's JanRae Community Art Gallery's satellite exhibition will feature works by:

- Aaron Carter

- Chamia Chambers

- Sloane Gross

- Araceli Mireya Holmes

- Kimberly Johnson

- Yolanda Patton

- TheArthur Wright (featured above!)

- Eden Yakob

Join us for an Artist's Reception at 2908 Ellsworth Street on Friday, February 16th from 5 to 7 pm. Please stay tuned for RSVP information at wcrc.org/art-gallery!

Are You LGBTQIA+ and Getting Older? You Can Help Be a Driver of Change!

Mid-life and older LGBTQIA+ Californians are part of a generation that faced extreme levels of stigma during their lifetimes as well as pride in a movement that asserted civil rights for LGBTQIA+ people of all ages. Despite the central role that LGBTQIA+ Californians play in California’s history and in communities across the state, no baseline data are available that describe their aging experiences.

The Survey of LGBTQIA+ Older Adults in California: From Challenges to Resilience aims to develop baseline information on the health, economic, and well-being of older LGBTQ+ residents of California. Through a statewide survey, this initiative will identify gaps in needs and highlight priorities for the State of California and the CA Department of Aging.

Click Here to Take the Survey!

Our Community's Compassion Knows No Limits!

Thank you to Pricewaterhouse Cooper (PwC) employees for creating 100 custom care kits for newly diagnosed cancer patients at a volunteer activity hosted by the Shine Inclusion Network, an internal affiliation group for LGBTQIA+ employees. WCRC staff was on-site at PwC's San Francisco office to share information about our services and how cancer care and treatment options show up differently for historically under-served and low-income patients. In addition to the wonderful care kits full of practical items and self-care goodies, PwC employees also wrote personal messages of support—including ones in Spanish and Cantonese!

We are immensely thankful for the partnership we have with PwC and the Shine employee group. It is heartening to see a corporate partner like PwC take a hands-on approach to community support. And the care bags will help WCRC reach more patients to let them know free wellness education, navigation, and emotional support are available to them at WCRC!

Audrey was inspired to donate to WCRC by her mother's cancer diagnosis when she was twelve years old. At the start of the holiday season, Audrey and her mom, Hulya who is now cancer-free, stopped by WCRC with about 20 hand-knitted caps for our clients.

"I know the struggle cancer patients go through, and I wanted to do something to brighten this dark period a person goes through," said Audrey.

Thank you Audrey for the wonderful handmade gifts for WCRC clients!

Just in time for the cold weather, Lucyné Babayan stopped by the Center with a car load of beautiful scarves she wanted to donate. A production test run for her design company Unmute Lucy, she wanted the scarves to be distributed to WCRC clients, volunteers, and staff because she resonated with our mission to provide culturally-informed care to all women, regardless of ability to pay.

We, in turn, loved getting to hear the inspiration behind Unmute Lucy. Determined to pursue creativity and informed by her immigrant experience, Lucyné designs sustainable, small batch accessories that celebrate culture and identity. Each scarf's design represent different moments in Lucy's own story of personal discovery, moving from Armenia to San Francisco.

"Our volunteers were so excited to receive the beautiful scarves from Unmute Lucy at our latest Volunteer Recognition event, they were a huge hit! We are so grateful for the hard work, and heart work, that our volunteers do, and to be able to show that appreciation with a lovely scarf made with care and thoughtfulness. And volunteers loved that it was from a woman-owned business!" says Audrey Shoji, WCRC Volunteer Manager.

Our community partners, Walk Strong Bay Area, went above and beyond for area cancer support, nearly doubling the amount of money raised for Bay Area breast cancer patients!

Walk Strong Bay Area completed their 6th annual 15 MILE walk to raise money for Bay Area breast cancer patients and support agencies. They've chosen WCRC's Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Fund, which provides one-time cash support to individuals with breast cancer, as one of the beneficiaries of their event and we could not be more honored!