Young Survival Coalition

Young Survival Coalition Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the premier global organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young adults diagnosed with breast cancer.
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YSC helps young women stand strong against the many unique challenges our population faces. Among other services, YSC:
- Provides information, resources and support from diagnosis through long-term survivorship;

- Educates and empowers young women to be their own best health advocate;

- Works with healthcare providers, researchers and legislators to educate them about the unique issues young wom

en face,

- Advocates for more studies on breast cancer in young women and access to quality care. Through it all, YSC helps women find meaning, comfort and hope during one of the most challenging experiences of their lives.

“Even though it’s been four years, it still hurts. And sometimes, on really hard days or painful days, I close my eyes a...
09/01/2026

“Even though it’s been four years, it still hurts. And sometimes, on really hard days or painful days, I close my eyes and I try to go back and just remember one of those late-night feeds in the first few days being home, when the world is asleep and it’s just you and your baby.

Frequently, when I think about what I wish was different about my life and my diagnosis, I wish I could go back and breastfeed again one more time. Just one more time, especially with my last, because his newborn weeks and months are shrouded in a shadow and a cloud because of my diagnosis that came at the same time.

In reality, not only did I lose my fertility when I was diagnosed and started chemotherapy (medically induced menopause), but that other part of what I find is such a beautiful, defining aspect of being a woman and being a mother, feeding your baby with your body, was also taken from me.” -

Meet Heather O’Kane, another member of Team YSC who will be taking on 26.2 miles at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon ...
09/01/2026

Meet Heather O’Kane, another member of Team YSC who will be taking on 26.2 miles at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in support of the young breast cancer community.

At 28, Heather was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS (Stage 0) after finding a lump herself, shortly after moving to a new city. What followed was an emotional and challenging couple of years. Now, 15 years later, she’s celebrating a life that includes her husband and their 8-year-old identical twin girls, and a milestone that will take her all the way to the NYC Marathon finish line.

“I’m honored to run the New York City Marathon with Young Survival Coalition to celebrate this milestone and support an organization that has been by my side since day one.”

YSC Virtual Hangouts allow young adults affected by breast cancer to connect with others from the comfort of your own ho...
08/27/2026

YSC Virtual Hangouts allow young adults affected by breast cancer to connect with others from the comfort of your own home. Grow relationships with your peers who may share similar diagnoses, life experiences or treatment types. Each meeting is co-led by a dedicated peer lead and a professional licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Peer leads provide the critical lived experience of a young adult affected by breast cancer. LCSWs specialize in providing emotional support, coping strategies, and guidance through life’s challenges.

To participate, you will need to have a computer, tablet or phone with a we**am and internet/data connection. If you are not able to connect with video, you can join by phone only. Mark your calendars and see you soon!

www.youngsurvival.org/connect

"I had triple positive breast cancer. 25 rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy with direct to implant reconstruction, the...
08/26/2026

"I had triple positive breast cancer.

25 rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy with direct to implant reconstruction, then 25 rounds of radiation. I’ve had eight surgeries so far - including stints, port addition, port removal, and a few revisions.

Even though I’m now considered cancer-free, I have a few more revision surgeries to go." -

08/26/2026

Brittany was 24 years old when she heard the words "you have breast cancer."

She gave herself one hour to be scared. Then she said: what do I need to do? Five years later, she's back at her second YSC Summit. Same roommates. Same community. And a fundraising page that blew past their goal because other young survivors showed up for her the same way she's showing up for them.

The money raised doesn't just fund an event. It funds travel grants so that women who are still in treatment — who are exhausted and stretched thin and wondering if they belong here — can walk through those doors and feel exactly what Brittany felt: Normal. Welcome. Not alone.

Everyone deserves to be here. Help us make sure they can be.

“I was diagnosed at 34, weeks after my son’s first birthday. Breast cancer at a young age isn’t just a diagnosis — it’s ...
08/24/2026

“I was diagnosed at 34, weeks after my son’s first birthday. Breast cancer at a young age isn’t just a diagnosis — it’s a series of losses. My breasts. My fertility. The body I knew. The version of myself I thought I’d be. No one tells you that survival comes with grief too. What helped me start picking up the pieces wasn’t just time — it was movement. Exercise and rehabilitation gave me back a sense of agency in a body that had been through war. You can’t always control what cancer takes. But you can control how you rebuild.” — Ashlynne Bachman, PT, DPT | Pink Badger Cancer Rehab

“You can’t reclaim time, but you can fill it. Take the video, make the memory, and choose life in the present tense. Liv...
08/19/2026

“You can’t reclaim time, but you can fill it. Take the video, make the memory, and choose life in the present tense. Live loud, right now.” -

08/18/2026

Mothers carry so much.

The love. The worry. The urge to help. The challenge of knowing when to step in and when to step back.

If your young adult has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you don't have to navigate that balance alone.

YSC's Mom Co-Survivor Virtual Hangout is a confidential monthly space to connect with other mothers who understand this experience firsthand.💛

Meets third Thursday of the month at 3PM ET | 2PM CT | 12PM PT

Meet Alayna, another incredible member of Team YSC taking on the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in support of young adu...
08/18/2026

Meet Alayna, another incredible member of Team YSC taking on the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon in support of young adults affected by breast cancer.

A Lagree fitness instructor and photographer based in Austin, Texas, Alayna is passionate about movement and the lifelong benefits of staying active, especially as a cancer survivor. Diagnosed with breast cancer at 27, she completed active treatment in 2024 and underwent DIEP flap reconstruction in 2025. This November, she'll lace up her running shoes to celebrate life, resilience, and the strength of the young breast cancer community.

"I'm running the NYC Marathon to celebrate my life and what I've gone through. I am also running for all young breast cancer survivors, thrivers, and those who have lost their lives to this stupid disease. I am so privileged to be able to run again and to do so while raising money for an organization that has done so much for young adults affected by breast cancer."

08/13/2026

There’s something different about being in a space where less has to be explained.

YSC’s AANHPI Virtual Hangout is a place for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander young adults affected by breast cancer to connect with others who understand more of the context.

Whether we’re talking about treatment, survivorship, family, identity, or simply how we’re doing, this is a space to show up as you are. No pressure. No expectations. Just community, conversation, and connection.

✨2nd Thursday of each month✨
9PM ET l 8PM CT l 6PM PT l 4PM HT

Address

405 Lexington Avenue , 26th Floor
New York, NY
10174

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