Building Connection

What Up Besties! ✨💗

Im sorry, I have been MIA from the blog, but I am back! Honestly I’ve been MIA from all Bestiy activities, except the ol’ social media. I am still working on my October and November Pen Pal Program Cards (more info here). I have decided to write everyone who has signed up to receive cards a wee holiday card. So I am going to be busy!!

Now that I have filled you in on my excuses, lets get to it!

I attended the 22nd Annual Bay Area Cancer Connection Conference.

Last Friday, November 21st, I attended the 22nd Annual Bay Area Cancer Connections Conference — and saying it was a “great experience” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Held in Redwood City, this one-day event included:

Inspiring guest speakers
A Healing Touch appointment
Two focused breakout sessions
Prizes (!!)
Two meals (your girl loves a meal included in the price)

The conference cost $35 (if you miss the early bird special like I did). You can also sponsor another attendee or apply to be sponsored yourself. Well worth my $35.

Throughout the day there was a resource fair with over 25 organizations — mostly Bay Area–based, but some offering statewide or even national support. I listed them all below for you to explore.

The Experience:

It was such a fulfilling, validating and honestly… fun.

I met new people, reconnected with some others and found a bestie in the wild! I met another MBC women and we ended up spending the whole day together - swoon!

While the conference leaned more toward early-stage patients (as most events tend to), both of us still found so much value in the experience.

The two most impactful parts for me?

✨ Jennifer Gregg & Acceptance and Commitment Theory (ACT)

Jennifer Gregg’s talk on ACT was powerful and aligned beautifully with the audiobook I finished that same day — Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’ll write a separate post diving into how ACT and the habits framework overlap, because it deserves its own moment.

But here’s the highlight:
I was so obsessed with Jennifer's talk that I stalked her down the hallway to give her my contact info. Zero shame. I absolutely want to interview her for the Bestie platform.

✨ My First Healing Touch Session

What is that, you ask?
No idea — but it sounds lovely, right?

At the end of my session, the practitioner asked what I thought. My response:
“If I had to sum it up… remarkable, eye-opening.”

The whole experience felt beneficial — a real reminder of mind over matter. It was forty-five minutes of intentional breathing, reflecting, letting go, or simply relaxing. Who doesn’t need that? A break from… oh, I don’t know… literally everything?

It’s similar to a massage session, but with much less interaction. The touch is light or sometimes not even there — just a warm, grounding sensation in the areas being “worked on.”

If you go in intentionally, you’ll get the most out of it.
Although honestly, you could say that about anything in life.

Go in cynical? You’ll walk out with nothing.

I went in open-minded, ready to breathe my stress away — and to be honest, I felt great afterward. I’ve had worse experiences than someone holding my knee for 15 minutes. 😂

Healing Touch wasn’t just a perk of the conference — it’s actually a resource offering free sessions in Burlingame in 2026, and I absolutely plan to go again.

Breakout Sessions & Topics

Even though the event leaned early-stage, the topics themselves were inclusive and relevant to many in the cancer community.

Main Speaker Topics

ACT for Cancer: Bringing Life to the Moment You’re In
Client Story: Let’s Have the Breast Talk
Managing Menopausal Symptoms in Cancer Survivors
Integrative Cancer Care

Breakout Sessions I Attended

Keeping Your Bones Strong During and After Cancer Treatment
Updates in the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

There was truly a little something for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Bay Area Besties — this conference is a must.
For everyone else — look for similar resources in your area, or talk to your local organizations about hosting something like this. It’s worth it.

I’m beyond grateful it was close to home and that I was able to attend. I’m already excited for next year.

Thanks for reading, Besties.
All resources and links are listed below. 💗