The countdown has begun to the 15th UICC Reach to Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Conference, to be hosted by Cancer Council Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, 13-15 May 2009.

This conference will connect women from around the world to focus on survivorship, capacity building and peer support - and we'd like you to join us down under!

Our preliminary programme schedule has just been released online - featuring an innovative and vibrant mix of case studies, presentations and workshops on subjects as wide-ranging as managing the long-term effects of treatment; community education and awareness; the impact of breast cancer on the family; and models of peer support.

We are also holding pre-conference workshops and a specialist symposium for breast care nurses on 12 May.

Programme speakers include Dr Annette Stanton from the UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Ann Steyn, President of Reach to Recovery International, and Mollie Williams, Director of Community Health Programmes for Susan G Komen for the Cure. Pre-conference workshops and training will include international collaborations with organizations such as the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

We'd also like you to get involved by submitting an abstract and sharing your experience with other women.

An abstract is a short case study (just 250 words) that profiles the work that you or your organization have done in the areas of advocacy, capacity building, education and awareness or peer support. Abstract presentations will showcase a range of cultural and resource settings - from grassroots strategies to million-dollar programmes - that have empowered women and communities worldwide to cope with breast cancer.

If you're planning to attend the conference and you need low-cost accommodation, you can register for our Home Stay Programme. For a cost of just AUS$50 for the five-day conference period, you can stay with an Australian host and experience the joy and richness of Australian hospitality at its best.

Please be aware that only fully registered delegates are eligible for the Home Stay programme and space is very limited, so register early.

• To register for the conference, or to read more about the conference programme, submitting an abstract, the Home Stay programme and other exciting activities, please visit our website

Professor Jeff Dunn, CEO,
Cancer Council Queensland
Brisbane, Australia