Learn More about Living Beyond Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021
Did you know that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime? That’s about 12% of the female population. About 44,000 people in the U.S. and more than 685,000 people globally are expected to die from metastatic breast cancer in 2021. Breast cancer, aside from skin cancer, is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women.
You’ve probably met a woman who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, or your life has been touched by the disease in some way. Breast cancer attacks our mothers, our sisters, our daughters and our friends. But it also does more than that. It turns diagnosed women into warriors, and families into fierce tribes fighting for their loved ones. It turns patients into survivors.
But nobody defeats breast cancer alone. It takes the support of loved ones, of course, but it also takes a community of people who understand what it’s like to live with this disease. People who can provide information, who can connect patients to other survivors, who can give answers to hard questions. 
For nearly 30 years, Living Beyond Breast Cancer has been a resource and a support system for people living with and affected by breast cancer. Its goal isn’t just to provide reliable information about challenging topics, though — it’s to foster a community of acceptance for the many different kinds of people living with a diagnosis. The vision of LBBC is to ensure no one affected by breast cancer feels alone or uninformed, to offer what they call “trusted information and a community of support,” and to include diverse, authentic voices in the conversation to share their lived experiences with people who truly need to hear them. Each year, more than 600,000 people impacted by breast cancer turn to Living Beyond Breast Cancer for trusted information, connection, and support.
“My doctor saved my life,” one LBBC member wrote. “LBBC saved my soul.”
Doctors have similar positive words to say about the organization. “Understanding their diagnosis and treatment options has a tremendous impact on patients,” said Julie Gralow, MD, ASCO CMO. “This is where Living Beyond Breast Cancer shines. They translate complicated information into language that is clear and comforting.” 
One of the most impactful ways LBBC helps people is through its peer-to-peer help line, which connects people to support in the ways they need it most. Volunteers to the line can answer questions, connect people to resources ranging from financial help to where to find great wigs, and most importantly, be an ally and a friend who reminds the caller that no matter what she’s going through, she’s not going through it alone. LBBC provides peer support to nearly 750 people annually on their breast cancer helpline.
“Thank you for having your help line volunteer call me,” one survivor wrote. “It was the first time I have spoken to someone with a similar diagnosis who was so positive and supportive. She has been able to lift my spirits.”
“Having support like that can make a big difference in someone’s life,” another woman wrote.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ALEX AND ANI is proud to support Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s help line. “LBBC aligns naturally with our ethos, by creating a community of people, resources and care that supports the diversity of each person’s experience with breast cancer,” said Kate Robinson, Executive Vice President of Brand Strategy at ALEX AND ANI. “We believe passionately in LBBCs commitment to honor each individual’s emotional, physical and practical needs to managing life with this disease. At ALEX AND ANI, our greater purpose is creating jewelry that helps our customers express their distinct and wildly different paths, honoring the small and large moments that give them a sense of strength, accomplishment and purpose. We are honored to partner with an organization that so highly values the intrinsically personal and complex path to healing.”
If you want to learn more, read about their work here— and if you want to help, you can donate or volunteer your time. Shop symbol jewelry of hope, love and solidarity that honor the strongest women we know. 
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