As summer winds down, METAvivor’s Stage IV Stampede and Summit is approaching quickly, and we hope you’ll join us in Washington, DC. If you haven’t already, please mark your calendar for October 5–6 and register to attend. To make participation more accessible, METAvivor will award a limited number of $500 travel stipends through a random raffle. If you would like to be considered, please indicate your interest during registration. Enter by September 12 to be included in the raffle, and recipients will be announced on September 14, 2026.
With the current congressional session drawing to a close and mid-term elections in November, this is an especially important time to remind members of Congress about the challenges individuals battling MBC face, and the urgent need to fund cancer research and surveillance.
We have a great day-one Summit agenda planned, including panels on MBC Research, Biomarkers, and the Cancer registries, and of course an advocacy update and hands-on trainings to help you tell your story to policy makers in the most effective way.
Day two will begin with breakfast and our Remembrance March, followed by Hill meetings. Whether you are a veteran attendee or new to advocacy, we are here to make sure that you have everything you need to confidently navigate Capitol Hill and share your story. METAvivor will schedule all your congressional meetings, make sure you have the latest information on legislation, and provide the tools you need to share your perspective and experience.
To help you prepare, we will hold two virtual advocacy trainings: one on September 9th and another on September 29th. The trainings will include a legislative update, tips and tools for communicating with policy makers and information on what to expect when visiting Hill offices. These webinars are for everyone and will be valuable even if you can’t join us in-person in October or you joined us a previous year. Stay tuned for details and registration information.
We understand that travel to Washington, DC isn’t possible for everyone. With our new online advocacy tools, we are working to make staying informed and communicating with Congress as easy as possible from wherever you are. Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to our recent action alert on the Cancer Drug Parity Act. Your efforts resulted in over 1,500 letters urging members of Congress to support the bill. Keep an eye on your inbox for more opportunities to take action, and for the upcoming launch of a robust action page on our website. Exciting things are in the works!
We look forward to seeing you at our September virtual trainings, and we hope you can join us in DC in October. In the meantime, if you have questions about Stampede, or advocacy in general, email us at advocacy@metavivor.org