Cancer Hope Network Hopeful Hearts

Cancer Hope Network's Hopeful Hearts sessions bring parents of children with cancer together to explore the emotional realities of caregiving, including isolation, fatigue, and the healing power of shared experience.

Through guided discussions and reflective activities, participants build practical support strategies and discover how their own journey can become a source of hope for other families.

Held inside the JW Marriott Hotel

Hosted by Cancer Hope Network

Session 1 — The Weight We Carry: Reducing Isolation Through Connection

Saturday, September 19 from 9:00 am - 10:30 am

This session examines the emotional burden parents carry while caring for a child with cancer, and how isolation from friends, family, and even partners can deepen that burden. Attendees will explore signs of caregiver fatigue, the guilt often tied to self-care, and strategies for balancing caregiving with relationships, work, and personal identity, while distinguishing between general social support and true peer support. Through a small-group discussion, parents will identify moments of isolation and build a personalized "support map" of people, resources, and strategies to lean on. The session closes with a look at Cancer Hope Network’s Hopeful Hearts program, a peer support program that pairs parents with others who've walked a similar path, offering validation that traditional support systems often can't.

For More Details and to Register

Session 2 — Turning Experience Into Hope: The Healing Power of Peer Support

Saturday, September 19 from 11:00 am - 12:30 am

This session explores the reciprocal benefits of peer support, highlighting what research reveals about its impact on emotional well-being alongside the unique credibility that comes from lived experience. Participants will discuss how helping others can support their own healing and growth, and what it looks like to move from surviving to supporting. A guided storytelling activity invites participants to reflect on lessons they've learned that might help another family. The session also introduces Cancer Hope Network’s Hopeful Hearts program, serving both as an introduction to the program and a pathway for parents interested in becoming future mentors.

For More Details and to Register

Please contact Kristen Alexander at kristen@awoccf.org with any questions.