Strengthening Breast Cancer Survivorship Through Community Partnership

A Growing Commitment to Survivorship Care

Cancer survivorship is a lifelong journey. At Weill Cornell Medicine, supporting patients beyond treatment remains a central priority.
Led by Drs. Laura Pinheiro and Emily Tonorezos, the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine hosted this year’s Breast Cancer Survivorship Retreat at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Since 2018, the program has cared for newly diagnosed and long-term survivors through a comprehensive model that blends clinical follow‑up, wellness programs and research‑driven care.
Survivorship services focus on promoting healthy behaviors, addressing psychological side effects and improving care coordination through data and clinical research. Weill Cornell Medicine programs such as Contemplative Self‑Healing, the In Her Shoes peer mentorship network and individualized survivorship care plans help patients navigate life after treatment with confidence and support.

Expanding Care Access Across Brooklyn and Queens

Survivorship care has continued to grow across NewYork‑Presbyterian through its close collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine. At NewYork‑Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, the breast survivorship program, established in 2019 and expanded in 2025, focuses on maximizing wellness and reducing health disparities, especially for Medicaid patients. The program offers structured monitoring, individualized written care plans and weight‑management support. At NewYork‑Presbyterian Queens, this joint effort strengthens its mission by prioritizing culturally aligned care for all breast cancer survivors.
Through the collaboration with Unite for HER, a national nonprofit, patients gain access to telehealth‑based passport programs that provide integrative services and ongoing support. Together, these initiatives have led to meaningful improvements, including reduced stress levels, enhanced navigation support and stronger continuity across the survivorship journey.

YMCA Livestrong Program: A Community Partnership Making Survivorship Accessible

One of the highlights of this year’s Breast Cancer Survivorship Retreat was the growing collaboration between Weill Cornell Medicine and the YMCA Livestrong Program. Marjorie Jean-Jacques, Vice President of Business Innovation and Partnerships at the YMCA of Greater New York, joined to discuss how Livestrong is reshaping survivorship support through accessible community-based wellness programming. The Livestrong Program offers survivors a structured pathway to rebuild strength, mobility and confidence through guided exercise, group support and a welcoming environment that encourages connection and healing.
YMCA is expanding access for survivors with disabilities and strengthening care navigation across boroughs. The collaboration also addresses common survivorship challenges such as mental health needs, financial strain, social risk factors and care coordination by connecting patients with resources that complement their clinical care. The shared message, “wellness is an action,” reflects a commitment to empowering survivors to participate in programs that are accessible, culturally responsive and rooted in community support.

Creating a Future of Inclusive and Connected Survivorship Support

The retreat also featured insights from Drs. Shoshana Rosenberg and Vered Stearns, who emphasized the importance of research on communication strategies and sustainable support systems for young breast cancer survivors as well as individuals living with advanced breast cancer. Their work underscores a guiding principle across Weill Cornell Medicine survivorship efforts: real world data leads to real world evidence, and that evidence drives better care.
As Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork‑Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and NewYork‑Presbyterian Queens, along with their community partners, continue to strengthen their collaboration, they are shaping a future where every cancer survivor, regardless of background or borough, has access to the support and community needed to thrive long after treatment ends. This expanding network of clinical and community partnerships reflects a powerful truth: survivorship is not only about living after cancer but also about living well.