People living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer will come together next week for the third annual UK Secondary Breast Cancer Patient Summit. And it's not too late to register to attend the online sessions at this hybrid event, which will take place from 2 to 4 March 2026:
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The summit, which has been organised by the charity Make 2nds Count in partnership with The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust and ECMC, is designed to inform, empower and connect people affected by secondary breast cancer. Now in its third year, it is the only UK conference focused exclusively on secondary breast cancer and brings together patients, clinicians, researchers, specialists and advocates for three days of expert insight and community support.
Sam Howarth, 30, from St Helens, found a lump in her left breast a couple of days before her 28th birthday. After a visit to the GP, she was referred to her local hospital breast clinic and diagnosed a few weeks later with primary breast cancer. Before her chemo started, she was sent for a full-body MRI and they found it had already spread to her liver and lungs.
Sam said:
I didn’t know anything about secondary breast cancer. I’d had family and friends’ mums with breast cancer, but I thought it was a one-year treatment and then you’re fine. When they said it had spread, I thought, 'Just give me a new liver then.' I had no clue what it meant. It was terrifying. I thought I was going to die immediately – like, 'This is it.' It’s taken time to learn what it actually means – that it’s not curable but it is treatable.
Sam attended the Secondary Breast Cancer Patient Summit last year and found it invaluable. “It was really powerful to be in a room full of people with the same diagnosis, while also being surrounded by experts across so many different fields. Having access to that level of knowledge and lived experience in one place helped me feel more informed and more confident about my own care. The Summit helped me better understand the wide range of support available, but also gave me insight into things like clinical trials — how they work, how to access them, and how important they are in shaping future care.”
Dr Sarah Thomas, Director of Research and Programmes at Make 2nds Count said:
The Summit has our community at the heart of it. We promise honest, evidence-based information: not oversimplified, never sugar-coated. We promise a host of speakers who respect people living with secondary breast cancer as experts who know their own bodies and lived experience, and who are willing to answer those difficult questions, listen and learn. We want patients to feel that they are being spoken to as an equal partner in their care.
Prof Carlo Palmieri, Consultant in Medical Oncology at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Professor of Translational Oncology at the University of Liverpool and Co-Founder and Clinical Lead for the Summit, said:
The inspiration behind the Summit is to give people a space to get clarity on complex scientific and clinical topics, ask questions directly to specialists and gain more confidence in managing their care. This year’s programme has been carefully developed to meet the needs of our community in a way that is both supportive and empowering.
The Summit will feature a rich programme of expert-led talks exploring clinical trials, side-effect management and the latest treatment developments, alongside specialised sessions focused on TNBC, HER2+ and ER+ subtypes. Attendees will also gain insights into integrative oncology, genomics and multidisciplinary approaches to care, with dedicated discussions on supportive strategies to enhance quality of life.
Across the three days, participants can join live Q&As, panel conversations and community led exchanges, with content designed to support both those newly diagnosed and people living long-term with secondary breast cancer.
Lesley Stephen, who lives with secondary breast cancer and is Co-Founder and Patient Lead for the Summit, added:
This event gives a voice to people affected by secondary breast cancer. It is a platform where questions are heard and answers are accessible. We’re excited to share this year’s Summit with the community, whether attending in person or online.
Register to attend the summit online
The summit runs from 2 to 4 March 2026. In-person attendance in Liverpool is now fully booked but online registration remains open, allowing people across the UK and internationally to join livestreamed sessions and access on demand content after the event. You can register here:
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