Heather Badt, COO, Cancer Support Community: Breast Cancer Survivor, Caregiver and Advocate
Heather Badt, MB, LSS, is Chief Operating Officer of Cancer Support Community (CSC) and has served on the RadComp Stakeholder and Advisory Committee for six years. She is also a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Radiation Oncology at Penn Medicine and participates in the Esophageal Cancer Support and Outreach Program (ECSOP), which provides support for people with esophageal cancer and their caregivers at Penn Medicine. A breast cancer survivor herself, Heather is a passionate advocate for people affected by cancer and their caregivers.
Heather’s commitment to supporting others is rooted in her own experience. In 2016, she and her husband were diagnosed with cancer just a week and a half apart. Heather was diagnosed with breast cancer, while her husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
As their family faced the uncertainty and demands of two cancer diagnoses, Heather connected with Cancer Support Community Greater Philadelphia. There, she learned about Straight Talk About Cancer (STAC), a program designed to help children and families navigate the challenges that can accompany a cancer diagnosis.
Through a grant from CSC Greater Philadelphia, STAC was offered at her son’s middle school, giving him an opportunity to participate alongside his peers and receive support during a difficult time. Heather later met with CSCGP staff to learn more about the organization that had become such a meaningful source of support for her family.
For Heather and her husband, one of the most difficult questions was how to communicate openly with their two school-aged sons while simultaneously managing their own treatment and recovery. STAC helped give their family tools and support for having those conversations.
Heather also learned another important lesson during her cancer experience: accepting help does not mean giving up control. She realized that she could be specific about the kind of assistance her family needed, and she could decide when and how to receive it—particularly when it came to caring for her children. That experience reinforced for her that every person and family affected by cancer has different needs.
CSC’s network of local partners and organizations helps connect people affected by cancer with resources that fit those individual needs. During their treatment, Heather and her husband were connected through Penn Medicine with For Pete’s Sake. Through that partnership, they were able to enjoy a weekend getaway in Virginia, giving them a much-needed opportunity to step away from the demands of treatment and spend time together as a family.
Today, CSC offers education, resources, and programs designed to support caregivers as well as patients. While CSC does not provide medical advice, its resources can help people navigate the cancer experience, prepare for conversations with healthcare providers, participate in shared decision-making, and better understand the questions and concerns that may arise during treatment.
One resource is MyLifeLine, CSC’s free online support community. MyLifeLine allows patients and caregivers to organize appointments and information, create calendars, and communicate with friends and family about the support they need. It also offers online discussion groups where people affected by cancer can connect with others who have shared similar experiences. These groups provide opportunities to ask questions, exchange perspectives, and find support from others who understand the cancer experience.
Cancer Support Community Research & Training Institute (RTI) also works to better understand the experiences of patients and caregivers. RTI conducts research in psychosocial, behavioral, and survivorship areas, with a focus on issues including caregiver needs, well-being, access to care, treatment decision-making, cost of treatment, and management of treatment-related effects. This work helps build knowledge that can inform policy and the development of supportive care programs.
Through the CSC RTI’s Cancer Experience Registry online survey, patients and caregivers can confidentially share their experiences with cancer. Their perspectives contribute to a broader understanding of what people face throughout the cancer journey and can help inform future research and support services.
The CSC Cancer Policy Institute extends that work into advocacy, collaborating with patient advocacy organizations across the country to advance policies that support access to comprehensive, high-quality, timely, and affordable medical, social, and emotional care for people affected by cancer.
Heather encourages others to consider how their own experiences can contribute to that work.
“Every person has information or a lesson to share that is worthwhile,” Heather says. “There are many ways to get involved, even on a small scale. Each way can make a meaningful difference.”
For those interested in becoming advocates, CSC’s Advocacy Action Center offers opportunities to learn more, take action, and make their voices heard.
Heather’s story is a powerful reminder that support can take many forms—and that accepting support can be an important part of moving forward. Her experience also demonstrates how personal experiences can become a source of connection and advocacy for others.
By sharing our experiences, supporting one another, and using our voices to create change, we put into action what CSC believes every day: Community Is Stronger Than Cancer.
References:
Advocate Spotlight: Heather Badt: Advocate Spotlight: Heather Badt | Cancer Support Community
https://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/research-training-institute