CSC Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara was one of our California affiliates who came with us to the Amgen Tour of California to connect racegoers to local cancer support programs.

The Breakaway from Cancer partnership is all about working together as a team to help people find the vital resources they need before, during and after their cancer journey. Over the past week, the Cancer Support Community, the Prevent Cancer Foundation, the Patient Advocate Foundation and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship have been traveling up the coast of California following America’s biggest professional cycling race, The Amgen Tour of California.

With the help of our California Cancer Support Community affiliates this week, we’ve connected tons of people to local and national resources that can help them through the cancer experience. In addition to face-to-face support groups, yoga and exercise classes, art classes, cooking demonstrations and educational workshops, people with cancer and their families can also take advantage of our online support groups, the Cancer Support Helpline, educational books and our Internet radio show.

CSC California Central Coast Board Chair and cancer survivor Thom Schulz presented the Most Courageous Rider jersey to Jens Voigt of Team Radioshack Leopard Trek at the Avila Beach stage.

One of the greatest moments at the tour was when a woman who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer came up to our booth. After learning about the Cancer Support Community and picking up some information, another woman who had overheard her conversation with us approached her and introduced herself as an eight-year breast cancer survivor–and gave the woman her contact information in case she ever needed anything.

We hope that more supportive moments like that continue to happen!

Thanks so much to CSC Redondo Beach, Gilda’s Club Desert Cities, CSC Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara, CSC California Central Coast, and CSC San Francisco Bay Area for joining us at the tour!

Together we connected with hundreds of people–survivors, caregivers, family members, friends and people just interested in learning more about what we do.

Breakaway Champion Danielle McLaughlin leads the 2012 Breakaway Mile in Los Angeles.

Breakaway from Cancer is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer—from prevention through survivorship. Founded in 2005, it is a partnership between Amgen and four cancer-related nonprofits: Cancer Support Community, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

The signature event of the Breakaway from Cancer initiative is the Amgen Tour of California, an 8-day cycling event that travels along the coast of California. This year, the tour will kick off in Escondido and travel to Santa Rosa from May 12-19. As part of this year’s tour, the Breakaway from Cancer partners, including CSC, will travel to 8 cities, walk with hundreds of cancer survivors and caregivers as part of four Breakaway Mile marches and distribute valuable resources and information at the Breakaway from Cancer booth. Our mission is to empower and support cancer survivors, their families and caregivers.

Stay tuned to the CSC blog for updates along the tour!