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Click here to download and print a tentative conference agenda to help plan your weekend. Please note that session times, speakers, and program details are subject to change.
Upon arrival, please visit the registration desk to receive your event materials, including your name badge, schedule, and other important details. Our team will be available to assist with any questions and ensure you're set up for a successful event.
Join fellow patients, survivors, caregivers, and advocates as Roger Magowitz opens this year's Power of Us Conference with a heartfelt welcome centered on connection, hope, and the strength of community. This opening session will set the tone for the weekend ahead while bringing attendees together through meaningful conversation and shared experiences.
Roger, alongside Miranda Wainberg, Patient Advocacy and Communications Director, will introduce the conference format, highlight this year's enhanced educational programming, and provide an overview of the weekend designed to inform and inspire.
Following the welcome session, attendees will have the opportunity to connect in smaller, journey-based roundtable groups designed to foster meaningful introductions. Whether newly diagnosed, navigating life as a long-term survivor, celebrating years beyond diagnosis, or caring for a loved one, these facilitated groups provide a welcoming space to meet others who understand the unique challenges and milestones of your journey.
Roundtable Groups:
- Newly Diagnosed 2 years or less
- Survivors 2+ years
- Long-Term Survivors 7+ years
- Caregivers
Following the journey-based roundtables, attendees will participate in educational breakout sessions tailored to their specific experiences and needs. These smaller-group settings offer practical guidance and opportunities to learn alongside peers navigating similar stages of the pancreatic cancer journey.
Breakout Sessions
- Starting the Journey (ND) — Speakers: Erin Pierce & Lana Caldwell (Breakout Room: Superior)
- Survivors (2+): Recurrence & Scanxiety — Speaker: Perry Francis (Breakout Room: Huron)
- Nutrition (LT) — Speaker: Michele Stack (Breakout Room: Michigan)
- How to Find Clinical Trials (CG) — Speakers from Trican (Breakout Room: Erie)
Following a short break, attendees will participate in a second educational breakout session tailored to their specific experiences and needs.
Breakout Sessions
- How to Find Clinical Trials (ND) — Speakers from Trican (Breakout Room: Superior)
- Survivors (2+): Power of PERT — Speakers from AbbVie (Breakout Room: Huron)
- Survivor Workshop (Plan for Survivorship): Lens of the patient (LT) — Speaker: Kay Kays (Breakout Room: Michigan)
- Nutrition (CG) — Speaker: Michele Stack (Breakout Room: Erie)
Ease into the conference weekend with a casual welcome reception in the Grand Ballroom at The Westin Milwaukee. Designed with travel day flexibility in mind, this relaxed gathering gives attendees the opportunity to connect at their own pace while settling in for the weekend ahead.
Join fellow patients, survivors, caregivers, advocates, and conference guests for an evening of conversation, fresh bites, refreshments, and community in a comfortable setting within the host hotel. Whether you stop by briefly after arriving or stay to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones, the reception offers a warm and welcoming start to the Power of Us Conference weekend.
Upon arrival, please visit the registration desk to receive your event materials, including your name badge, schedule, and other important details. Our team will be available to assist with any questions and ensure you're set up for a successful event.
This experience is available for attendees interested in a behind-the-scenes tour of the Cancer Research Labs at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). The tour provides a unique opportunity to explore the cutting-edge facilities where groundbreaking research on pancreatic cancer and other cancers is advancing the future of cancer care.
One of the conference's most anticipated sessions, this special breakfast brings together patients, survivors, caregivers, and leading pancreatic cancer experts for a morning of connection and education in the Grand Ballroom.
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with physicians and researchers during intimate table discussions before hearing presentations on emerging topics shaping the future of pancreatic cancer care.
Featured Speakers & Topics During the Event
- Welcome Remarks — Dr. Susan Tsai
- The Impact of AI on Earlier Diagnosis — Dr. Ron Korn
- Molecular Testing: What Patients and Caregivers Need to Know — Dr. Susan Tsai
Following breakfast, attendees will participate in educational breakout sessions focused on topics of interest and relevance to their individual needs and experiences. These smaller-group settings provide an opportunity to engage directly with leading specialists on some of the most important and emerging topics most relevant to each individual journey.
Breakout Sessions
- Immunotherapy — Speaker: Dr. Mandana Kamgar (Breakout Room: Superior)
- Tumor Markers 101 — Speakers: Dr. Susan Tsai & Dr. Jen Jen Yeh (Breakout Room: Huron)
- Proton Therapy & Histotripsy — Speaker: Dr. Beth Erickson (Breakout Room: Michigan)
- pNET/pNEC Neuroendocrine Tumors — Speaker: Dr. Alexandria Phan (Breakout Room: Erie)
- Neuropathy Panel — Speakers: TBD (Breakout Room: Ontario)
During lunch, the creative talent and production team behind Care Kitchen will share the origin story of the series, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how the vision came to life and evolved into a powerful platform focused on patient-centered nutrition. Through personal reflections, creative insights, and heartfelt moments, this session will highlight the passion and purpose driving Seena's Care Kitchen.
Following lunch, attendees will participate in educational breakout sessions focused on topics of interest and relevance to their individual needs and experiences. These smaller-group settings provide an opportunity to engage directly with leading specialists on some of the most important and emerging topics most relevant to each individual journey.
Breakout Sessions
- What to know about KRAS Discoveries — Speaker: Dr. Erkut Borazanci (Room: Grand)
- How to Read Your CT Scan — Speaker Dr. Ron Korn (Breakout Room: Superior)
- Tumor Markers 101 — Speakers: Dr. Susan Tsai & Dr. Jen Jen Yeh (Breakout Room: Huron)
- Neuropathy Panel — Speakers: TBD (Breakout Room: Michigan)
- Managing Pancreatic Cancer Diabetes — Speaker: TBD (Breakout Room: Erie)
Take a break to recharge or immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and attractions Milwaukee has to offer. Whether you choose to relax or explore, this is your opportunity to enjoy the city at your own pace.
Before the evening program begins, enjoy an hour of mingling with fellow attendees over heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
Set within the iconic Discovery World, the evening will feature a seated dinner, meaningful conversations, and presentations from leaders in pancreatic cancer research and care, alongside powerful personal stories from members of the pancreatic cancer community. The evening will also include the presentation of Seena Magowitz Foundation awards, recognizing individuals whose dedication, resilience, and service continue to make a meaningful impact.
Evening Program
- Emcee — Natalie Shepard, CBS 58 Anchor
- Invocation — Dan Winkelman
- Update on the PANCREAS Trial — Dr. Douglas B. Evans
- KRAS Discoveries and Research Advances — Dr. Erkut Borazanci
- Seena Magowitz Foundation Update — Roger E. Magowitz
- Survivor Testimonial — Wendy Hammers
- Caregiver Testimonial — Roseanne Warner
- The Importance of Sleep During the Cancer Journey — Dr. Michael Breus
- Seena Magowitz Foundation Awards Presentation
Blending science, support, and shared experiences, Dinner at Discovery World serves as a memorable celebration of the people and progress moving the pancreatic cancer community forward together.
Start the morning with a casual breakfast with Chef Gia Fazio of Seena’s Care Kitchen alongside Roger Magowitz. Rooted in comfort, connection, and nourishment, this relaxed gathering creates space for meaningful conversation before the day’s sessions begin.
The breakfast will highlight the Seena Magowitz Foundation’s expanding focus on nutrition and patient-centered wellness through Seena’s Care Kitchen. Attendees will learn more about the Foundation’s new YouTube initiative focused on accessible nutrition, supportive meal planning, and practical resources that bring comfort and care into the kitchen.
As the conference concludes, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in one last block of smaller, focused breakout sessions. Tailored specifically for caregivers and for patients and survivors.
Caregiver Breakout Sessions
- Caring for Yourself as a Caregiver — Speaker: Jen Sanders (Breakout Room: Superior)
- Caregiver Burnout — Speakers: Sean Kellman & Roseanne Warner (Breakout Room: Huron)
Patients & Survivors Breakout Sessions
- Life Beyond the Diagnosis — Speaker: Perry Francis (Breakout Room: Michigan)
- Survivor Workshop II: Lens of the Patient (Breakout Room: Erie)