An Annual Gathering · A Living Movement
More than a one-day event — the live expression of a growing movement to honor the emotional truth of cancer care.
Featured Event · First Annual
The 2026 ONCOLOGUE Forum
Sharing Stories. Shaping Strength.
- Date
- Saturday, May 9, 2026
- 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Venue
- Sheraton Hartford South Hotel
- 100 Capital Blvd, Rocky Hill, CT
Keynote Speakers
Gabriel Cartagena, PhD
Clinical Director, Yale Psycho-Oncology Program
Dr. Neal Fischbach, MD
Medical Oncologist · Yale School of Medicine
Maurade Gormley, PhD
Nurse Scientist · Breast Cancer Survivorship
Dr. Wendy Garvin Mayo, DNP, APRN
Founder & CEO, Collaborative Cancer Care
Event Recap
The 2026 Forum by the numbers.
A snapshot of the stories, voices, and connections that filled the room.
~100
Attendees
Patients, caregivers, survivors, advocates and professionals united in one room.
3
Keynotes
Inspiring voices that informed, moved and motivated us.
9
Oncologues
Personal monologues that brought raw honesty, courage and connection.
15
Sponsors
Partners and community supporters investing in the mission and the future of this work.
6
Hours of Programming
A full day dedicated to learning, reflection, storytelling and healing.
3
Panel Discussions
Meaningful conversations across the full spectrum of cancer care and emotional wellness.
Why It Matters
What the day made possible.
Created a safe space for emotional healing and dialogue.
Amplified the voices and lived experiences of those impacted by cancer.
Centered mental and emotional wellness as an essential part of cancer care.
Connected patients, caregivers, survivors and professionals in one room.
Began a movement to ensure no one feels emotionally unseen, unheard or unsupported.
Voices from the Day
In their own words.
What an event! So special, so needed, may you be blessed today with love, grace and rest. Happy Mother's Day
It was truly one of the best events I have ever attended!!
The stories, the honesty, the compassion — healing happened in this room.
Thank you SO much to @drwendygarvinmayo and @collaborative_cancer__care for putting on the most amazing event today — The ONCOlogue Forum. Today has been so empowering, insightful and emotional. Cancer is a journey no one should ever have to face alone.
Thank you for your kind note. I truly appreciated the opportunity to attend the ONCOLOGUE Forum. It was an informative and deeply moving conference, and I found the focus on connection, storytelling, and the emotional impact of cancer especially meaningful.
Congratulations on putting together such a wonderful event today! It was truly inspiring to see so many cancer thrivers being uplifted, encouraged, and celebrated. Your hard work, dedication, and heart really showed in every detail. Nicely done.
We were so happy to be there, and this event was so special and like nothing we had ever attended. You organized such a wonderful day and your execution of every detail was flawless across the board. We look forward to supporting this again and thank you for thinking of us!
Wendy! Thanks so much for putting on such a fabulous event. I REALLY enjoyed it. The stories were so powerful and the energy was palpable. I learned SO much!
What the Forum Is
At the heart of the Forum is storytelling.
The ONCOLOGUE Forum is an initiative of Collaborative Cancer Care, created to bring awareness to the mental and emotional impact of cancer on patients, caregivers, families, and the healthcare professionals who walk beside them.
Through monologues, panel discussions, keynote conversations, and shared experiences, the Forum creates space for honest dialogue, reflection, education, healing, and human connection — amplifying the voices that are too often unheard in cancer care.
Emotional wellness is just as important as physical treatment.
The Experience
Four ways we gather.
Monologues
Solo performances that turn lived experience into testimony — raw, true, and unforgettable.
Panel Discussions
Patients, caregivers, and clinicians in honest dialogue about what care really feels like.
Keynote Conversations
Leading voices in oncology, mental health, and advocacy reframing what wellness means.
Shared Experiences
Spaces designed for reflection, connection, and the quiet work of being seen.
Who Gathers
An annual gathering for everyone touched by cancer.
Community members, survivors, caregivers, advocates, and healthcare professionals come together not only to learn — but to feel seen, supported, and connected through shared experience.
- Survivors
- Patients in treatment
- Caregivers & families
- Oncologists & care teams
- Mental health professionals
- Advocates & community partners
Beyond the Day
The stories continue to live on through The ONCOLOGUE Anthology.
A growing collection of written and audio stories preserving the lived experiences of those impacted by cancer — so that what is shared at the Forum echoes far beyond a single day.
“No one navigating cancer should feel emotionally unseen, unheard, or unsupported.”
Be part of the next gathering.
Whether you come to share, to listen, or simply to be present — there is a seat for you at the Forum.
Founding Sponsors & Partners
Made possible by generous partners.
The inaugural ONCOLOGUE Forum was made possible through the generosity and partnership of organizations committed to advancing emotional wellness, storytelling, advocacy, and compassionate cancer care.
Presenting Sponsor
Presenting
Presenting Sponsor
Leading the way as the founding force behind the forum.
Tier 01
Industry Sponsors
Visionary partners powering the forum at its highest level.
Tier 02
Healthcare & Advocacy Partners
Institutions and organizations advancing equitable, compassionate cancer care.
Tier 03
Community & Wellness Partners
Local makers and wellness allies nurturing the whole person.