For one week each December, the power of community echoes throughout the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium®. Researchers, clinicians, patient advocates, and other partners come together from around the world to strengthen bonds, share updates, and improve the lives of those affected by the disease.

“We’re stronger together; we can do things better together than we can in our own silos,” said SABCS® Program Director Kate Lathrop, MD, of the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. “It can be hard out there doing this work. People go to SABCS to restart that engine a little bit and to feel that community around them.”

SABCS 2025, December 9-12 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, has more opportunities than ever for attendees to connect and collaborate in person.

At the convention center

Each day’s programming schedule includes built-in breaks and networking periods with complimentary refreshments. Ample seats in the hallways, lobbies, and marketplace areas of the convention center ensure that there’s always a convenient spot to chat between sessions.

“Sometimes this is the only time people see each other,” Dr. Lathrop said. “My fellows that I’ve trained over the years, some of them come back to SABCS every year. I get to see them for 20 minutes, grab a cup of coffee. And those types of things are happening all over. People who trained together and people who used to work together can connect, and then people who are strangers connect too.”

SABCS and its supporters offer several on-site services to help attendees have a successful week. Subsidized child care, available for children from 6 months to 12 years old, will be available again through KiddieCorp, and advance registration is available through November 6. Suites for nursing mothers will offer comfort and privacy in multiple areas of the convention center, and a dedicated space will also be set aside for patient advocates to relax and refuel. The Exhibition will contain even more attendee amenities — charging and water stations, a wellness center, headshot services, and therapy dogs — plus additional spots for networking.

Beyond the convention center

The community spirit of SABCS will be on full display during the second annual SABCS Celebration, 8-10:30 p.m., Thursday, December 11 at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk, next to the convention center. This special event is open to and dedicated to all of the symposium’s inspiring attendees. The evening will be full of music, food and drink, and fellowship.

Further into downtown San Antonio, groups of colleagues and new acquaintances alike will find numerous locations to continue their conversations. The world-famous River Walk is a short stroll away from the convention center, allowing attendees to easily take in the local culinary scene and culture. The mild December weather, coupled with festive holiday lights and carolers on boats on the river, makes for a magical atmosphere.

For those unable to travel to San Antonio, virtual attendance is also an option, and the SABCS community is active and engaged in the chat section of the meeting’s virtual platform, as well as on social media before, during, and after sessions.