Transcript of How Walking Helps to End Bladder Cancer with Rebecca Yannopoulos

February 13, 2023

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Voice over:

This is Bladder Cancer Matters, the podcast for bladder cancer patients, caregivers, advocates, and medical and research professionals. It’s brought to you by the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, otherwise known as BCAN. BCAN works to increase public awareness about bladder cancer, advances bladder cancer research, and provides educational and support services for bladder cancer patients and their loved ones. To learn more, please visit bcan.org.

Rick Bangs:

Hi, I’m Rick Bangs, the host of Bladder Cancer Matters, a podcast for, by, and about the bladder cancer community. I’m also a survivor of muscle invasive bladder cancer, the proud owner of a 2006 model year neobladder and a patient advocate supporting cancer research at the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, or as many call it, BCAN, producers of this podcast. This podcast is sponsored by the Seagen/Astellas alliance.

I am pleased to welcome today’s guest, Rebecca Yannopoulos. Rebecca is BCAN’s senior development manager, and she joined BCAN in 2016. Rebecca brought 15 years of volunteer management experience as a Girl Scout volunteer in the nation’s capital area, and was the development coordinator at Food Allergy Research and Education or FARE, where she focused on the Northeast FARE Walk for food allergy events. Rebecca is native to Northern Virginia, and in her free time, enjoys crafting, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Rebecca, thanks for joining our podcast.

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

You’re welcome, Rick. I’m happy to be here.

Rick Bangs:

I want to start by talking about your role at BCAN. So what do you do as a senior development manager?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Almost seven years ago, I was brought on as the Walk manager, to help revamp the existing Walk program. Our goal was to create consistent branding across all Walks, increase corporate participation and provide support for Walk volunteers and fundraisers. We have accomplished our goal and continued to enhance our walks each year.

Recently, I transitioned to the senior development manager. This position allows me to engage with even more donors to raise the funds BCAN needs to be able to help bladder cancer patients and their families at any stage of their bladder cancer journey. I’m very excited to be growing with BCAN. Rick, you probably remember even before I got here, but when I started, there were six employees. We have now doubled and continued to increase the number of programs and resources we can provide at no cost to patients.

Rick Bangs:

I think I’m dating myself, but I distinctly remember a fewer than six when I started out with BCAN, so it’s been just a wonderful, wonderful growth.

Tell us about the BCAN Walk to End Bladder Cancer. How did it get started?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

The first BCAN walks were held in 2012 as a grassroots effort to create more awareness around bladder cancer and raise much needed funds to support BCAN’s programs. The events are held primarily in May, to coincide with Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. Since 2012, these walks have raised close to $6 million.

Rick Bangs:

Which is just amazing. So can you give us a snapshot of where the walks are in 2022? I know that from participating in the first Michigan walk, the very first, I was there, and then I led that walk for several years after. Things are pretty different today, even ignoring the changes post-COVID.

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Yes, we did have to adjust quickly when COVID hit. 2022 was the first year we were able to host in-person walks since 2019. We had in-person walks in 16 cities all across the country and virtual participants from 475 cities in 47 states and 10 countries, which is awesome. We had a total of 2,500 participants and raised $937,000. And I want to make sure I note that these walks are not possible without our passionate volunteers and fundraisers, just like you, Rick.

Rick Bangs:

So important. So when should people start planning to walk? And very importantly, when should they start fundraising?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Registration is open now and it’s free to participate. So all you have to do is visit bcanwalk.org to get started. You can participate as a team captain, as a team member, or individually. The earlier you get started, the more time you have to raise those funds and help BCAN to help bladder cancer patients.

Rick Bangs:

So I’m curious, who participates in the Walk to End Bladder Cancer?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Well, anyone can participate in the walk. We have survivors, doctors, those that have lost a loved one to bladder cancer, as well as national and local partners that participate.

Rick Bangs:

And where and how do people participate in a Walk to End Bladder Cancer?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Right now, we have 15 in-person walks scheduled for 2023. And when you go to bcanwalk.org, you can see which cities those are in. Some are taking place in large areas like Washington, D.C. and Chicago. But we also have walks in smaller cities like Scarborough, Maine. Plus, you can walk virtually from wherever you are.

Rick Bangs:

That’s an important point, and it’s one of the byproducts of COVID, because now we’re used to Zoom calls and telemedicine and virtual walks. So for people who can’t attend a walk in-person or they may just prefer to participate virtually, how does that work?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

That’s a great question, Rick. Like I mentioned before, we did have to adjust quickly once COVID hit. So now, we have a virtual element to our walks. We host a virtual walk broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This year, the broadcast will be on Saturday, May 6th. So I want y’all to mark your calendars. The broadcast features live elements as well as videos from patients, doctors, and our corporate partners.

After the broadcast, we encourage you to get up and walk. That can be around your neighborhood, at a nearby park, on the treadmill, whatever works for you. So we would love to be able to have more in-person walks, to be in-person with folks across the country in as many locations as possible. In order to do that, we really need the help of local volunteers to organize these walks, or for volunteers in an area where there’s already a walk. The more, the merrier to help plan and grow these events.

Rick Bangs:

So if I don’t see a walk near me on the BCAN site, what do I do?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

If there’s no walk listed in your city, we encourage you to participate virtually. And as I just mentioned, we do need volunteers if we are to host walks in additional cities. So if you’re interested in learning more about organizing a walk, you can contact us. You can email us at walk@bcan.org, which is walk@bcan.org.

Rick Bangs:

Great. So if our listeners don’t realize the tremendous resources that BCAN’s created, and I’m sure many of them do not, what tools and tips do you have for walk leaders and for walk participants?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Well, we have a variety of tools to make it as easy as possible to participate and to fundraise. One is our Walk with BCAN app, which you can download through the App Store or through Google Play.

In the app, along with your participant center, we have included templates that you can use in sending emails, texts, or making social media posts, letting your friends and family know that you’re participating in and fundraising for the Walk to End Bladder Cancer.

Another cool feature of the Walk with BCAN app is that you can participate in step challenges. Just sync the app with your preferred fitness device or program, such as Apple Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit. This is a great way to stir up some friendly competition between your team members. My favorite way of fundraising for the walk, mostly because of how effortless it is, is to sync your individual walk page to a Facebook fundraiser. You can do that directly from your participant center. This option makes it so easy for your friends and family to support your efforts.

Rick Bangs:

I think the key word there is effortless. The all-important question that many people are wondering is, “How can I earn a Walk t-shirt?”

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Ah, yes. Any participant who fundraisers $100 or more will receive the official 2023 Walk t-shirt. Plus, other incentives are available for fundraising $250 or more, such as exclusive BCAN gear, all the way up to a flat screen TV.

Rick Bangs:

Where do the proceeds from the walk go? I know people like to know what’s happening with their money. So what would BCAN do with over a million dollars?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Well, the walks enable BCAN to provide critically needed and free to patient educational and support programs. In addition to raising awareness of the disease, the walks are the engine that drives our ability to help those in need. Just this year in partnership with Cancercare, BCAN has launched a support line for bladder cancer patients, caregivers, and the bereaved. And beginning this month, BCAN will be hosting a monthly female focused support group for women bladder cancer patients and survivors. All of this is made possible by our generous supporters, and we thank you.

Rick Bangs:

As your example shows, always changing, always new things being added to the mix. So that’s great. So any final comments you want to share?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Yes. So these walks mean so much to the bladder cancer community. They are a way to bring people together, whether as a survivor, caregiver, someone who has lost a loved one, and also a way to interact with their doctors outside of an exam room. I feel incredibly grateful to be able to interact with so many wonderful people at these events, and to hear how BCAN has helped them on their journey. The bladder cancer community is like no other, in that they are always welcoming and passionate about creating awareness of, and advocating for bladder cancer. We truly hope bringing people together virtually and in-person will ensure that no one walks alone in their journey with bladder cancer.

Rick Bangs:

That’s an important goal. So Rebecca, I want to thank you for giving us an understanding of the Walk to End Bladder Cancer, how each of us can make a difference by participating, and importantly, where the funding will be used. If you would like more information on the Walk to End Bladder Cancer, please visit the website; www.bcanwalk.org. That’s www.bcanwalk.org. In case people would like to get in touch with you, can you share your email, so that people will have it?

Rebecca Yannopoulos:

Sure. So you can reach me at walk@bcan.org, which is walk@bcan.org.

Rick Bangs:

Great. Just a reminder, if you’d like more information about bladder cancer, you can contact the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network at 1-888-901-2226. That’s all the time we have today. Thank you for listening, and we’ll be back soon with another interesting episode of Bladder Cancer Matters.

Thanks again, Rebecca.

Voice over:

Thank you for listening to Bladder Cancer Matters, a podcast by the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network or BCAN. BCAN works to increase public awareness about bladder cancer, advance bladder cancer research, and provide educational and support services for bladder cancer patients. For more information about this podcast and additional information about bladder cancer, please visit bcan.org.