“The Adventure Jar: A Story of Magic for Families Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer” is intended for children ages three to eight. The book follows the story of a family affected by metastatic breast cancer as they discover that even through the challenges of their mom’s diagnosis – involving inevitable change, uncertainty and disappointment – there is magic to be found in time shared together.​

Family life can be upended when a parent has cancer, and it can be difficult for parents to bear witness to the impact it can have on young children – creating a crucial need for resources to help navigate the challenging emotions that follow.

The Adventure Jar, led by Gilead Sciences, was created in collaboration with eight diverse members of the metastatic breast cancer (MBC) community and professionals, including a psychiatrist, to help families impacted by MBC.​

Among these collaborators is Gilead Patient Ambassador Lauren Huffmaster. She was diagnosed with MBC at 37 years old and struggled with the emotional impact cancer had on her husband and three young daughters, who were two, four and six at the time. Nearly a decade since her diagnosis, MBC continues to shape the lives of her daughters, but they’ve made it a habit to redefine their circumstances.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death among women aged 20 to 49 years in the US[ Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D., Wagle, N. S., & Jemal, A. (2023). Cancer statistics, 2023. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 73(1), 17–48. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21763.​

MBC is the most advanced stage of breast cancer that has spread to other areas of the body, most often the bones, lungs, liver or brain.​[ Metastatic Breast Cancer Facts and Statistics. (n.d.). Susan G. Komen®. Retrieved June 14, 2024, from https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/facts-statistics/what-is-breast-cancer/metastatic-breast-cancer/ It’s a lifelong disease, and treatment is an ongoing reality that doesn’t go away for most people.​ As younger women are being diagnosed with MBC at an alarming rate, this means that families, including many young children, are increasingly impacted.

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