Philadelphia, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/21/2018 --Philadelphia resident Jo Holz wants to make sure that no woman with breast cancer feels alone. As a former senior market research executive at companies like NBC Universal and Nielsen, Holz sits on the board of SHARE, a national nonprofit offering free breast and ovarian cancer support services. This work is personal: a breast cancer survivor herself, Holz has also been a recipient of SHARE's services. Now, she is taking on a third role: Holz will be the facilitator of SHARE's first ever breast cancer support group in Philadelphia at the American Association for Cancer Research, meeting for the first time June 5.

Holz was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 after a routine mammogram and attended a SHARE support group outside the state. She notes that she didn't want to go at first. But "it turned out to be the absolute best thing that happened to me during that difficult time."

According to the American Cancer Society, over 266,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018; there are just over 3 million women living with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. Many breast cancer patients rely on their doctors to recommend treatments that will move them into remission. But patients today have dozens of other considerations as well, including clinical trial options, financial toxicity and family relationships, that they need to talk about.

The goal of Holz's group is to offer women with breast cancer in Philadelphia the opportunity to share their experiences and exchange information in a safe, empowering space. Like all of SHARE's groups, it is led by a trained peer rather than a medical professional, offering a freer environment.

"We are grateful to the AACR for working with SHARE to provide our services to women in the Philadelphia area," says Jacqueline Reinhard, Executive Director of SHARE. "And we're so glad to have members like Jo, who see firsthand the value of the peer-support that SHARE provides."

"I had a wonderful family and lots of supportive friends, but nothing compared to being able to talk about my darkest fears with a group of women with whom I didn't have to censor myself in any way," Holz says. "After offering my professional expertise on SHARE's board for a number of years, I'm very excited to be able to give back in a new way."

Holz has been the Vice President of News Research at NBC Universal, Senior Vice President of Media Analytics at Nielsen, and is author of the first-ever written history of children's television, Kids' TV Grows Up.

The Philadelphia SHARE Breast Cancer Support Group meets at Tuesdays at 5:30pm at the American Association for Cancer Research, 615 Chestnut Street, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The next meeting is June 5. Participants can register at http://bit.ly/PhillySHARE or call 844.ASK.SHARE.

About SHARE
SHARE is a national nonprofit that improves the lives of women affected by breast and ovarian cancers through experienced peer support, accessible education, and innovative outreach, always for free. It meets women wherever they are, especially in medically underserved communities, with the insight of women who have been there too, creating a nationwide network where women are empowered and feel less alone. Its free services include support groups, educational tools, expert-led webinars and presentations, a national helpline, online communities, and survivor-patient navigation.