TOPSHAM – The American Cancer Society’s 34th annual Living With Cancer Conference will take place on Wednesday, May 2, from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center.

Volunteers and staff from the American Cancer Society created the first Living With Cancer Conference in 1979. Each year cancer patients and survivors, family members, caregivers, and healthcare professionals come together to attend this event.

This year’s theme, “Empowerment For Your Journey,” is as a day of sharing personal stories and medical information designed to help cancer patients and their families as they continue along their cancer journeys. Attendees at this day-long conference can participate in a variety of informative workshops, visit community resource exhibits and share similar experiences and stories with others touched by cancer.

This year’s keynote speaker is Susan Conley, the author of “The Foremost Good Fortune.” In 2007, Susan and her family left Portland, Maine and moved to Beijing, China, where her husband had a new job. She expected surprises and adjustments with language and culture during their two-year visit, but never expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer while living halfway around the world.

The afternoon speaker, Cathy Kidman, fulfilled a lifelong dream of doing stand-up comedy, shortly after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2003. Funny and inspirational, Cathy will share stories from her stand-up experience and discuss how focusing on writing comedy helped her through post-treatment depression.

The conference is a free event for cancer patients, their families and caregivers, though there is a $10 fee for lunch. A fee of $30 will be asked of medical professionals and all others, which includes lunch. To learn more about the Living With Cancer Conference or to obtain a registration form, visit www.cancer.org/LWCC or call 1-800-227-2345.