SURVIVORSHIP SYMPOSIUM

2026 head & neck cancer symposium

Get your calendar ready. The Head & Neck Cancer Alliance and the American Head & Neck Society invite you to the 2026 Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Symposium in downtown Boston.

Join us on Saturday, July 18, for a full-day event for patients, survivors, caregivers, and clinicians. Hear from medical experts, learn practical strategies for life after treatment, and connect with others who understand what you’re going through.

This event is offered in person and virtually, but there is real value in being there. Many attendees say it’s one of the few places they feel fully understood. That sense of connection is hard to replicate online.

The symposium is free to attend. In-person attendees receive breakfast and lunch. Travel, accommodations, and parking are not included.

Join us after the event for an optional Boston tour – by land and by sea! We’ll be enjoying a one-hour trolley tour followed by a one-hour riverboat tour. This is free for patients, survivors, caregivers, and one guest. Additional attendees may join for a fee. Please note that a separate registration is required for this event.

We hope you’ll join us in Boston or online.

EVENT LOCATION:

Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center
415 Summer St.
Boston, MA 02210

PARKING RATES
$35 self park

TRAVEL DETAILS

Alliance Hotel Room Block

Omni Boston Seaport
Things to note:

Sunday, the 19th, may show as unavailable (with an X). This only means the room block is not available that night. You can still select the 19th as your departure date.
The Artist Tower rooms are slightly more affordable, but the bathrooms are open to the room (no bathroom door; the toilet and shower have glass doors only). The Patron Tower rooms have traditional bathrooms with doors.

Additional room block through AHNS:

Aloft & Element Boston Seaport District, starting at $260 (Aloft) / $270 (Element), 0.25 miles

Other nearby hotels (prices as of March 2026):

The Westin Boston Seaport District, starting at $309, 0.1 miles
Seaport Hotel Boston, starting at $345, 0.2 miles
Renaissance Boston Seaport District, starting at $357, 0.3 miles
Hampton Inn Boston Seaport District, starting at $387, 0.5 miles
Hyatt Place Boston Seaport District, starting at $333, 0.5 miles

post symposium boston tour

this event requires a separate registration.

After the Symposium, join fellow attendees for a guided evening tour of Boston from 5 to 7 PM. The experience includes a one-hour narrated trolley tour through historic downtown neighborhoods and a one-hour scenic riverboat cruise on the Charles River, with transportation handled between each stop. It’s a relaxed, no-logistics way to continue conversations and connect with survivors, patients, caregivers, Alliance staff, board members, and medical professionals outside the Symposium setting. Admission is free for patients, survivors, caregivers, and one guest; $25 per person for all other attendees. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early.

SYMPOSIUM 2026 SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

Survivorship Care After Head and Neck Radiation
Beyond the Plate: Nutrition, Social Eating, and Quality of Life
Ask the Experts: Navigating Head and Neck Cancer Care, Treatments, and Survivorship
The Power of Voice: Survivors Sharing Their Journeys
Thriving Together After Head and Neck Cancer
Boston Post Event Tour (separate registration required)

symposium FAQs

What is the benefit of attending in person?

One of the most common things we hear from those who have experienced head and neck cancer is that they often felt alone—that they didn’t know anyone else who had been through it and wished they had someone to talk to who truly understood.

Attending the Symposium in person is a powerful way to change that. You’ll be surrounded by hundreds of others who do understand—fellow survivors, caregivers, and leading medical professionals who are there to support and connect with you.

And yes, it’s also fun! Great people, great food, valuable information, and meaningful moments—you won’t want to miss it.

Who should attend?

The Survivorship Symposium is primarily for patients, survivors, caregivers, and their friends/supporters. We also welcome medical professionals in the head and neck cancer fields. We are welcoming to all, but the sessions are focused on information for survivorship.

What can you tell me about the post-event tour?

Separate registration is required for this tour. You must register for the Symposium and this event. The tour is free for patients, caregivers, survivors, and one guest (you still must “purchase” a $0 ticket). All others (supporters, sponsors, medical providers) will need to buy a $25 ticket. Space is limited to 80 people.

We’ll be departing around 5pm to start a trolley tour of downtown Boston, followed by a riverboat tour and return trolley trip to the conference center. We should be back by 7pm.

REGISTER HERE

Please note: bottled water will be provided on the trollies. Drinks and snacks are available for purchase on the boat.

Do you offer continuing education credits?

We provide a certificate of attendance.

Continuing Education (CE) requirements vary by state and often change. It is the responsibility of the registrant for interpreting their state’s laws, licensure continuing education requirements, and course relevancy. It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit their certificate of attendance to their respective accrediting boards for credit, if applicable.

What meals are included?

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Note: we always try to be mindful of including food choices suitable for patients and survivors of HNC.

Do you record the sessions and how can I watch?

Yes, each year the Symposium sessions are posted online. You can find the videos on YouTube, and we have a playlist for each year. The videos are also sorted into other playlists by category.

The sessions are generally made available 2-4 weeks after the Symposium, and we notify each attendee via email and we will include the links in our newsletter.