2026 head & neck cancer survivorship symposium schedule
SCHEDULE IS WORK IN PROGRESS. TIMES AND/OR PRESENTERS MAY BE ADJUSTED.
To fully view the schedule details, click the plus button next to the session title to see a session description and presenter details.
7:30-8:30 | Registration (breakfast opens at 8:00 am)
Registration – pick up your welcome bag and name tag, visit vendors, etc. Breakfast buffet opens at 8:00 am – you may eat your breakfast during the keynote presentation.
8:30-9:45 Keynote Presentation: Survivor and Voice Actor Rob Paulsen
Grab your breakfast (buffet lines open at 8 a.m.), then take a seat as our keynote speaker, Rob Paulsen, takes the stage to share his story and answer questions.
Rob Paulsen is an award-winning voice actor, coach, and author best known for iconic animated characters including Pinky from Pinky and the Brain, Yakko Warner from Animaniacs, and roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. During a career spanning decades, he has earned a Daytime Emmy Award, a Peabody Award, and three Annie Awards while lending his voice to thousands of television episodes, films, and video games.
SYMPOSIUM CO-HOSTS:
- Danielle Margalit, MD, MPH
Head & Neck Cancer Alliance Board Member | Mass General Brigham/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Michael Murphy, MD
Head & Neck Cancer Alliance Ambassador | Survivor of HPV-Positive Tonsil Cancer | Neuroscientist & Psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School
9:45-10:00 | Coffee Break/Visit Exhibitors
Visit our exhibitors, use the restroom, meet your fellow survivors and medical experts
10:00-11:00 | Survivorship Care After Head and Neck Radiation
Radiation therapy for head and neck cancer can lead to short- and long-term side effects that impact swallowing, speech, nutrition, dental care, and overall quality of life. This session will explore common late effects experienced by survivors and discuss practical strategies to improve functional wellness after treatment. Attendees will learn about survivorship care approaches, rehabilitation options, and supportive resources that can help survivors maintain health, independence, and quality of life long after radiation therapy ends.
MODERATOR:
- Eleni Rettig, MD
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School | Head & Neck Surgeon, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Director of Clinical Operations, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Center for Head and Neck Oncology | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
MEDICAL PANELISTS:
- Danielle Margalit, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School | Radiation Oncologist, Head & Neck Oncology Program, Dana Farber/Brigham & Women’s Cancer Center | Mass General Brigham (MGB)/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Tessa Goldsmith, MA CCC-SLP
Director, Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Program | Mass Eye & Ear - Denise McIntosh, PT, CLT-Lana
Physical Therapist | Beth Israel Lahey Hospital - Alessandro Villa, DDS, PhD, MPH
Chief of Oral Medicine, Oral Oncology and Dentistry | Miami Cancer Institute
This session sponsored by Natera
11:00-11:15 | Morning Break/Visit Exhibitors
Visit our exhibitors, use the restroom, and meet your fellow survivors and medical experts
11:15-12:15 | Beyond the Plate: Nutrition, Social Eating, and Quality of Life
For many head and neck cancer survivors, eating can become one of the most challenging aspects of life after treatment. Changes in taste, swallowing difficulties, dry mouth, and fatigue can affect both nutrition and the social experience of sharing meals. This session will explore practical strategies to support healthy nutrition while also addressing the emotional and social impact of eating after treatment. Participants will learn tips for adapting meals, managing common side effects, and rebuilding confidence in social eating to help improve overall quality of life.
MODERATOR:
- Jeremy Richmon, MD
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School | Director, Head and Neck Robotic Surgery, Mass Eye and Ear
MEDICAL PANELISTS:
- Briana Pineau, MS, RD, CSO, LDN
Oncology Dietitian Boston Medical Center - Medical Panelist Raymond Fong, PhD
Assistant Professor – Speech Language Pathologist | Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine
Chinese University of Hong Kong
SURVIVORS:
- Abel Vanegas
Survivor of Tongue Cancer | Lunenberg, MA - Nohemi Vanegas
Caregiver to husband Abel | Lunenberg, MA
Lunch /Visit Exhibitors
1:00-2:00 | Ask the Experts: Navigating Head and Neck Cancer Care, Treatments, and Survivorship
Head and neck cancer care often involves complex treatment decisions and long-term survivorship challenges. In this interactive session, a panel of multidisciplinary experts will answer audience questions about diagnosis, treatment options, managing side effects, and life after treatment. Participants will gain practical insights into navigating care, understanding available resources, and addressing common survivorship concerns. This open discussion is designed to empower patients, survivors, and caregivers with knowledge and guidance to support informed decision-making and long-term wellness.
MODERATOR:
- Heather Edwards, MD
Director, Division of Head and Neck Surgery | Medical Director, Cancer and Hematology Clinical Research Program, Boston Medical Center | Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center
MEDICAL PANELISTS:
- Jason Chan, MD
LMCHK, MBBS (London), DABOto, FRCSEd (ORL), FHKCORL, FHKAM (Otorhinolaryngology)
Chairman and Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery | Assistant Dean (Student Development), Faculty of Medicine | Director, Medical Devices Unit (MDU), CUHK CTC | Deputy Director, CUHK Jockey Club Minimally Invasive Surgical Skills Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Glenn Hanna, MD
Director, Center for Cancer Therapeutic Innovation (Early Drug Development Program) | Medical Oncologist, Center for Head & Neck Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School | Dana-Farber - Annie Chan, MD
Oncologist | Radiation Oncologist | Director, Head and Neck Radiation Oncology Research Program | Director, Head and Neck Service, Massachusetts General Hospital - Marci Lee Nilsen, PhD, RN, CHPN, FAAN
Co-Lead, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center’s Cancer Risk, Outcomes, and Prevention Program | Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
Session sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
2:00-3:00 | The Power of Voice: Survivors Sharing Their Journeys
Every cancer journey is unique, and the voices of survivors offer powerful insight, hope, and connection. In this inspiring session, head and neck cancer survivors will share their personal experiences—from diagnosis and treatment to recovery and life in survivorship. Through their stories, participants will gain perspective on the challenges, resilience, and lessons learned along the way. This conversation aims to foster community, provide encouragement, and highlight the strength and support found within the survivor community.
MODERATOR:
- Dan Deschler, MD
Vice Chair, Academic Affairs | Co-Director, Head and Neck Fellowship | Eugene N. and Barbara L. Myers Chair in Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear | Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Mass Eye & Ear
SURVIVORS:
- Ambassador Carla Burkely, MD
Survivor of HPV-positive Tonsil Cancer | Falmouth, Maine - Andre Charpentier
Laryngectomy Survivor Boston | Cured Cancer Club for Laryngectomees - Eva Husson-Stockhamer
Survivor, Tongue and Mouth Cancer | East Longmeadow, MA
3:00-3:15 | Afternoon Break/Visit Exhibitors
Visit our exhibitors, use the restroom, and meet your fellow survivors and medical experts
3:15-4:15 | Thriving Together After Head and Neck Cancer
Recovery after head and neck cancer extends beyond medical treatment and involves physical, emotional, and social healing. This multidisciplinary panel brings together two head and neck surgeons, a psychologist, and survivors to discuss the many dimensions of life after cancer. Panelists will share perspectives on recovery, coping strategies, caregiver support, and maintaining quality of life throughout survivorship. Through clinical insight and lived experience, this session will highlight the importance of collaboration, resilience, and community in helping survivors and their loved ones thrive after treatment.
MODERATOR:
- Rosh Sethi, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School | Associate Surgeon, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
MEDICAL PANELISTS:
- Bill Lydiatt, MD, EMBA
CEO of Clarkson Institute, a healthcare nonprofit dedicated to making Nebraska the healthiest state | Past President AHNS | Professor of Surgery at Creighton University - Kelly Irwin, MD
Psychologist | Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)
SURVIVOR:
- Ambassador Denise DeSimone
Survivor, Throat Cancer - Vanessa West-Hazard
4-Time Head and Neck Cancer Survivor | Laryngectomy Survivor | Cranston, RI
Session sponsored by Merck
4:15-4:30 | Closing Remarks
Join our Symposium co-hosts as they wrap up the day and provide final announcements.
SYMPOSIUM CO-HOSTS:
- Danielle Margalit, MD, MPH
Head & Neck Cancer Alliance Board Member | Mass General Brigham/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Michael Murphy, MD
Head & Neck Cancer Alliance Ambassador | Survivor of HPV-Positive Tonsil Cancer | Neuroscientist & Psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School
5:30-7:30 | Boston Tour - separate registration required
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.
