Rethink Breast Cancer unveils 5-year strategy and next era mission to support younger women, including announcing a new community clubhouse
TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2026 – Rethink Breast Cancer has released its five-year strategic plan and future vision for the charity to meet the most urgent needs of Canada’s younger women impacted by breast cancer. For 25 years, Rethink has been changing the conversation around breast cancer, offering tailored support and advocating to fill systemic gaps in care. As Rethink enters its next era, the charity is addressing the community’s growing needs by expanding its mission to encompass the full spectrum of young women’s breast health and helping all young women live better and live longer. Read the full plan here.
Rethink will lead in survivorship for those diagnosed with breast cancer and in public breast health education, evolving its “support, education and advocacy” model into an even broader ecosystem of well-being. To support this vision, the charity is opening The Rethink House, a first-of-its-kind clubhouse located in downtown Toronto to unite all younger women — those diagnosed with breast cancer, those wanting to take charge of their breast health and those who want to show up to support others.
“Breast cancer has evolved and so has the noisy world younger women exist in,” says MJ DeCoteau, founder and executive director of Rethink Breast Cancer. “We are seeing an unprecedented shift. Our community and their needs are growing. More young women are being diagnosed and many are living longer after diagnosis with complex care needs. We want younger women to know that Rethink gets it, we’ve got them and our next era is dedicated to improving outcomes for all younger women.”
From risk reduction and prevention to navigating diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and supporting thrivership for the metastatic breast cancer (MBC) community, Rethink Breast Cancer will deliver a movement that is credible, relatable, modern and culturally fluent.
Rethink’s five-year strategic plan is a pledge to transformational progress and impact, focusing on three priorities:
1. Supporting survivorship with strength, support and care;
2. Making positive change through advocacy;
3. And breast health empowerment for the next generation.
The Rethink House will bring younger women together under the shared goal to rethink breast cancer, with an impact that goes far beyond the disease itself. The charity strongly believes improving breast cancer outcomes can’t rest on the shoulders of those diagnosed alone and involves engaging younger women the disease hasn’t touched yet. The Rethink House will create that bridge, so together, younger women can rethink the future of breast health and cancer care.
Younger women are more isolated and overwhelmed now than ever before, especially when facing a serious illness. They don’t just need somewhere to connect. They need a space tailored to their needs to thrive. The Rethink House does just that, building on the concept of a “third space” — a community space to connect, shown to meaningfully protect health and well-being across one’s lifetime — in a way that delivers what younger people need now. Statistics Canada found that 29% of women aged 15–24 reported feeling lonely and data shows fewer than half of Canadians aged 20–29 report a sense of belonging to their local community. The Rethink House is not just a cool new hangout space for the next generation, it’s an answer to a crisis that is leaving younger women behind.
Activities at the house will be curated to be relevant to younger women, including educational events on hot topics, community hangouts and connection, exercise and movement classes and ways to get involved and make change.
“I see Rethink House as so much more than just a building where our programs happen,” says DeCoteau. “We need to engage young women in risk reduction, education, advocacy and fundraising. And those with breast cancer in rebuilding identity, strength and the practical skills that can help them thrive beyond it. When younger women are connected and empowered, they become a force for change, not just in their own lives, but also the world around them.”
Rethink will introduce the Rethink House concept at a pop-up in October 2026 in downtown Toronto. The month-long space will be an opportunity for people to experience the future vision, attend educational and community events and help fundraise for the permanent house.
The charity will continue to offer its existing online psychosocial and peer support programming for the breast cancer community, as well as complementary virtual offerings of services available at The Rethink House to reach women wherever and whenever they need them across Canada.
Learn more about Rethink Breast Cancer’s future vision and five-year strategy at rethinkbreastcancer.com/future-vision
About Rethink Breast Cancer
Rethink Breast Cancer is a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto with a global reach, dedicated to educating, supporting and advocating for younger women affected by breast cancer and those taking charge of their breast health. For over 25 years, Rethink has met the unique needs of younger women through tailored resources, educational and support programs and advocacy informed by lived experience. As a bold, digital-first organization, Rethink collaborates with younger women, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers and diverse partners to drive meaningful change in breast cancer care. Learn more at rethinkbreastcancer.com
-30-
For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Jasmine Sikand