The Breast Cancer Memorial Garden located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park will serve as a place for reflection for those impacted by the disease
April 16, 2025—SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS), an all-volunteer nonprofit focused on building community for young people with breast cancer, in partnership with San Francisco Rec & Park, is proud to announce the opening of the Bay Area Young Survivors Breast Cancer Memorial Garden after an 11-year effort. Located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the garden is the first and only public memorial in the United States honoring the lives of young people who have died from metastatic breast cancer, including Bay Area Young Survivors’ members. Metastatic breast cancer continues to affect young people at increasing rates. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women aged 25–39.
“This Memorial is a powerful acknowledgement of the thousands of young people who lose their lives to metastatic breast cancer each year, including our beloved friends,” said Nola Agha, BAYS Memorial project manager and BAYS volunteer. “Our dreams for this garden began in the early 2000s when we formed BAYS and our members started dying. The project gained traction in 2014 through member Melissa Wyss’ passion for gardening, inspiring our metastatic members to reach out to San Francisco Rec & Park to begin this collaboration. We all know the healing powers of being outside, together, with our hands in the dirt. The Memorial Garden is a physical space people can tend to, while honoring lives lost and raising awareness of the critical need for further services, research, and funding as incidences of breast cancer amongst young people increase.”
The Memorial Garden, co-developed with San Francisco Rec & Park, was entirely self-funded through donations and kicked off planning and design in 2021—it will be officially gifted to the City of San Francisco. A formal dedication day will take place on Saturday, May 3, bringing together family members of those memorialized, BAYS members, donors, healthcare workers, and political leaders including Senator Scott Weiner and Board of Supervisors Chair Rafael Mandelman to commemorate the occasion.
“San Francisco has always been a city of firsts, and I’m incredibly proud that its most visited park will soon be home to the nation’s first—and only—public memorial dedicated to those we’ve lost to breast cancer. As the only space of its kind, this memorial will offer a powerful place for reflection, unity, and healing,” said Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “BAYS has been an incredible partner, and after years of shared vision, dedication, and hard work, seeing this project come to life is profoundly moving.”
“The Memorial Garden will serve as a poignant reminder of the lives lost to metastatic breast cancer, many of whom have been my own patients,” said Dr. Hope Rugo, Director of Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education at UCSF. “It is also a very serene and special space that can offer comfort to those undergoing treatment, as well as the people and healthcare workers who care for them.”
Since its founding in 2003, BAYS has grown to an inclusive community of over 2,000 members. The organization provides essential peer support through support groups, community-building events, financial resources, and information-sharing platforms. BAYS remains committed to fostering a network that embraces diverse cultures, identities including LGBTQIA+, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The Bay Area Young Survivors Breast Cancer Memorial Garden will feature the names of the 109 BAYS members who have died of metastatic breast cancer, creating a peaceful space for remembrance and reflection. Open to all, it invites those impacted by cancer, local community members, and visitors to find solace and inspiration within its serene, rejuvenated landscape. Following the Memorial’s opening, BAYS will host ongoing volunteer workdays, offering opportunities for the community to gather and tend to the space together.
Dedication Day Details:
- What: Press Conference and Community Reception for the Bay Area Young Survivors Breast Cancer Memorial Garden
- When: Saturday, May 3 – Press Conference at 12:15pm at the Memorial site. First ticketed-entry Community Reception begins at 1:00pm in the Orchid Pavilion at the Conservatory of Flowers.
- Where: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA. The Memorial is located at the junction of Arguello Blvd and Conservatory Drive. Ticketed Community Reception begins in the Orchid Pavilion at the Conservatory of Flowers.
- For the Community Reception: Space is limited. Visit here to register for the May 3 Community Reception: https://givebutter.com/DedicationDay
About Bay Area Young Survivors (BAYS)
Media Contacts
BAYS Press Questions:
Christina Gregor Marini
christina@storylabsco.com
San Francisco Rec & Parks Press Questions:
Daniel Montes
daniel.montes@sfgov.org