Tuesday, May 27, 2008

June 1st. is National Cancer Survivor Day



National Cancer Survivors Day is a big day on The Healing Project's calendar. Our organization was founded by Debra Lachance, a breast cancer survivor, and many in our community are continuing to deal with cancer in its many forms.

This year The Healing Project would like to highlight two leading members of the medical community contributions to changing the way in which cancer is being treated.

H. Michael Shepard, PhD

Dr. Shepard is a member of The Healing Project's Board of Directors. For more than three decades, this Alpert Prize winning scientist has been redefining the treatment of cancer and the development of therapeutics. This extremely humble man was the team leader of the Herceptin discovery team at Genentech. The team's work not only produced one of the most efficacious oncology agents in history but also changed drug discovery forever by demonstrating the potential of targeted therapies. Although this single discovery has changed the lives of millions of breast cancer patients across the world would represent crowning achievement of any researcher's career, Michael remains in the lab and at the bench. He, is a founder, president and CSO of Receptor BioLogix, a California-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a newly discovered class of protein therapeutics called Intron Fusion Proteins™ (IFP™) to treat cancer, autoimmune, metabolic and other diseases.

Dr. Shepard's work has been game-changing. You may not know his name, but you should. He is one of the world's great scientists whose actions and results speak louder words. As Michael would say, "Science First."

Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS

Dr. Bernik is Chief of Breast Surgery for the comprehensive breast program at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. She is a scientific advisor for The Healing Project. A board certified surgeon specializing in breast diseases, Dr. Bernik has been at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center since 2000. In that time, she has developed a specialty in treating young women under 40 diagnosed with the disease.

Stephanie's work with women afflicted with cancer at an early age is designed to tailor treatments for patients hoping to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives. Dr. Bernik defines the current generation of cancer clinicians that approach these diseases from the point of view that many, if not most, are chronic conditions. The key is to give science the time to cure these conditions.

We highlighted these brilliant individuals on Cancer Survivors Day to remind everyone in our community that since the War on Cancer was declared 40 years ago we have made enormous strides, but we have along way to go. All survivors, families and loved ones must continue to support the drive for cures across all cancers. This not only involves demanding funding for cancer research but also volunteering for clinical trials, offering cells and providing tissue to the scientific community. It may require another 40 years but the end of most cancers is within reach if the scientific, clinical and patient communities cooperate and coordinate their efforts.

About National Cancer Survivors Day®

National Cancer Survivors Day® is an annual, worldwide Celebration of Life that is held in hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada, and other participating countries. Participants unite in a symbolic event to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality.

In most areas, National Cancer Survivors Day is traditionally observed on the first Sunday in June, although this is not always possible due to scheduling conflicts and time differences. Celebrating its 21st year in 2008, NCSD is the world’s largest and fastest-growing annual cancer survivor event.

The non-profit National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation supports hundreds of hospitals, support groups, and other cancer-related organizations that host National Cancer Survivors Day events in their communities by providing free guidance, education and networking. Anyone considering hosting an NCSD event can obtain a free NCSD Planning Kit.

Who is a cancer survivor? The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines a "survivor" as anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life. National Cancer Survivors Day affords your community an opportunity to demonstrate that it has an active, productive cancer survivor population.

So be sure to attend an official National Cancer Survivors Day event in your area. To locate an event near you, e-mail info@ncsdf.org or call 615-794-3006.

National Cancer Survivors Day
National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation
P.O. Box 682285
Franklin, TN 37068
(615) 794-3006
(615) 794-0179 Fax
info@ncsdf.org
http://www.ncsdf.org/
Materials available
Contact: None designated



1 comment:

Beth L. Gainer said...

I was published in Voices of Breast Cancer ("Breaking Barriers") and am grateful each day for surviving this horrific disease thus far.

Of course, no one knows what is in store for him or her, but cancer has taught me to live completely and to be grateful for my wonderful life and to help others navigate the medical system through my blog.

Beth L. Gainer
www.bethlgainer.blogspot.com