Making Strides Against Breast CancerRichmond Corporate Breakfast

August 4, 2011

Timeline

7:25 a.m. Making Strides Video7:30 a.m. Welcome – Christina Feerick7:35 a.m. Video – Year in Review 20107:45 a.m. Where the money goes? – Patti Jackson7:50 a.m. Research: Then & Now – Dr. Harry Bear8:00 a.m. Survivor Stories – Roxanne Bowles & Areta Johnson8:10 a.m. Flagship Panel8:20 a.m. Fundraising Panel8:30 a.m. Closing Remarks – Christina Feerick

7:30 a.m. – Welcome

CHRISTINA: Good Morning Everyone! I’m Christina Feerick with 8 News and I’m so honored to be with you here this morning. I’m also proud to say that 8 News is a long-time media partner with the American Cancer Society and we’ve been “making strides” since 2007. We are dedicated to helping the Society advance its mission of ending cancer and creating more birthdays for everyone.

So, you all know that the American Cancer Society is the Official Sponsor of Birthdays and we’ve been having lots of birthday parties for the past few years. Well, this year is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk’s 10th birthday! That’s right, this year marks our 10th anniversary of having the walk right here in Richmond.

Last year we had over 10,000 walkers raise over $400,000!!! Give yourselves a round of applause. I know this year we will have even more walkers and raise even more money in the fight against breast cancer.

We have a lot of exciting things planned for the anniversary celebration this year and we’ll be talking more about all of that throughout the next hour. We have a number of special people that will be joining me up here on the stage to talk to us about how the American Cancer Society is fighting breast cancer and then we’ll get to hear the exciting details of this year’s event.

First, let’s watch a video about what happened last year in the fight against cancer.

VIDEO: 2010 YEAR IN REVIEW

CHRISTINA: Now that we’ve seen the big picture, let’s hear a little about what’s happening here in the Richmond area. Please join me in welcoming our first guest, Patti Jackson. Patti is the Area Executive Director for the Central Virginia Area.

(Patti enters the stage and sits in the chair)

CHRISTINA: Patti, we just saw what’s been happening on a global front but what happening here locally?

PATTI: First and foremost I must thank all of the supporters in the room for the past 10 years and more. Our Making Strides event is one of the top events in the country and it would never happen without the support of our volunteers, survivors, sponsors and donors.

First and foremost, our phone lines are open every minute of every day and night to help connect people with the answers they need. Each year, we provide information, help, and support to the nearly one million individuals who call us at 1-800-227-2345. In addition, our Web site, cancer.org, offers access to the latest information and news on cancer and helps people locate programs and services in their area. In fact, we receive more calls and web hits about breast cancer than any other cancer topic.

And, patients that are being treated at Henrico Doctors Hospital can visit our new Cancer Resource Center to access our services. We are hoping to collaborate with other area hospitals to offer these throughout the area.

CHRISTINA: So, after someone makes the phone call, what kind of services are available here in the area?

PATTI: We connect newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with specially trained survivors through our Reach to Recovery program. They offer emotional support and understanding and help guide the patients.

We offer free transportation assistance to and from treatment and we are always looking for volunteer drivers for our Road to Recovery program as well.

We provide free wigs at our office here in Richmond. Any patient can call and make an appointment and we’ll help them find the right wig.

We provide a free make-up kit and assistance with treatment-related side effects through the Look Good…Feel Better program.

CHRISTINA: I know your programs help so many people. The hot topic in the news is cancer research and we’ve heard some highlights but what is happening right here?

PATTI: We spend more on breast cancer research that on any other cancer and we have been a part of ever major breast cancer research breakthrough in recent history. I’m sure Dr. Bear will tell you more about all of that next.

We are very excited that Virginia has some great research facilities including VCU’s Massey Cancer Center right here in Richmond. Right now we have 16 active grants totaling $6.4 million dollars in Virginia. There is some exciting research that is happening right here in our community.

CHRISTINA: That’s amazing. It’s good to hear that the money we raise is funding some innovative research here. Now Patti we saw in the video about some advocacy accomplishments last year, what’s happening now?

PATTI: Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers, we continue to be successful in fighting cancer by making sure that our state and federal legislators consider how legislation will affect cancer patients.

For example, we are very involved in working with state officials to determine how Virginia will implement the Affordable Care Act. We are at the table to make sure that the needs of cancer patients are addressed and that everyone has access to cancer screenings.

In addition, we were successful in securing additional state funding this year for the Massey Cancer Center here in Richmond and the UVA Cancer Center. We're not stopping with just this state increase though. Instead we have volunteers from all over Virginia that are headed to Washington in September to talk with our federal legislators about increasing federal funding for cancer research.

Everyone here today has the opportunity to make your voice heard as part of these visits. All you need to do is stop by the advocacy table on your way out the door and write a note about what cancer research means to you on the banner or in one of the books on the table. The banner and books will be delivered to Capitol Hill by our advocacy volunteers when they go there in September.

CHRISTINA: Thank you so much for joining us today. It’s good to see how the American Cancer Society is working to save lives in our community.

Please join me in welcoming our next guest, Dr. Harry Bear. Dr. Bear is a great friend of the American Cancer Society and the Chairman of the Division of Surgical Oncology at VCU.

Thank you for being here with us this morning, Dr. Bear. We’ve heard a little bit about the progress we are making in the fight against cancer. Can you tell us from your perspective what advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer?

DR. BEAR: Answers from experience.

Bullet Points: BRCA1 and BRCA 2 Testing Advances in mammography (not perfect but better than ever) Lumpectomy and radiation for the treatment of breast cancer Use of tamoxifen to reduce the risk of reoccurrences Development of Herceptin Knowledge that genetics, diet, lack of exercise, and even moderate drinking increase a

person’s cancer risk. Discovery of cancer-causing oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

CHRISTINA: Those advances are really amazing and the main reason that there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. Dr. Bear, can you tell us what is on the forefront in cancer research in particular around breast cancer research?

DR. BEAR: Answers from experience (2 potential studies below)

Mammograms can cut breast cancer deaths by a third

The study of 130,000 women in two communities in Sweden showed 30 percent fewer women in the screening group died of breast cancer and that this effect persisted year after year.

Read the full article

Tamoxifen has been shown to protect against breast cancer in high-risk women, and that protective effect can last years after active treatment has ceased. But use of the drug comes at a price for many women, specifically in the form of such serious side effects as stroke, blood clots, endometrial cancer, and others.

A recent study co-authored by American Cancer Society Director of Cancer Screening Robert A. Smith, PhD, and Peter Alperin, MD, of Archimedes Inc. used a mathematical model to simulate a post-menopausal population under age 55 years in a “virtual clinical trial” that looked at the costs and benefits of using tamoxifen to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

The researchers found that in post-menopausal women younger than 55 with a 5-year risk of developing breast cancer of 1.66 percent or greater, the benefits of tamoxifen are maximized while its side effects, which are more common in older women, are minimized. The model showed that chemoprevention with the drug prevents 29 breast cancer cases and 9 breast cancer deaths per 1,000 women treated in this age group, and saves $47,580 per 1,000 women treated.

“More precise breast cancer risk predictors, better understanding of the risk factors influencing tamoxifen’s side effects, and continued follow up of women who have taken tamoxifen to determine if protection lasts even longer than 15 years all suggest a promising future for the chemoprevention of breast cancer,” says Dr. Smith.

This study was published in the journal CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

CHRISTINA: Thank you for joining us today and for all of the good work you and your colleagues are doing.

Our next guests are two very special ladies. They are breast cancer survivors. As they are making their way to the stage, can we have all of the breast cancer survivors here with us today stand so we can recognize you.

<<APPLAUSE>>

Joining me on stage is 4-year breast cancer survivor, RoxAnne Bowles and 6-year breast cancer survivor, Areta Johnson.

Welcome ladies. RoxAnne, tell us a little about your diagnosis…

ROXANNE: I was diagnosed in 2007. I found the lump myself by doing a breast self-exam. Once I was diagnosed, I didn’t have a clue what to do even though I knew about the American Cancer Society. I was just blank. I then go information from my doctor regarding the American Cancer Society and I moved on it. The American Cancer Society helped me in many ways and one of those ways was through the Look Good…Feel Better program where I met Areta.

CHRISTINA: Areta, you are a survivor and also a licensed cosmetologist in the area. Tell us a little bit about what Look Good…Feel Better is and your involvement in the program.

ARETA: The Look Good…Feel Better program offers a two-hour, hands-on group workshop conducted by volunteer cosmetologists and includes a 12-step skin care and makeup program. Women are offered a demonstration on how to use wigs, turbans, scarves and hats to help them cope with the side effects of cancer treatment and help restore their sense of inner and outer beauty.

Patients must be undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment to participate in LGFB. Today, LGFB group programs are held in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

CHRISTINA: RoxAnne, tell us a little bit about your experience when you went to the session that was led by Areta.

ROXANNE: Personal experience from RoxAnne

CHRISTINA: It sounds like the program really helps women regain their confidence while they are undergoing treatment. Now tell us what the Making Strides walk means to you and why should the community get involved?

ROXANNE: I love the Making Strides walk because I love helping people and I love that Strides brings our community together for a good cause and as a survivor I see what it does every single day I look in the mirror. We need everyone’s help. My fight is not over. I want to give back as much as I can as long as I can. I know that my children are counting on me and I know that there is someone in my community counting on me as well.

ARETA: Making Strides is a great opportunity for us to educate our community about breast cancer. Early detection is the key! We need all the women…and men in our community to hear that message. I know I’m here today because of the advances in cancer research as well and that is one of the main reasons that me and my faith community and I continue to raise money every year.CHRISTINA: Ladies, thank you so much for joining us today and for all that you do.

Now, I would like to take a few minutes to recognize the sponsors that make this event a success.

As our flagship sponsors come and join me on the stage, I’d like to recognize our other media sponsors: WRIC 8 News, Lite 98, Radio One Richmond, Richmond Family Magazine and Lamar. Let’s give our media sponsors a round of applause.

We have a few representatives from our flagship sponsors with us today and I’m going to let them introduce themselves and tell us what company you are with.

CarMax- Michelle EllwoodDominion - Lyn McDermidThe Electrical Team - Jim UnderwoodPepsi - Shauna McQuillenSunTrust – Adrienne Whitaker

Kroger is a sponsor as well but they were unable to join us today.

Jim, The Electrical Team has been a sponsor since Making Strides began 10 years ago. Tell us what the 10th anniversary of this event means to you…

JIM:

CHRISTINA: Thanks Jim. I know that SunTrust is a long time sponsor as well and one of the top sponsors across the country. Tell us about your goal this year…

ADRIENNE:

CHRISTINA: Congratulations and best of luck to you all at SunTrust in meeting your goal. Michelle, CarMax has been a long time sponsor as well. What does participating in Making Strides mean to everyone at CarMax?

MICHELLE:

CHRISTINA: Thank you Michelle and everyone at CarMax for your continued support. Lyn, I know that Making Strides is special to you on a personal level. What does Dominion’s ongoing support of Making Strides mean to you and the company?

LYN:

CHRISTINA: Thank you for sharing and to everyone at Dominion for your commitment to ending breast cancer.

Our final flagship is our new one! Welcome Shauna and to everyone at Pepsi to Making Strides. Tell everyone what made you all decide to make the commitment as a sponsor and what it means to your employees at Pepsi...

SHAUNA:

Let’s give our flagship sponsors another round of applause for all of their support.

<<APPLAUSE>>

Now, please join me in welcoming our final guests to the stage. As you all know you were invited here today to learn more about what Making Strides is and how you can get involved. Our next guests are here to tell us all of that. Please join me in welcoming…

- Corliss Hamilton who is the Making Strides Event Manager- Gail Taylor from Crab Ladies Team at SunTrust- Susan Cox from the Flock of Friends at Dominion Resources

Welcome ladies!

First I’d like to say congratulations on your success last year. Tell everyone what you all have planned for your 10th anniversary this year…

CORLISS: Thank you Christina. We are very excited about our 10th anniversary event. We have literally grown out of every venue we’ve had in the past. This year our event is at Brown’s Island so we have lots of room to grow there.

We’ve also invited some vendors to come so that there is a variety of food available this year.

And last but not least we’ll have live entertainment. Right now we have 2 bands – Monkey Fist and 4Play scheduled to perform and 2 solo artists – Francoise Hamilton and Brittany B. Michelle.

We also have our event t-shirt. I’ll hold up a sample to show everyone.

This year we are asking everyone to pay a $25 registration fee which kicks of your fundraising for the event and in return you’ll get a free t-shirt along with access to all the activities we have planned on Brown’s Island that afternoon.

It will really be a full afternoon of fun for the entire family.

CHRISTINA: Everything sounds so exciting and I will be there to MC the opening ceremony before the 5K walk starts.

Gail, you are a team leader and your team raised over $20,000 last year. Tell us what is involved in being a team leader and maybe some tips for someone that hasn’t done it before…

GAIL: Website Fundraising ideas Forming your team Registering online

CHRISTINA: Gail, thank you for sharing and good luck to your team this year!

Susan, I understand that you are a Pacesetter. Most likely everyone here today doesn’t know what that is. Can you tell us what it means to be a Pacesetter?

SUSAN: Becoming a Pacesetter is your opportunity to take your passion for fighting breast cancer to the next level.

The only requirement to become a Pacesetter is to reach or surpass the Pacesetter goal of $2,000.

CHRISTINA: And how do you get started?

SUSAN: It’s easy. Just sign up online at your event’s website then set your individual fundraising goal at $2,000 or higher and then start sending emails to your friends, family members, and coworkers, asking them to help you reach your goal

Once you reach or surpass the Pacesetter minimum in donations, you'll become a Pacesetter and a member of the Pacesetters Club!

CHRISTINA: Congratulations! Thank you for sharing that.

Corliss, are there any final things?

CORLISS: Division August Incentive Team Captain bags “LIKE” us on Facebook (Facebook.com/StridesRichmond) Register today in the back of the room

CHRISTINA: Thank you ladies!

Well that wraps up this morning’s breakfast. Don’t forget to grab your Team Captain Toolkit on your way out and please be sure to stop by the Advocacy table as well.

I’ll see you at 8News and be sure to watch for all of the stories and updates we’ll have on there and then I’ll see you again person on October 2nd at Brown’s Island to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk with you.

Good luck and have a wonderful day!