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Giving Back: Rider’s Motivation to Conquer Cancer

November 7, 2014, 9:54 am
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This October, cyclists from throughout the Philadelphia area will be riding approximately 150 miles to raise money for cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center through The Philadelphia Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Here are two stories of riders who are making an impact in The Ride to Conquer Cancer.  

"I've been given the opportunity to live." - Eileen

In early 2013, Eileen Doyle went to the doctor concerned about inconsistencies in her menstrual cycle. That March, at the age of 26, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. A large tumor was removed, and later she had both of her ovaries removed. Eileen endured six months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, which took a huge toll on her and seriously affected the active lifestyle to which she was accustomed.

Facing a cancer diagnosis and managing treatment can be one of the most difficult times in a person’s life – the physical pain is terrible, but the emotional challenges that cancer brings can be even tougher. For Eileen, not only did she have to undergo aggressive treatments, but she was still grieving the loss of her 23-year old sister, who had passed away just one year earlier from stage IV metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. Eileen found it helpful to participate in weekly support groups – finding strength in sharing experiences with others facing or having faced cancer.

Participating in The Ride to Conquer Cancer means everything to Eileen, not only to help her become more active again, but also to give back to her medical team at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center who saved her life. “It means everything to be able to give back to The Abramson Cancer Center and to share with my friends and family the amazing support that the staff gave me to help me get better.”

Eileen will tell anyone how much easier her visits are because even though she’s going to the hospital, it is a great atmosphere with staff that are welcoming and supportive to each individual patient. “I have been given the opportunity to live and with this new perspective I am determined to keep going with as positive of an attitude as I possibly can.” 

Read more of Eileen's story on her participant page.

Kevin wants to raise money that stays local, to help local people with cancer

Kevin Kelly was diagnosed over 15 years ago with leukemia.

He was treated by David L. Porter, MD, at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, who is part of a comprehensive team of experts whose vision helped establish one of the oldest and largest Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Programs in the country. Fortunately, Kevin had a brother who was a match, which enabled him to undergo a successful bone marrow transplant and work towards recovery from his cancer.

About four years ago, during a routine bone marrow biopsy, Kevin’s doctors discovered that his cancer had returned. He is now on a daily medication that stabilizes his cancer, but it requires him to go to the hospital every 45 to 60 days for tests. It was during one of these checkups that he saw an advertisement for The Ride to Conquer Cancer and registered without hesitation. To be able to be part of supporting the research that helped provide Kevin with treatment options was all the motivation he needed.

“I’m happy to be a part of this ride so that I can share my own experiences at Penn and help raise money that stays local to help local people.”

Despite his treatments, Kevin feels great and is training regularly, now up to 65 miles in a single ride. Training helps him get through the psychological effects of his cancer by keeping him focused on positive health. 

“Participating in The Ride is a goal. Not many people can ride 150 miles in a weekend, but with the training and support from The Ride guides, you will accomplish something great that will go towards a great cause.”

Read more of Kevin's story on his participant page. 

Join the Crew

Are you interested in getting involved in The Ride to Conquer Cancer, but don’t want to ride 150 miles? We still need you!

We are actively seeking people to join our crew team, volunteering to support the hundreds of riders along their route by:
  • Providing snacks and meals on the route
  • Setting up camp
  • Providing medical care if you need it
  • Marking the route with directional signage
  • Driving our event vehicles
  • Helping with route safety
  • And much more!
Crew members are the backbone of the event. They are our bike mechanics, route guides and food distributors. Because of all their hard work and dedication, crew members experience the same perks as the riders such as access to a hot shower, catered meals and a cozy tent at Camp.

Join us today and be part of a great team!

Learn more about becoming a crew member, or contact Bridget at 215-323-5005 or bjustice@ridetovictory.org.
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Fall 2014 Brings New Ways to Mark Distant and Quite Recent Past

November 17, 2014, 9:24 am
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As the mild summer began to wane, the Perelman School kicked off its 250th year with a 500-cupcake salute, announced a November celebration in DC and summer tour of Scotland, and picked the winner of the new Student Summer Photo Contest.


Birthday Party Makes the News

Local TV reporters were on hand to capture highlights from the September 8 cake-cutting celebration that kicked off the Perelman School of Medicine’s 250th year. Ray Perelman, the School’s largest benefactor, who, along with his late wife Ruth, pledged $225 million to the medical school in 2011, joined hundreds of faculty, staff, and students, for slices of three Penn-themed cakes and 500 cupcakes. Reports by NBC10 and 6ABC put the spotlight on America’s first medical school, and the festivities hosted by University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann, Dean J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, and Ralph W. Muller, CEO of the Penn Medicine Health System.

250th Road Show: Penn Medicine in DC

The 16th Administrator of USAID, alumnus Rajiv Shah, M’02, GRW’05, will be the featured local speaker at the Nov. 20 reception celebrating the 250th. Shortly after being sworn in on New Year’s Eve 2009, Dr. Shah led USAID’s response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Regional alumni leaders Lou Kozloff, C’65, M’69, and Martin Kanovsky, M’78, INT’79, RES’81, FEL’83, invite you to join them along with Dean J. Larry Jameson and Senior Vice Dean for Education Gail Morrison for the Thursday event, to be held in the Ronald Reagan Building of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“We have many alumni in the DC and Baltimore area – the NIH is there, too – and this is an ideal opportunity to let them know about cutting-edge changes to the curriculum and physical changes to the campus,” said Dr. Kanovsky. Added Dr. Kozloff, “I’m most proud not that we’re the oldest school but that we’re doing some of the newest, most innovative work, and we hope to get fellow alumni engaged and excited about our impressive progress along with the celebrations scheduled in May.”

For more information, email pmevents@ben.dev.upenn.edu or call 215-898-8412

Celebrating the More Recent Past

What did you do during the summer break? Our students’ answers show that they continue to make the Perelman School a dynamic and influential place. Please go to our Facebook page to see the first Student Summer Photo Contest and enjoy some amazing vistas, near and far. Contest winner Prioty Islam, M'15, said, “I had high expectations for one of the seven natural wonders, and our excursion to Victoria Falls was my most anticipated trip while in Africa. Long after I could see the Falls, my ears were filled with its deafening roar. This is Victoria Fall’s native namesake – ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya,’ the Smoke that Thunders.”

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Tour Scotland this Summer! Special Trip Created for Our 250th

November 17, 2014, 9:28 am
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Penn Alumni Travel has arranged a July 2-10, 2015, trip to Scotland. Among other activities, the tour will explore the Perelman School’s historic roots with University Archivist Mark Frazier Lloyd. For details, please visit the Penn Alumni Travel Page.
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Collaborative Spirit Provides Hope to Patients and Families this Holiday Season

November 25, 2014, 8:41 am
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“At CSL Behring, we appreciate our partnership with the United Way and every year help raise money for those less fortunate in our local communities. Our company matches individual contributions dollar for dollar, and donates those funds to causes identified by employees as closest to their hearts. We’re proud to support the Abramson Cancer Center as part of our 2014-2015 United Way Campaign in recognition of our employees’ passion for supporting Health and Cancer-related initiatives.”

-Karen Etchberger, Executive Vice President, Quality and Business Services, CSL Behring

The holiday season is a time for giving back and celebrating with friends and family. And for many of our patients and families battling cancer, philanthropic support eases the financial burden that cancer brings – enabling them to enjoy the holiday’s just like everyone else. Imagine having to choose between paying for your medical bills and buying your 6 year-old child a new toy? Because of our wonderful community of supporters, including companies like CSL Behring who helped raise $40,000 through their employee giving campaign, this year our patients and families holiday season will be a little bit brighter. Philanthropic support helps provide the supportive services and resources needed to guide people throughout their cancer journeys – from navigation, social work, and special needs funds to nutrition and psychosocial counseling, support groups, and education and outreach programs.

Thank you to our many generous supporters! And for those of you looking to make a meaningful gift this holiday, consider making a gift to support our patients and families in need by clicking here, and honor a special person in your life (we’ll send them a notice of your generosity).

From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS LEADERSHIP DONORS:

Merle Krimsky
Catherine and Sam Sidewater
Judy Munroe and Steve Sidewater
The Sidewater Family Foundation

And to the many employees who participated in the CSL Behring giving campaign and helped select the Abramson Cancer Center as a destination for your generosity, thank you for your thoughtful giving!

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is a leader in the plasma protein therapeutics industry. Committed to saving lives and improving the quality of life for people with rare and serious diseases, the company manufactures and markets a range of plasma-derived and recombinant therapies worldwide. CSL Behring therapies are used around the world to treat coagulation disorders including hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, primary immune deficiencies, hereditary angioedema and inherited respiratory disease, and neurological disorders in certain markets. The company’s products are also used in cardiac surgery, organ transplantation, burn treatment and to prevent hemolytic diseases in the newborn.

CSL Behring operates one of the world’s largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. CSL Behring is a global biopharmaceutical company and a member of the CSL Group of companies. The parent company, CSL Limited (ASX:CSL), is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. For more information, visit http://www.cslbehring.com/.

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Mary’s Merry Mice

December 15, 2014, 12:48 pm
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Four years ago, Mary Hopkinson started a project called Mary’s Merry Mice, while she was battling primary peritoneal cancer at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. Knowing first-hand how trying it can be to undergo chemotherapy treatments during the holidays, Mary was inspired to brighten the spirits of her fellow patients and use her own creativity and experience to do so. She crafted thousands of felt mice ornaments with candy canes and distributed them at local hospitals, before she lost her own battle in September 2013.
12 year old, Trayton Budrow, with Mary's Merry Mice
To honor Mary’s spirit her close friend, Cindy Dabback, promised to continue this thoughtful tradition that brings smiles to the faces of patients in our community. This year, Cindy and volunteers have distributed 4,200 of Mary’s Merry Mice among five local hospitals, including the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Trayton Budrow with his mom, Lisa Budrow, and Cindy Dabback, volunteered to hand out Mary's Merry Mice at the Abramson Cancer Center.
Honor a loved one affected by cancer and raise vital funding by creating a giving page at GivingPages.upenn.edu. To learn more about ways you can help give back and inspire hope, contact Penn Medicine Development at 215.898.0578 or Abramson-Gifts@upenn.edu.
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Harron Lung Center Gift

December 16, 2014, 12:11 pm
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John Hansen-Flaschen, MD, first met Paul Harron, Jr., in 2005, when he was emergently transferred to HUP in respiratory failure. “He said hello and then I intubated him,” he said. When they took up the conversation again, “Paul asked me what I was passionate about. I told him my lifelong dream was to create a lung center,” he said. “He took an interest in what we were doing.” Sadly, Harron, who was a broadcast and cable television pioneer, died before he could help Hansen-Flaschen realize his dream but his family followed through, honoring his commitment to support the lung center with a $10 million gift.

(From left) Giovanna Imbesi and Patti Imbesi (Paul’s sister and niece), John Hansen-Flaschen, MD, and his daughter, Lauren Billheimer, and Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, the Paul F. Harron Jr. Associate Professor of Medicine, of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care.

“The Harron Center is the embodiment of John’s work,” said Michael Parmacek, MD, chair of Medicine, at the recent naming of the Paul F. Harron, Jr. Lung Center. “Humanism and caring touches everything he does. We need more physicians like John Hansen-Flaschen.”

Hansen-Flaschen modeled his idea for a multidisciplinary lung center on weekly conferences in the 1960s when specialists from pulmonary, thoracic surgery, radiology, and lung pathology would get together to discuss cases of interest and get to know each other. The Harron Center naming gift “provided funding for the physical space of the center, endowed two department professorships, delivered essential research support, and enabled us to offer one-stop convenience to our patients,” he said. “I am so grateful to members of his family.”

“The family’s generosity will have a huge impact on Penn for a long time, “ said J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine.

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Abramson Cancer Center: Helping Patients and Families Start the New Year Off Right

December 22, 2014, 1:32 pm
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We’re dedicated to providing our patients’ and families’ access to the most advanced possible research and patient care programs to ensure they have the best options to prevent, treat, and live after cancer. The Abramson Cancer Center supports patients throughout their cancer journey, giving them important tools to help ease the burden that cancer can bring, and help them heal.

BRAIN Behavioral Change Center

Dr. Caryn Lerman is leading the charge to better understand the brain's role in decision making, and develop ways to strengthen your resolve to make healthier life decisions, like quitting smoking and overeating. Watch a video about the BRAIN initiative here.


Smoking cessation programs are available through the Paul F. Harron, Jr. Lung Center.


Tracey L. Birnhak Nutritional Counseling Program

A healthy diet can help lower your risk for cancer, and prevent recurrence. The Tracey L. Birnhak Nutritional Counseling Program is a vital component to our patients care. Hear more healthy eating tips here.


Integrative Medicine and Wellness
See a video about how reiki, yoga, acupuncture, massage and other tools are helping to ease the burden of cancer for our patients and families. Join efforts to raise funds for a dedicated Relax and Renew Retreat for cancer patients by making a gift here. 


Mindfulness Meditation
Whether or not you have been directly affected by cancer, mindfulness meditation tools are a powerful way to increase awareness and methods to cope with stress. For course offerings or to make a gift to support bringing mindfulness to more people, click here.






Survivorship Program
Life doesn’t stop with cancer, and as survivorship continues to improve, it is important to be aware of potential long-term side effects from treatments, risk factors to discuss with your primary care physician, as well as screenings for recurrence. Read the story of Shantae ‘Shani’ Ockimey, a childhood cancer survivor and program participant.




  
Support
The emotional toll that cancer brings can be overwhelming. Whether you are more comfortable in a group or individual setting, seeking counseling to talk about your cancer experience is an important part of one’s care. Support groups, psychosocial counselors through the Paula A. Seidman Psychosocial Counseling Program, social workers, and navigators are available to help at little or no cost.


Education
OncoLink is the web’s first cancer information resource, started at Penn before Google and Yahoo, and provides important information and resources about cancer care, as well as blogs from a diverse set of voices. Check out their Holiday Survival Guide for helpful hints and precious memories from cancer survivors and their families.


Patient Education Conferences are available at no cost throughout the year, providing a forum to learn from experts across disciplines about the latest advances in care and treatment as well as meet other patients and survivors during these day-long, disease-specific conferences. See upcoming events here.

Giving Back

Philanthropy enables the Abramson Cancer Center to stay at the forefront of advanced research and provide the most comprehensive compassionate care and support services – providing hope to patients and families. Help support our mission by making a gift today.

https://giving.apps.upenn.edu/giving/jsp/fast.do?program=MC&fund=600499
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Artist and Survivor Finds Inspiration During his Cancer Journey

February 23, 2015, 7:03 am
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“We discovered that the Abramson Cancer Center was a place that was really thinking through these big problems in cancer, and studying them as they are happening. In the cancer world, things are changing every day. It’s this moving target, so I was grateful to have found a place that values research, especially with a case like mine that doesn’t fit the mold. They created this treatment for me, and that was really important.”
- Jacob Riley-Wasserman, esophageal cancer survivor


Jacob Riley-Wasserman was only 23 when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

He had just started a graduate program at NYU when he got the news, and was forced onto a much different path than most of his peers. “I felt like this doesn’t usually happen to someone my age, and so there’s no way that this could be that bad. It took a while to sort of just process it,” shared Jacob.

He turned to Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center and the Roberts Proton Therapy Center for treatment, which included 6 weeks of proton radiation and chemotherapy, to be followed by surgery. It was at the Roberts Center that Jacob became fascinated by the treatment process, as well as the technology and research that led to its advancement.

“The doctors at Penn really looked at me as a person. They didn’t look at me as a patient with esophageal cancer. They looked at me as Jacob with esophageal cancer, which was really important, because I’m a 23-year-old with esophageal cancer and that’s most common in 80-year-old men. They saw me, and they saw the things that I was interested in doing, and helped me make those really important connections that helped me think through this treatment.”

As a designer and artist, Jacob was especially drawn to the compensator blocks used to direct the proton beam to the treatment area.

“Compensator blocks are custom made to fit the patient and their particular tumor,” says Jim Metz, MD, interim chair of radiation oncology at Penn. “Before proton therapy begins, the blocks are created based on scans of the patient’s anatomy and tumor site. Each time they come in for therapy, the compensator blocks are placed in the beam line to shape the distribution of protons over the target area while sparing exposure to normal tissue.”

Jacob was so fascinated with the compensator block, he asked to take his home. “They have my anatomy carved into them, and they catch the light in this really beautiful way. Now I have them as book ends on my shelf; they have my name on them and my completion date.”

Then he had another idea. “I thought it would be a cool thing to start offering to patients,” says Jacob. In response, the Roberts Proton Therapy Center started a program in which patients take their blocks home, and make a small donation to the Beam of Life Campaign to support patient care, education, and research initiatives, so all patients can benefit.

Also a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Jacob’s received much acclaim for his Star Spangled Spatula design. After being diagnosed with cancer, Jacob thoughtfully added a philanthropic component to his business, donating half of the proceeds from his sales to the Abramson Cancer Center.

After taking a year off for treatments, Jacob is doing well back at NYU, busy taking classes and thinking of his next big idea.

To purchase a Star Spangled Spatula, or to learn more about Jacob, visit www.flip4cancer.com

Click here to make a gift to the Beam of Life Campaign for Radiation Oncology.
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Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center is Teaching the World and Inspiring Philanthropic Partners

March 24, 2015, 8:38 am
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“Knowing the world is looking to the Abramson Cancer Center empowered me, and it should empower us all, to support these men and women whose groundbreaking treatments are finding solutions for previously unsolvable problems.”—Cynthia Horowitz, cancer survivor and partner in hope

From Pennsylvania to California, and Europe to Asia, physicians from around the country and globe are traveling to the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) to observe and learn about TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS)—a groundbreaking surgical approach that removes previously un-reachable tumors found in the mouth, voice box, tonsil, tongue, and other parts of the throat.

Penn Medicine is home to the world’s first TORS Program, helping to bring this innovative surgical technique to benefit of patients abroad as well as those in the Abramson Cancer Center’s ”back yard,” and serves as the international epicenter for skull-based surgery education.

One of those beneficiaries is Cynthia Horowitz, who was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in 2012, and was immediately referred by her ear, nose, and throat specialist in New Jersey to Gregory S. Weinstein, MD, FASC, co-director of the Center for Head and Neck Cancer at Penn Medicine’s ACC.

“My doctor had recently attended a TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) seminar run by Dr. Weinstein, and told me that the remarkable advancements happening in treating my cancer were happening at the Abramson Cancer Center,” Mrs. Horowitz explained.

“He said if it was he or a member of his family with tonsil cancer, Dr. Weinstein would be his only choice for surgical care.”

The Abramson Cancer Center’s Scientific and Surgical Revolution

TORS is a revolutionary minimally invasive surgery utilizing the Da Vinci® robotic surgical system that was developed by Dr. Weinstein and Dr. Bert O’Malley at Penn Medicine—that reduces healing time and significantly improves patients’ quality of life.

But it wasn’t just being in the hands of the surgeon that pioneered a revolutionary new approach to surgery that put Mrs. Horowitz at ease. It was the attentive care she was given by her entire cancer care team.

“When I came to my first appointment with Dr. Weinstein I had pages of questions, and valued the time and commitment he and his team gave to each and every one of them,” Mrs. Horowitz explained. “I was given all the time I needed to understand my treatment plan, and was put at ease with my options. This was incredibly important as I adjusted to my cancer diagnosis.”

While Dr. Weinstein and Mrs. Horowitz’s care team exhibited incredible compassion, the revolutionary procedure also lived up to its promise. Mrs. Horowitz’s hard-to-reach tumor was successfully removed and she is back to spending time with her two children and enjoy traveling with her husband, Larry.

“Looking at me today,” Mrs. Horowitz explained, “no one would know what I went through. I am a healthy individual with no distracting visible signs of my surgery.”

World Leaders in TransOral Robotic Surgery

Almost a decade after the TORS program was established at Penn, the vast majority of surgeons who have established TORS programs in the United States and abroad were trained at Penn Medicine. In July 2014, the Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery hosted 240 members of the otorhinolaryngology community, representing 33 countries and 25 states during the 1st International TransOral Robot Surgery (TORS) Conference.

Penn Medicine is truly leading and teaching the world—but we are doing it with a compassionate touch.

“Every day I marvel at how far we have come, and how fortunate I am to have been a part of the scientific and surgical revolution happening at the Abramson Cancer Center—and I am in awe of the confident and compassionate care I received during my throat cancer treatment. I am so thankful to be alive and healed, and recognize that philanthropy is the key to continuing these innovative advancements.”
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The Breakthrough Bike Challenge: Inspiring Progress in Cancer Research at Penn

April 23, 2015, 10:31 am
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This dedicated group will ride again on May 31, 2015




"The care that the doctors delivered to my husband Muscoe, and the care with which it was delivered, made all the difference during his cancer journey."— Jennifer Pinto-Martin, PhD, MPH, grateful family member

A diagnosis of glioblastoma is a devastating piece of news for patients and their loved ones. This aggressive form of brain cancer has no cure and treatment options have varying degrees of success. At Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, physician-scientists work tirelessly to develop the latest personalized, innovative therapies that hold promise to one day turn the tide on brain cancer.

For Jennifer Pinto-Martin, PhD, MPH, Viola MacInnes/Independence Professor of Nursing and Chair of Behavioral Health Sciences in the School of Nursing, the ACC's efforts strike a very personal note. Her husband, Muscoe, an accomplished architect and loving father, was diagnosed with glioblastoma. His fight and ability to remain strong in the face of an incredibly challenging cancer diagnosis, was an inspiration. Jennifer was struck by the commitment of Muscoe’s doctors, Timothy H. Lucas Jr., MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, and Arati S. Desai, MD, MAS, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine. "We always felt like they had all the time in the world to answer our questions and to care for us," shared Jennifer.

Jennifer, motivated both by Muscoe's fight and the level of care by his doctors, set out to raise support for Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center. She joined with a group of friends to create the Breakthrough Bike Challenge in 2014, an event that brought together cyclists for a ride in Valley Forge to raise support for the ACC. The ride was an overwhelming success, raising over $50,000 in its inaugural year to fund glioblastoma and lymphoma research at Penn.

This year, on May 31, cyclists will once again gear up and hit the road. The Breakthrough Bike Challenge leadership team—which includes Jennifer, Chris Hall, Randy Bown, Jeff Krieger, and Ernie Tracy—believes this is just the beginning and that their event will continue to gain traction, funding cancer research in a strategic way and rewarding the most promising lines of research. In fact, 100% of the proceeds from the Breakthrough Bike Challenge will support the research of junior investigators through a pilot program at the ACC.

While this year's ride is poised to become another resounding success, there will be a noticeable absence in the crowd of supporters. Muscoe Martin passed away in December 2014. Despite the fact that he will not be physically present for the 2nd Annual Breakthrough Bike Challenge, his presence will no doubt be felt by everyone, and the impact of the work of Muscoe, Jennifer, and others will be felt as the ACC continues to make advances—rather, breakthroughs—in the treatment of cancer.

Please visit breakthroughbikechallenge.org to read more about the ride and become involved in this phenomenal fundraising effort that brings hope to patients everywhere. To get involved in raising funds for glioblastoma research, click here, or contact Andrew Bellet at 215-573-0548 or abellet@upenn.edu.
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For Gary Monaco, the Roberts Proton Patient Alumni Group is a Family Affair

June 1, 2015, 9:46 am
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Gary and his son at Roberts Proton Alumni Event and 5-Year Anniversary Celebration of the
opening of the Roberts Proton Therapy Center.

“The machine at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center is amazing, but it was the people behind the machine, and my fellow patients, those in the waiting rooms, that made all the difference in my cancer treatment and recovery. And that is why the Alumni events have become so important to me—and my family.”
Gary Monaco, prostate cancer patient

The Roberts Proton Patient Alumni group is a ‘family’ affair for Gary Monaco

When Gary Monaco attended this April’s Roberts Proton Therapy Alumni event, he brought his son Shane, because it only made sense to celebrate his remission from prostate cancer with his family, as well as his Penn family.

After Gary was diagnosed with prostate cancer during a routine check-up with his general practitioner, his brother-in-law recommended that Gary see Alan Wein, MD, PhD, for his care.


From left to right: Gary, Conlin and Shane.

“As soon as I shook Dr. Wein’s hand and sat down with him, I just knew that I was seeing the top guy and was in the right place for my treatment. I had concerns, of course, but once I was at Penn, I was never panicked, and that is because of Dr. Wein and my radiation oncologist Dr. Neha Vapiwala,” explained Gary.

A Plan of Action

Together, Gary and his care team devised a treatment program that included forty-four sessions of pencil-beam proton therapy at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center and one injection of Lupron, a synthetic hormone used to slow the growth of the cancer. This combination therapy gave Gary the best chance of beating his cancer while also addressing his quality-of-life concerns like preserving his sexual function after treatment.

The largest and most advanced facility of its kind, the Roberts Center is one of the few centers in the world that offers pencil beam scanning (PBS) in an integrated radiation oncology setting. A non-invasive cancer treatment for patients, proton therapy uses pencil beam scanning that allows doctors to precisely “paint” the tumor with a proton beam and adjust the intensity of the beam to achieve the desired dose distribution.


From left to right: Conlin, Garrett and Shane.
Ideal for complex cancers, in which the tumor is located near critical organs, PBS can further reduce patient side effects and allow less radiation to be delivered to healthy tissues.

But for Gary, the people administering his treatment were just as important as the cutting-edge treatments performed in a state-of-the art facility—and making sure his wife and three sons, Conlin, Shane, and Garrett, felt as secure with Penn as he did, was essential.

“My family was at ease the moment they came with me to a treatment. The Roberts Center has done the impossible, taken a sterile and foreboding concept, the cyclotron and created a comfortable, cozy environment. That first visit gave my family a comfort level that buoyed me through my journey.”

This is a sentiment echoed by his sons.

“When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, I was both in denial and automatically fearful. But when we came with him to Penn, we were immediately reassured and had the confidence and hope that everything was going to be ok. We knew he was in good hands,” explained Conlin Monaco.

One-of-a-kind Roberts Center provides one-of-a-kind treatment

There are many reasons why Penn Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology stands out amongst other programs as a global leader and pioneer in radiation oncology. But above all, its uniqueness resides in a patient-focused care philosophy that puts the patient first by treating the whole person: medically, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

While the pencil beam treatments gave Gary no problems, he had terrible side effects to Lupron— and Dr. Vapiwala referred him to Jun J. Mao, MD, director of the Abramson Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine and Wellness (IMW) program.

“The Abramson Cancer Center provides the most innovative and targeted cancer treatments and a overall experience of healing by supplementing cancer treatments with complementary and alternative medicine—yoga, acupuncture, mindful medication, and Reiki massage—that enhance the quality of patients' lives, minimize or reduce side effects of cancer and cancer treatment, and promote healing and recovery,” explained Dr. Mao.

For Gary, Reiki— the gentle, completely non-invasive practice that involves light touch of the practitioner's hands on, or slightly above, the patient's body—did more than just reduce stress and anxiety, increase energy, and promote feelings of peace, wellness, and balance. It eliminated the 10 to 20 massive hot flashes he was having daily—after just 3 sessions.

“From my care team to the Reiki specialists to my dietitian, I felt that everyone at the Abramson Cancer Center treated me like I was the only patient they were seeing. They all made me feel like Henry Hill arriving at the Copacabana.”

Team-mentality bolstered by a community of support

Because the Center’s physicians are highly specialized to treat specific cancer types, patients are assigned a team of the doctors, therapists, and nurses that, in most cases, see them through their entire course of treatment. This system offers the support of personal connections that are so crucial when undergoing cancer treatment.

“The machine at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center is amazing, but it was the people behind the machine, and my fellow patients, those in the waiting rooms, that made all the difference in my cancer treatment and recovery. And that is why the Alumni events have become so important to me— and my family,” said Gary.

Hosted by the Penn Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology, the Roberts Proton Patient Alumni receptions give past proton therapy patients the opportunity to reconnect with the doctors, nurses, and fellow patients that played significant roles in their treatment.


From left to right: Gary & Katie
“At the Abramson Cancer Center I was treated with dignity and humanity, and surrounded by love and compassion,” explained Mr. Monaco. “I build incredibly lasting relationships and had such an amazing experience that I had separation anxiety once my treatment was over.”

The Roberts Proton Therapy Alumni Group gives back in meaningful ways: important educational outreach resource and patient service advocates, their feedback will help the proton therapy treatment experience to be continually enhanced.

“The legacy my father has given me and my brothers from his experience goes beyond being more conscious of everything I do health wise, it has awoken me to be more appreciative of life and the people in it,” said Shane Monaco.

For more information on how to support Radiation Oncology research and patient care please contact Karrie Borgelt by email kborgelt@exchange.upenn.edu or phone (215) 898-9931, or click here to make a gift.

To learn more about the Roberts Proton Therapy Alumni Group, click here.
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A Love for Life: Changing the Future of Pancreatic Cancer

June 24, 2015, 1:27 pm
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Christine Edmonds and her children Harrison & Adrienne at the dragon boat races.


“It is important for someone who has pancreatic cancer, or knows someone with it, to make an effort to raise money for research. We used our sadness to motivate us to do something. It has been incredibly healing for our family and friends to give back.”
—Christine Edmonds, A Love for Life


When Christine Edmonds lost her husband, Kevin, to pancreatic cancer in just 18 months, she knew she wanted to do her part to make an impact on improving diagnosis and treatment. With the support of family and friends, A Love for Life was created to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research—and last year donated $100,000 to Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center.


Kevin Edmonds and his sister, Nora.
Two years before Kevin’s diagnosis, his sister, Nora, died of the same disease. After Kevin fell ill, he and Christine went from hospital to hospital looking to confirm their instincts and find a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. However, with no clear indicator, doctors suggested possible gall bladder issues, Crohns disease, or fibromyalgia.

A tumor developed on his spine, but a biopsy indicated an unknown origin. Finally, an MRI on Christmas Eve 2010 showed pancreatic cancer, which had grown enough to be detected. Having once worked as publisher of the American Cancer Society’s Clinical Trials and Oncology Records, Kevin knew that his time was short. He immediately started clinical trials at the Abramson Cancer Center in the hopes of slowing the progress of his disease, as well as to help scientists better understand pancreatic cancer and contribute to finding better ways to treat it.

“Kevin loved Penn. He loved his oncologist, Nevena Damjanov, MD. She was so supportive, and very realistic. She said, ‘I will always tell you the truth.’ We appreciated her honesty,” Christine recalled.


The Edmonds family: Christine, Kevin, Harrison,
and Adrienne.
Shortly after his passing, Kevin’s neighborhood friends formed a dragon boat team in his honor. While only three members of the team had ever raced before, they won gold in their division—it was unheard of and magical. The next year the non-profit 501(c) (3) A Love for Life was formed. The team roster has grown tremendously in the last several years—with six A Love for Life boats (over 130 paddlers) committed to participating in the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Festival on October 3, 2015. A new team joined last year and paddles in honor of Newtown resident Scott McCraney, who passed away from cancer in 2014.

Supporters representing A Love for Life run marathons in Philadelphia and NYC, half-marathons in Brooklyn and 5Ks as far away as Vienna, Austria. “We have received so much support from our community. Friends have organized bi-monthly Yoga classes, make lavender bundles and custom imprint necklaces, a group of Newtown grade school children sold snow cones over the summer and sent me a check for $500,” Christine shared. "About half of the money we raise comes from generous sponsorships from over 50 companies."

By 2020, pancreatic cancer will be the second leading cause of cancer death. Better methods of early detection, more effective treatment options, and emergency status care are all needed in order to change this statistic. The Abramson Cancer Center’s newly formed Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, led by Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, was created with theses urgent needs in mind and is dedicated to finding better treatment options for this devastating disease. 

The Abramson Cancer Center and Penn Medicine have committed $10 million to the Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, and Stand Up to Cancer awarded the ACC an $8 million grant—both funds are backing Dr. Vonderheide’s status as a co-leader of the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C)-Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Convergence Dream Team. The team, made up of scientists and clinicians from several institutions, will work together to develop new therapies to use patients’ own immune cells to treat pancreatic cancer.


Christine Edmonds and A Love for Life volunteers present
the ACC with a $100,000 check.
“Pancreatic cancer is unfair, and can be a quick fight. Both Kevin and Nora were diagnosed at age 49, and died at 51. We chose the Abramson Cancer Center to be the beneficiary of A Love for Life funding because the future in immunotherapy is promising. Together with Penn’s brilliance for innovative science and their passion to quickly move these discoveries forward, I am confident that there will be better options for people faced with pancreatic cancer in the near future. I know Kevin, Nora, and Scott are proud of A Love for Life’s contribution,” Christine shared.

To make a donation towards pancreatic cancer research, click here, or contact Evelyn Schwartz at evelynsz@upenn.edu or (215) 898 – 8625.

To learn more about A Love for Life visit aloveforlife.us.
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Happy 4th of July!

June 29, 2015, 10:33 am
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As we reflect on America’s independence, we celebrate Philadelphia as the birthplace of our constitution and great nation—and home to the scientific and medical community leading the charge in the eradication of cancer.

The Perelman School of Medicine just celebrated its 250th anniversary as the first medical school in the country, and this esteemed institution is now an established destination for medical education and advances that benefit the entire nation’s public health and welfare.

From the legacy of the of the Philadelphia chromosome discovery to the development of the revolutionary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy, Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) continues this tradition of innovation in cancer research and care—by becoming the international epicenter for cancer immunotherapy.

When the history books are written, Philadelphia will be also be known as the birthplace of America’s freedom from the bonds of cancer.

As we celebrate liberty, independence, and hope this July 4th remember that it isn’t just our brilliant scientists who are behind the scientific discoveries needed to solve cancers most complex challenges. It is also our community of philanthropic partners who support innovation and our brave patients who participate in promising research that are moving the needle closer to a cancer-free world.

Here is one such family’s story:

Lori Alf: Mother, Entrepreneur, Cancer Survivor, and Penn Ambassador


The Alf Family
When Lori Alf, a mother of three, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma—an incredibly aggressive blood cancer that develops in bone marrow—she and her husband decided that honesty was the healthiest approach for dealing with her cancer.

“I didn’t want to push my children away by shielding them from my experience. As a family, we leaned on and supported one another. Together we learned about the perseverance of the human spirit—and what a gift life is,” said Mrs. Alf.

A Family’s Love Inspires Action

During Mrs. Alf’s five years of various treatments, she endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and a stem cell transplant. All to just keep the disease under control. She braved long, hard hospital stays that amounted to weeks and months away from home.

“While my life didn’t stop, I had to step out of it to managing my disease—which became a third full-time job on top of being a mother and running a successful business,” said Mrs. Alf.

When she was home she was afflicted with terrible side effects, and when she wasn’t able to take care of herself, her children and husband stepped up. They kept the family going, and kept Mrs. Alf fighting.

Mrs. Alf’s teenage daughter, Caterina, who is a competitive figure skater, took charge. She got herself to her morning training sessions and school, her two younger brothers Christer and Chapin, ages 14 and 11 respectively, to and from school and their activities, helped care for her mother, and made dinner almost every night—all the while never missing a beat with her own school work.

“I quickly learned that when faced with the pain and suffering of cancer, people become generous and caring. I saw this within the courteous, beautiful, and loving people that were my fellow patients and in the empathy and caring of my medical teams—but most importantly I found it in my own home and within my incredibly hard-working and compassionate children. This was the greatest gift my cancer gave us.”

The standard of care for multiple myeloma is treatment with a cocktail of chemotherapy, medications, blood transfusions, and stem cell transplants. The more medications that are given, the more compromised the immune system becomes, and the more challenging it is to function.

For Mrs. Alf, positive responses to a treatment would only last a month or two before her body would become resistant, and she went back to square one.

“It felt like being stuck in a maze. No matter where I turned I was met with more obstacles and felt like there was no way out,” Mrs. Alf explained. “This approach always seemed counterintuitive to me, and common sense made me ask why compromising my immune system would help me fight my disease.”

When first diagnosed, Mrs. Alf asked about immunotherapies. She was told that she would never see those options in her lifetime—the science just “wasn’t there.” But something within her knew that she would see it and that she would get there, it was just a matter of finding the right people at the right time.

Then, Mrs. Alf’s disease became refractory—she was no longer responding to her medications. She became incredibly ill, spending all of her time in bed sleeping.

“Finally, I could not take another day, another bag of chemotherapy, or another blood transfusion. My husband and I re-focused our research on immunotherapy options—which led us to Philadelphia and the Immunotherapy team at the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) of the University of Pennsylvania.”

Little did she know that she was about to become a part of cancer history, by becoming the first patient to be treated on a revolutionary new clinical trial using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy, for multiple myeloma.

Penn Medicine’s Hail Mary therapy

“Penn became my saving grace—while I was fighting for my life for five years, the brilliant scientists here were continuing a 30-year fight to get the science of immunotherapy ‘there,’ for me and for all of us with cancer.”

From her first appointment at Penn, Mrs. Alf immediately felt she was in good hands.

“Dr. Stadtmauer and his team, that included medical oncologist Alfred Garfall, MD, knew the ins and outs of my medical history the way a parent knows their child’s. I have never experienced anything like it. I knew I meant something to my doctors, and that will be in my heart forever,” Mrs. Alf explained.

During her treatment at Penn, her kids stayed at home during the week, and then flew up to the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love from South Florida on the weekends to be with her, bringing with them hope and happiness that her treatment may work. Mrs. Alf came through the experimental CAR treatment with encouraging results.

Celebrating a New Chapter in Life

Mrs. Alf’s cancer journey has kindled an incredible passion for helping people that matches the passion pouring out of every doctor at Penn for their work. She has also become a generous philanthropic partner and unofficial ambassador of the Abramson Cancer Center.

“Together, my family and I are learning how to live again. And a big part of that is giving back,” said Mrs. Alf.

Lori Alf, Summer 2015

Mrs. Alf will be speaking to the pre-medicine department of her children’s school as a way to engage and excite the next generation of physician-scientists. The topic: T cell engineering and the future of cancer immunotherapy.

The school’s pre-medicine department is also organizing a fundraiser at Mrs. Alf’s ice skating rink that will benefit CAR therapy at Penn Medicine, with plans to take the event to a national scale.

But for now, Mrs. Alf is grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to experiencing another summer watching her children grow.

To support these efforts, please contact Katie Dewees Detzel at kdewees@upenn.edu or (215)746-1927.

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Leaving a Lasting Legacy

July 24, 2015, 8:57 am
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When J. William (Bill) Landenberger, III passed away five years ago, by the terms of his will, he established the Landenberger Family Foundation. The purpose of his foundation is to continue his family legacy of generosity through thoughtful charitable donations. And now, Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center will benefit from this legacy of charitable giving.

The trustees of the Landenberger Family Foundation have been impressed with the work and devotion to patient care of Gary W. Falk, MD, MS, a world-renowned expert in the treatment of esophageal diseases and clinical co-director of Penn’s Esophageal and Swallowing Center. To support his work and continued dedication, the Landenberger Family Foundation has made a generous commitment to assist Dr. Falk in his research and care programs.

“Dr. Falk’s superlative abilities in caring for his patients by going above and beyond to improve their quality of life are an inspiration. He is a rare physician-scientist who translates groundbreaking discoveries in research into innovative, yet compassionate, clinical care. We could not be more are honored to receive this generous support of the Landenberger Family Foundation for the incredible work Dr. Falk is currently leading,” said Anil K. Rustgi, MD, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and T. Grier Miller Professor of Medicine and Genetics.

This summer, after learning more about Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EA), the fastest growing cancer in the United States, the trustees of the Foundation decided that there could be no worthier cause than to combat BE and EA. As a result, the trustees created the Landenberger Family Foundation Barrett’s Esophagus Fund, aimed at improving early detection and treatment of this disease.

Like most cancers, BE and EA are treated most effectively when found early, but unfortunately with few symptoms, they are also very challenging to detect. The Landenberger Foundation’s generous philanthropic support holds much promise to change this—addressing issues of early detection and improving our understanding of BE and EA through research.

“The Landenberger Family Foundation’s support will propel scientific breakthroughs and enhance Penn’s clinical care to patients who need it most when they need it the most—improving outcomes for all with esophageal diseases. Continued philanthropy will help establish Penn Medicine as the pre-eminent esophageal disease program in the country,” said Dr. Falk.

With support of the Landenberger Foundation, Penn Medicine is developing inexpensive and non-invasive blood screenings that look for circulating tumor cells to help catch these cancers early and save more lives. And in the spirit of translational medicine, the collection of blood and subsequent tissue samples in a Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Library fuels our ability to fight cancer in our labs.

Advances at Penn Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center that seemed impossible during Bill Landenberger’s lifetime are now being made thanks to his generous legacy. To learn more about supporting esophageal and GI cancer research, click here or contact Grace Wadell at gwadell@upenn.edu or (215) 573-5056.

Have you left the Abramson Cancer Center in your estate plans, or are interested in learning how to? Contact Michal Greenberg at michalg@upenn.edu or (215) 573-2480.
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Leaving a Lasting Legacy

July 29, 2015, 1:12 pm
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When J. William (Bill) Landenberger, III passed away five years ago, by the terms of his will, he established the Landenberger Family Foundation. The purpose of his foundation is to continue his family legacy of generosity through thoughtful charitable donations. And now, Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center will benefit from this legacy of charitable giving.

The trustees of the Landenberger Family Foundation have been impressed with the work and devotion to patient care of Gary W. Falk, MD, MS, a world-renowned expert in the treatment of esophageal diseases and clinical co-director of Penn’s Esophageal and Swallowing Center. To support his work and continued dedication, the Landenberger Family Foundation has made a generous commitment to assist Dr. Falk in his research and care programs.

“Dr. Falk’s superlative abilities in caring for his patients by going above and beyond to improve their quality of life are an inspiration. He is a rare physician-scientist who translates groundbreaking discoveries in research into innovative, yet compassionate, clinical care. We could not be more are honored to receive this generous support of the Landenberger Family Foundation for the incredible work Dr. Falk is currently leading,” said Anil K. Rustgi, MD, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and T. Grier Miller Professor of Medicine and Genetics.

This summer, after learning more about Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EA), the fastest growing cancer in the United States, the trustees of the Foundation decided that there could be no worthier cause than to combat BE and EA. As a result, the trustees created the Landenberger Family Foundation Barrett’s Esophagus Fund, aimed at improving early detection and treatment of this disease.

Like most cancers, BE and EA are treated most effectively when found early, but they are also very challenging to detect because they are associated with few symptoms. The Landenberger Foundation’s generous philanthropic support holds much promise to change this—addressing issues of early detection and improving our understanding of BE and EA through research.

“The Landenberger Family Foundation’s support will propel scientific breakthroughs and enhance Penn’s clinical care to patients who need it most when they need it the most—improving outcomes for all with esophageal diseases. Continued philanthropy will help establish Penn Medicine as the pre-eminent esophageal disease program in the country,” said Dr. Falk.

With support from the Landenberger Foundation, Penn Medicine is developing inexpensive and non-invasive blood screenings that look for circulating tumor cells to help catch these cancers early and save more lives. And in the spirit of translational medicine, the collection of blood and subsequent tissue samples in a Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Library fuels our ability to fight cancer in our labs.

Advances at Penn Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center that seemed impossible during Bill Landenberger’s lifetime are now being made thanks to his generous legacy. To learn more about supporting esophageal and GI cancer research, click here or contact Katie Dewees Detzel at kdewees@upenn.edu or (215) 746-1927.

Have you left the Abramson Cancer Center in your estate plans, or are you interested in learning how to? Contact Michal Greenberg at michalg@upenn.edu or (215) 573-2480.
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Back in the Saddle with Team Penn Vet for the Ride to Conquer Cancer

August 11, 2014, 8:00 am
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Ride to Conquer Cancer Philadelphia
When we think of cancer, we don’t always think of cancer in animals. But, for Sarah Rauers, administrative assistant, for the animal biology department at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, cancer in animals – and people – is always in her thoughts.

“At this point, I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t know someone with, or who has had cancer,” says Sarah. “I’ve had family members, as well as pets, I’ve watched suffer through the disease.”

And that, says Sarah, is one of the things that has motivated her to join the Philadelphia Ride to Conquer Cancer this October.

“I went to an information session with my co-workers, and we decided to start a team together,” says Sarah. “There was so much energy and hope we saw within the ride and the research happening at Penn, we wanted to support the cause.”

Cancer Research at Penn Vet

Within the faculty at Penn Vet, there is a lot of research that focuses on cancer. “Penn Vet studies cancer biology in mice, dogs and larger animals – all part of a mission to pursue translational medicine,” says Sarah. “Breakthroughs in cancer research today made in research could someday can one day help conquer cancer in all species.”

The other motivation behind Sarah’s decision was a very personal one.

"A couple of years ago I was hit by a car while commuting on my bike to work,” she says. “I suffered a great deal of physical and emotional trauma from that experience. Getting back on my bike and participating in The Ride is a big milestone for me.”

As for her fundraising efforts, Sarah has been pleasantly surprised at the support she’s gotten from family and friends.

“Fundraising has been so much easier than I thought it would be. Shocked by the generosity of my friends and family, and ‘Facebook friends,’” she says. “If you are considering joining, just do it. For about three days after my team signed up we were concerned about what we got ourselves into but it’s going to be easier and more rewarding than any of us think!”

Check out more from Team Penn Vet here.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer®

Join Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) on October 11 to 12, 2014 in the Ride to Conquer Cancer (RTCC)—an unforgettable and epic bike ride through Pennsylvania’s picturesque landscape -towards one life-changing destination: to cure cancer. The ride isn't just for cyclists, it's for anyone who wants to see a cure for cancer.

At two-days and 150+ miles the RTCC will be a physical challenge—and an emotional and inspirational weekend—that will give you a chance to ride side by side with physicians, patients and families--raising serious funds and awareness in the ACC’s fight to cure cancer.

The funds raised through the ride will be put to use immediately, powering the ACC's vision to eradicate cancer as a cause of human disease and suffering through precision medicine, novel research, next-generation therapies, and compassionate care.

Join Today

This event will be remarkable, bringing together communities of cancer survivors, cyclists, and their supporters with a common goal to conquer this disease. Join the ride in October by registering today at www.ridetovictory.org or by calling (844) 777-7433.

Before the ride, you will have access to:
  • Expert coaching
  • Training rides in your area
  • Personal web page for fundraising
  • Helpful manual
  • 2014 ride commemorative item
During the ride, participants will have access to:
  • Event-day ride jersey
  • Support along the route
  • Catered meals
  • Entertainment at camp
  • Massage and medical care
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The Little Team for a Cure - Tasha's Ride to Conquer Cancer Story

August 18, 2014, 12:47 pm
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Ride to Conquer Cancer Philadelphia
The LITTLE Team for a CURE. From left: Patrick Heringslack, Tasha Little, Howard Little.
"We're all living one life, we're all fighting to live. I feel it matters. I feel I need to contribute however I can. I was lucky and I have a will to live."– Tasha

Tasha Little was 42 years old when she learned she had breast cancer. She had no family history of breast cancer, exercised regularly, maintained a healthy diet, and was active with her two boys. But, she still found herself facing a cancer diagnosis.

“I’ve always believed in preventative care,” says Tasha. “When I learned the lump that showed up on a routine mammogram was breast cancer, I was completely overwhelmed.”

At the time she was diagnosed, she had just gone through a divorce, and found out she had cancer while moving from her home of 13 years following the split.

Fortunately, Tasha had time to research her options. She decided to get her cancer treatment at the Abramson Cancer Center.

“Getting the cancer out of my body was obviously important to me,” she says, “but so was reconstruction. When I met Drs. Tchou and Wu, I knew I was in the right place.”

Tasha was impressed with the way both the surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon collaborated as a team.

“My surgeons had a wonderful relationship with each other, and it made me feel comfortable to know they worked together so well,” she says.

Tasha had unilateral mastectomy (removal of one breast) and reconstruction at Penn. That was just over a year ago, and today, she’s giving back by participating in the inaugural Philadelphia Ride to Conquer Cancer® that benefits the Abramson Cancer Center.

“I heard the radio ads, and since I was an avid cyclist before I was diagnosed, I thought it would be a great way for me to get back in the saddle for a good cause,” says Tasha.

Tasha invited her dad, Howard, and her friend Patrick to join her on the ride. Riding with her dad has been a special experience, because her family had a big part in her recovery.

“I was raising two boys. My mother would take me to the hospital while my dad stayed at home and took care of the boys,” says Tasha. “This whole experience was a family effort, even though it was something I personally dealt with.”

"Parents who know what it is like to have a sick child know that no words can comfort the fear and anxiety and emotions you experience as a parent,” says Howard. “Even with a child in her 40s, it still feels like she’s your little baby and you just want to comfort and protect her. You have to have hope and positivity and know that doctors are doing as much as they can for you."

So far, “The LITTLE Team for a CURE has raised $4,811.00 and plans to meet their goal of $8,000.00 in time for the ride. "If you're an avid rider, it's about what you can do to help. If you've never rode before, it can be done. People are generous and if you're passionate people will support you,” says Tasha.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer®

Join Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) on October 11 to 12, 2014 in the Ride to Conquer Cancer (RTCC)—an unforgettable and epic bike ride through Pennsylvania’s picturesque landscape -towards one life-changing destination: to cure cancer. The ride isn't just for cyclists, it's for anyone who wants to see a cure for cancer.

At two-days and 150+ miles the RTCC will be a physical challenge—and an emotional and inspirational weekend—that will give you a chance to ride side by side with physicians, patients and families--raising serious funds and awareness in the ACC’s fight to cure cancer.

The funds raised through the ride will be put to use immediately, powering the ACC's vision to eradicate cancer as a cause of human disease and suffering through precision medicine, novel research, next-generation therapies, and compassionate care.

Join Today

This event will be remarkable, bringing together communities of cancer survivors, cyclists, and their supporters with a common goal to conquer this disease. Join the ride in October by registering today at www.ridetovictory.org or by calling (844) 777-7433.

Before the ride, you will have access to:
  • Expert coaching
  • Training rides in your area
  • Personal web page for fundraising
  • Helpful manual
  • 2014 ride commemorative item
During the ride, participants will have access to:
  • Event-day ride jersey
  • Support along the route
  • Catered meals
  • Entertainment at camp
  • Massage and medical care
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Ride To Conquer Cancer - Jim's Story, and His Tips for New Riders

August 27, 2014, 11:06 am
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As a competitive cyclist in the 70s, Jim Finkel rode alongside some of the best cyclists in the world. He didn’t know it at the time, but his constant challenges to go faster, work harder, go longer distances, and fuel his body with proper nutrition got him in shape for the greatest challenge of his life – cancer.

And, in a way, cycling saved his life.

“Towards the end of 2012 I was having trouble breathing, either on or off the bike,” says the 61-year-old mechanical engineer. “I was unable to clear my nostrils as I rode, and when over-the-counter medications and antibiotics didn’t work, we knew it was time to take the next step toward a proper diagnosis.”

After scopes and scans revealed a tumor in his nasal cavity, Jim began an 18-month journey to treat cancer that involved two surgeries, and radiation therapy. But he barely took a break from his bike. 

“When it was warm enough to ride outside, I immediately started to kick up my mileage while not pushing too hard,” says Jim. “Once I’d started radiation therapy, I was back up to doing at least four hours a week of saddle time on a bike.”

“Keeping my weight up during treatment was a challenge, but cycling actually helped. Though my sense of taste was dulled, I was used to getting calories back in to my body. I knew I had to eat and carefully match my calories in to calories burned, so I held weight throughout the process.”

Jim has joined the Abramson Cancer Center’s Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 150-mile ride that benefits cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center. 

“I can’t say enough about the Abramson Cancer Center,” says Jim. “My surgeon Dr. O’Malley, my oncologist, Dr. Chip Staddon at Penn Medicine at Radnor, and Dr. Geoffrey Geiger at both the Valley Forge and the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine always put me as a person in front of me as a patient. I want my story to give others hope.”

You don’t have to be a competitive cyclist to join the ride, however. In fact, Jim shares these tips for those people riding the event who may not be seasoned cyclists.


  1. Get slick tires: Even if you are riding a mountain bike, swapping out the heavy tread for slick, thinner tires will help you maintain speed with less effort.
  2. Inflate your tires to their recommended levels: Again, this will be less work to ride.
  3. Proper fit: Regardless of the bike you ride, make sure it fits you. Take it to a bike shop and have a professional adjust your bike to you.
  4. Drink enough water: Jim loses about three pounds an hour during a ride. Make sure you rehydrate throughout the ride and at rest stops.
  5. Helmet: Always wear one!
  6. Know when to shift: It will make your riding easier.
  7. Get proper attire: Cycling shorts aren’t just nice, but necessary. Gloves can also act as a comfort measure; as well as protection should you fall off your bike.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer©

Join Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) on October 11 to 12, 2014 in the Ride to Conquer Cancer© (RTCC)—an unforgettable and epic bike ride through Pennsylvania’s picturesque scenery -towards one life-changing destination: to cure cancer. The ride isn't just for cyclists, it's for anyone who wants to see a cure for cancer. 

At two-days and 150+ miles the RTCC will be a physical challenge—and an emotional and inspirational weekend—that will give you a chance to join forces with our physicians, patients, and families to leave everything on the bike course and raise serious funds and awareness in the ACC’s fight to cure cancer. 

The funds raised through the ride will be put to use immediately, powering the ACC's vision to eradicate cancer as a cause of human disease and suffering through precision medicine, novel research, next-generation therapies, and compassionate care. 

JOIN TODAY!

This event will be remarkable and will bring together communities of cancer survivors, cyclists, and their supporters with a common goal to conquer this disease. Join the ride in October by registering today at www.ridetovictory.org or by calling (844) 777-7433.

Before the ride, you will have access to:

  • Expert coaching
  • Training rides in your area
  • Personal web page for fundraising
  • Helpful manual
  • 2014 ride commemorative item

During the ride, participants will have access to:

  • Event-day ride jersey
  • Support along the route
  • Catered meals
  • Entertainment at camp
  • Massage and medical care
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Childhood Cancer Survivor...and Annihilator

September 17, 2014, 11:52 am
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Shantae ‘Shani’ Ockimey has always taken on the role of protector. When she came out of the surgery that amputated her right leg after an osteoscarcoma diagnosis at 9, the first thing she asked was, “How is everybody?”

Now a childhood cancer survivor and a patient of The LIVESTRONG™ Survivorship Center of Excellence’s Living Well After Childhood Cancer™ Program (LWAC) at the Abramson Cancer Center—a collaborative effort between Penn Medicine and CHOP that tailors individual health care plans to manage the short and long-term medical and psychosocial effects of cancer treatment— Shantae’s concern for the wellbeing of others has only gotten stronger.

Shantae, age 10, while undergoing chemotherapy
 “When I was diagnosed,” Shantae relays, “I said I want to find a cure for cancer.”

As a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) she is helping do just that—moving science forward by facilitating patient clinical trials. By ushering brave individuals through trials, she is making the future better and brighter while providing hope for cures: all behind the scenes.

Shantae's personal cancer journey and involvement with LWAC exposed her to the many facets of health care, driving her professional involvement with finding a cure. Throughout high school and college Shantae worked on retrospective chart reviews and data analysis for Richard B. Womer, MD, attending physician at CHOP and professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Womer, who specializes in sarcomas and medication and chemotherapy safety, was also Shantae’s childhood oncologist. Dr. Wormer and Shantae’s mentor in research Barbara Bayton, who was very instrumental in teaching Shantae how to coordinate clinical trials until her recent retirement, offered Shantae her first job out of college—and she has been at CHOP ever since.

Penn is leading the way in research that will benefit cancer survivors of all ages and types. Led by LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center of Excellence Program Director Linda A. Jacobs, PhD, RN, the Survivorship team consists of physician specialists, researchers, psychosocial and nutritional counselors, support services providers, a rehabilitation medicine physician, and an exercise physiologist.

“We empower patients to take control of their long-term health and well-being,” said Dr. Jacobs. “Our goal is to optimize patients’ quality of life. We are very successful in facilitating a very close relationship with oncologists and primary care doctors—so that new advances are immediately translated into the clinical environment.”

From doing research on such issues as bone loss, hot flashes, the impact of acupuncture, and lymphedema and cardiac problems that may develop following certain chemotherapy treatments, to helping patients cope with recurrence, genetics, insurance, and fertility issues, the LWAC provides survivors the tools they need to flourish after beating cancer.

Shantae (second to the right) with her sisters Janay, Tara, Tamara, and Dana and mom Carol (wearing scarf).
 And Shantae is doing just that. She is working towards a Master’s in Clinical Research, and plans on one day leading research projects at CHOP. As a patient of the LWAC Program at the Abramson Cancer Center, her care is no longer focused on cancer, but cancer’s long-term effect on her health.

“The Survivorship program has been source of guidance to the well being of my adult life after cancer. Dr. Jacobs and my team help me to think of my health in a long-term way, and deal with the adult issues resulting from surviving a childhood cancer,” Shantae explained. “I am so thankful it exists!” Because of her history, Shantae occasionally comes out from behind the scenes to speak with young patients with similar diagnosis to hers, or who are about to undergo an amputation, in order to help guide them.

“I remember the day of my surgery like it was yesterday. It is when I first cried over my diagnosis and when the magnitude of what was happening hit me,” Shantae recalled. “I love that I am able to use my life to help young people through similar experiences.”

She was also recently able to volunteer at Beyond Cancer, an annual event where families are able to reunite with fellow patients and staff.

“While everyone may not have had a personal cancer journey like mine that led them here, everyone appreciates the hardships that children and families go through with cancer,” Shantae explained of her co-workers.

“We are a tight knit group with a bond for one common goal: to help treat and cure cancers.”

The Living Well After Childhood Cancer™ Program is grateful for the generous support of the Rosato Family through the Sarah Marie Golf Invitational. The 11th annual golf outing will be held on September 29th at Sunnybrook Golf Club. Click here to learn more, attend, or support this important event.

To get more information about the survivorship program at Penn Call 1-800-789-PENN (7366) to be connected toll-free to our Living Well After Cancer™ Program.
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Preventing Breast Cancer Recurrence

October 1, 2015, 12:34 pm
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The Rosenbloom family: Debra, Heather, Jerry, Lynn, and Amy


“For seven years after beating breast cancer, my wife Lynn was happy and healthy. But her cancer returned. When recurrent and metastatic breast cancer took Lynn’s life, I knew I had to do something—especially to ensure a hopeful future for my three daughters. The Abramson Cancer Center provided Lynn top-of-the-line care, and I want to support the doctors who fought for her—and continue to fight to eliminate recurrent breast cancer.”
–Jerry Rosenbloom, MA, PhD, grateful family member

Lynn Rosenbloom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, and after a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, drug therapies, and steroids, she entered remission. But a routine physical in 2009, where she mentioned that there was a twinge-like pain in her side, revealed the breast cancer had recurred in her liver.

Lynn immediately began treatment, and after feeling severe side effects from many different forms of harsh chemotherapy, she came to Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) for a second opinion. She met with Kevin R. Fox, MD, co-Director of Rena Rowan Breast Center, and later with the help of Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, co-Leader of ACC’s Breast Cancer Research Program, and co-Director 2-PREVENT Translational Center for Excellence, and Lewis Chodosh, MD, PhD, J. Samuel Staub Professor of Cancer Biology, co-Director of the 2-PREVENT Translational Center for Excellence, they devised a treatment plan to try and fight her disease, and also allow her a better quality of life. Unfortunately before Lynn could begin a promising clinical trial to help save her, she lost her battle with breast cancer on June 23, 2013.

“Lynn never complained—not once—during her entire cancer journey,” Lynn’s husband, Jerry Rosenbloom, recalls. “She always said, ‘It is what it is.’ But I know Drs. Fox and DeMichele, and Lynn’s entire care team at the Abramson Cancer Center, helped her keep her positive attitude going. They were incredible, and designed a treatment plan that gave her a good quality of life.”

Jerry learned of the Abramson Cancer Center’s 2-PREVENT Translational Center of Excellence (TCE)—the first and only center of its kind dedicated solely to breast cancer recurrence. The mission of the 2-PREVENT TCE is to work together as a multi-disciplinary team to understand why some women have breast cancer recurrence through prediction, prevention, monitoring, detection, and treatment measures. Traditionally, breast cancer research and treatment has focused on the original tumor as a guide to treat a relapse. Now scientists are realizing that cancers that recur are biologically very different from the original cancer that formed in the breast.

“In an incredibly short amount of time the 2-PREVENT TCE has made great strides in recurrent breast cancer research. Through several studies that identify circulating tumor cells and establish genetic fingerprinting of recurrent metastatic breast cancer, this Center is working with talented scientists towards a common goal: helping our patients become and remain cancer-free,” shares Dr. DeMichele.

Jerry, a Frederick H. Ecker Emeritus Professor of Insurance and Risk Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, relates to cancer research from a unique perspective. “Risk management is what the 2-PREVENT TCE is doing, including clinical level research and pharmaceutical research,” he explains. “Everyone is working together—it made sense. I was very impressed with how much has already happened, and that is when I decided to make a donation.”

The Lynn and Jerry Rosenbloom Family Breast Cancer Recurrence Surveillance Fund supports a series of investigations that will further evaluate how recurrent breast cancer tumors survive. Jerry hopes that this research will show why treatment can stop working, identify the risk percentage of cancer returning, and create a better method of testing—so that people like Lynn will have better options and outcomes.

Jerry decided to create this fund in honor of his wife and to bring hope to future generations, including his three daughters, who are all University of Pennsylvania graduates, “Throughout Lynn’s treatment, our daughters were incredibly present and supportive. For their sake and everyone else’s, I want researchers to figure out what causes cancer to come back after it is in remission, and I hope the 2-PREVENT TCE at the Abramson Cancer Center will find an answer.”

Click here to donate to the 2-PREVENT TCE.

To become a philanthropic partner of the 2-PREVENT TCE, or for any additional information, contact Laura Ferraiolo at (215) - 746 - 2948 or lferr@upenn.edu.
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