2005 V2 Perkins Perspective

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PERKINS

PERSPECTIVE News for Friends of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Available Online at www.marybird.org

Volume 2

2005

C.A.R.E. Network Receives Tobacco-Free Living Partnership Grant SmokeFree Louisiana Program to Recognize Smoke-Free Businesses Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s C.A.R.E. Network was one of only five facilities in the State to receive a partnership grant from The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL). The grant is for the C.A.R.E. Network to partner with TFL in promoting smoke-free public places and workplaces.

The grant, payable over a three-year period, is designed to help protect Louisianans from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke contains a mixture of over 4,000 chemicals – more than 50 of which are known to cause cancer.

“The objectives of SmokeFree Louisiana are to recruit businesses in our 15-parish service area to become smokefree, to recognize those businesses and to encourage the support of the community to increase the number of smokefree businesses,” said Lori McCallum, executive director, Mary Bird Perkins C.A.R.E. Network.

The implementation plan for SmokeFree Louisiana will begin with East Baton Rouge, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes and extend to 12 additional parishes over the span of three

years. Additional parishes targeted for the program include Ascension, Assumption, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

A smoke-free business is defined as an establishment that does not allow smoking in any area of its indoor space, therefore providing clean indoor air and protecting the health of employees and patrons.

Erin Moller, outreach coordinator, C.A.R.E. Network, will head up the SmokeFree Louisiana initiative. “Restaurants will be the primary type of business targeted,” Moller said. “Even though many restaurants offer non-smoking sections, employees are still subjected to environments with smoke and patrons are often in the vicinity of smoke, regardless of how effective the ventilation system might be.”

In addition to free publicity, program participants will receive a window decal for public identification and will be listed on Web sites with links to the Mary Bird Perkins Web site, so the public can learn which restaurants and businesses are smoke-free.

Interested businesses will also receive educational materials explaining the associated risks of secondhand smoke in their respective establishments.

For more information on this program, or to enroll, contact Erin Moller at (225) 215-1274 or by email at smokefree@marybird.com.

Erin Moller, outreach coordinator (l), and Lori McCallum, executive director, C.A.R.E. Network, (r) review the grant notification letter from The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.

Annual Giving Campaign...2

Medical Physics Update...5

C.A.R.E. Network Calendar...8

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Annual Giving Campaign Kicks Off Community Fundraising Volunteers Want to Help Save Lives The 2005 Annual Giving Campaign volunteers kicked off their campaign on May 25th. The Center’s Annual Giving Campaign helps fund the C.A.R.E. Network.

Frank McArthur, McArthur-Sanchez Associates, is chairman of the 2005 campaign. “The Annual Giving Campaign volunteers help save lives in our community,” he said. “The C.A.R.E. Network’s programs of education and early detection, in addition to the Center’s mission to treat patients who could otherwise not afford it, are all supported

by Annual Giving Campaign fundraising efforts.” Commenting on the fact that every patient is treated equally, no matter their economic status, is always front-andcenter where his personal motivation is concerned, McArthur said, “We can each make a very real difference. That knowledge makes me want to help as much as I can.”

our citizens. “Healthy communities begin with a shared commitment to take action. The Annual Giving Campaign volunteers are doing exactly that by raising funds for the Mary Bird Perkins C.A.R.E. Network,” he said. “The volunteers’ efforts, combined with the C.A.R.E. Network’s goal to reach more of our neighbors who need access to health care, will translate to increased numbers of cancer screenings, the most proactive way to lower cancer mortality.”

Paul Thompson, Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc., is vice-chairman.

The volunteer fund-raisers have set an ambitious campaign goal of $875,000.

McArthur announced that gifts of nearly $130,000 have already been pledged.

At the kickoff, Board Chairman Robert S. Greer Jr., told those assembled that Louisiana’s high cancer mortality rates are an issue of great importance to all

Frank McArthur, chairman, 2005 Annual Giving Campaign

Lori McCallum, executive director of the C.A.R.E. Network, said it is also a function of education. “Most people either don’t know the early warning signs of cancer or they ignore symptoms,” she said. She explained the C.A.R.E. Network’s mission to reduce

cancer incidence and mortality in southeast Louisiana by expanding prevention and early detection efforts in high risk communities, and to improve the quality of life for those affected by cancer. “The C.A.R.E. Network programs and services would not be available except for the generous support of the community,” said McCallum.

Joining McArthur and Thompson on the 2005 Annual Giving Campaign Cabinet are Bill Peters, Peters Financial Services, LLC, past campaign chair; Jim Mcllwain, Lamar Advertising, major gifts chair; Blanchard Sanchez, McArthur-Sanchez Associates, major gifts vice-chair; Shelley Mockler, Mockler Beverage Company, individual division chair; Gary Sligar, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola, individual division vicechair; JoAnn Templet, Rubicon, industry chair; Charlie Rowton, ExxonMobil Corporation, industry vice-chair; Greg Scott, Whitney Bank, corporate chair; Jerry Vascocu, IBERIABANK, corporate vice-chair; Kendra Guidry, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Partners of Hope chair; Frank Vallot, Acadian Hardwoods & Cypress, Hammond chair; C.J. Ladner, State Farm Insurance, Northshore chair; Jean Champagne, Northshore Business Council, Northshore vice-chair.

How Can You Help? Become an Annual Giving Leadership Donor . . .

Leadership donors are those individuals and businesses whose yearly cumulative contributions to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center are $1,000 or more. It is only with the help of thousands of friends and supporters that Mary Bird Perkins can meet the needs of the community in the fight against cancer.

Call Ann Wilkinson at (225) 215-1205 for more information or visit www.marybird.org.

A gift to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is an investment in saving lives.

2 Perkins Perspective

RECOGNITION LEVELS Rathbone Society Benefactor ....................................$20,000 or more Philanthropist ................................$10,000-$19,999 Patron ................................................$5,000-$9,999 Paul D. Perkins Society Guardian ............................................$2,500-$4,999 Sustainer............................................$1,000-$2,499

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My Perspective A message from

Todd Stevens, president and CEO

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center was the site for the Annual Spring Meeting of the Association of Community Radiation Therapy Centers (ACRTC) held in Baton Rouge April 21st-22nd. Pictured are ACRTC members gathered for the meeting. Hosting the meeting was ACRTC President, Todd D. Stevens (front row, left) president and CEO of MBPCC. The group enjoyed a dinner at White Oak Plantation while visiting Louisiana.

Robert S.Greer Jr. Elected Chairman, MBPCC Board of Directors 2005-06 Officers Elected At the April 2005 Board of Directors meeting of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Robert S. Greer Jr. was elected to serve as the Center’s board chairman. Greer, president/CEO of LEMIC Insurance Company, succeeds Joseph H. Campbell Jr. Other officers elected include Richard A. Lipsey, Lipsey’s Inc., as vice chair, and Frank D. McArthur, McArthur-Sanchez Associates, as board secretary. Randy Waesche, Resource Management, Inc., was re-elected as treasurer. New Board members appointed for three-year terms include Louis Curet, retired D’Amico & Curet; Dudley Coates, Legg Mason; Gary Sligar, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola; Shelley Mockler, Mockler Beverage Company; and Jerry Jolly, KPMG.

The Center Establishes Foundation for Endowment Louis Curet Elected Chairman, 2005-06 Officers Elected Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center recently established the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation, which is charged with managing and overseeing the growth of the Center’s endowment. Officers elected to the Foundation Board are Louis Curet, chairman; Lee Griffin, vice chairman; and Bill Peters, secretary/treasurer. Other members of the Foundation Board include John Barton Jr., Sancy McCool, Diane McKernan, Hermann Moyse Jr., Chuck Schwing and Todd Stevens.

Thank you to the many people whose generous donation of time, talents, resources and dollars to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is enhancing the long-term health of our community. As we seek to expand initiatives that are changing the lives of our fellow citizens, we know we couldn’t do it without the legions of people needed to help carry that momentum forward.

The 2005 Sprint Open golf tournament was a resounding success. Sponsors, volunteers, players and event supporters raised over $150,000 and provided a great golf tournament for Baton Rouge. Proceeds from this annual tournament go directly to the Center’s C.A.R.E. Network of free patient services and community outreach programs, ensuring that critical services continue to be available to cancer patients and the community at large. Over the past 16 years, this event has raised over $1,000,000.

The C.A.R.E. Network will also be the beneficiary of funds raised during the Center’s 2005 Annual Giving Campaign. Over 80 volunteer fund-raisers, community leaders working on behalf of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, Hammond and the Northshore, are committed to raising $875,000 to help the C.A.R.E. Network sustain and expand programs and services that would not be available without the generous support of the community. These volunteers are to be applauded for their commitment to helping save lives.

Additionally, as the result of a grant from The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL), Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s C.A.R.E. Network is developing a program to protect our fellow citizens in southeast Louisiana from the dangers of secondhand smoke. “SmokeFree Louisiana” will recognize businesses that want to be smoke-free and encourage the support of the community to increase the number of smoke-free businesses. Look for more information on this program in the future. We hope you will support this initiative to help make our state a healthier place for all of us.

And last, with all necessary funding in place for the purchase of a mobile medical clinic for the C.A.R.E. Network, I am excited to tell you that the customized unit has been ordered and delivery is expected this fall. Thanks to several key partnerships, cancer screenings will be expanded into even more communities in southeast Louisiana and beyond – a potent force in the fight against cancer in our state.

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Radiation Oncologist Named to Prestigious National Fellowship Sheldon A. Johnson, M.D., was recently inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Radiology (ACR) during the 82nd ACR Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. Fellowship is one of the highest honors conferred by the ACR. Only about 10% of its membership is selected for ACR Fellowship.

Dr. Johnson, a partner in the Southeast Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group, has been practicing at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center since 1981, where he served as medical director from 19862001. He is currently an adjunct professor with the LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy’s Medical Physics program and practices radiation oncology at the Center’s Baton Rouge and Hammond locations.

Nominees are considered based on their service to organized medicine, significant accomplishments in scientific or clinical research in the fields of radiology, radiation oncology or medical physics, exemplary performance as a teacher and outstanding reputation among colleagues and the local community.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with Sheldon as part of our treatment team,” said Greg Henkelmann, M.D., medical director, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “Dr. Johnson’s considerable experience in radiation oncology greatly benefits our patients, our organization and the people of southeast Louisiana and beyond.”

4 Perkins Perspective

Photo courtesy the News Banner

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Janis Mayfield, dosimetrist, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Covington

Dosimetrists Help Beat Cancer Through Art of Radiology Covington Dosimetrist Featured in Newspaper Nationally Certified Medical Dosimetrist Janis Mayfield, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Covington, was recently profiled in an article entitled “Dosimetrists help beat cancer through art of radiology,” published by the Covington News Banner. A condensed version follows: Of the 240 million people living in the United States, there are only 3,000 dosimetrists working to help eliminate people’s cancer through the scientific art of dosimetry. Only 1,500 of those are nationally certified.

Janis Mayfield works with radiation oncologists, physicists and radiation therapists to deliver radiation through a linear accelerator used to administer very precise doses of radiation to cancer patients in such a way that surrounding healthy tissue is spared as much as possible.

Mayfield can design a treatment plan whereby radiation can be delivered to structures such as the brain without disturbing the eye or to the lung without disturbing the heart.

She uses data from various diagnostic cancer detecting machines in order to optimize a treatment plan. Some plans can collectively take as many as ten to 15 man hours to complete.

Her calculations are checked by a medical physicist then reviewed and accepted by the physician. The linear accelerator itself has its own set of checks and balances, she said. If each calculation does not match, Mayfield said the machine will not allow the radiation delivery system to “beam-on.”

“The medical field changes so rapidly. We have the same leap in technology that video games have had,” she explained in a comparison most lay persons can understand. “The contours of the patients’ bodies are three-dimensional contours on the computer screen,” she said. “The patient treated today is receiving better treatment than they would have received even five years ago.”

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Mary Bird Perkins Staff Teaches Medical Physicists of Tomorrow Medical Physics Prepares for Accreditation, Looks Forward to National Stature Since Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center signed an agreement with Louisiana State University (LSU) and Dr. Kenneth Hogstrom, Professor and Director of the Medical Physics and Health Physics Program, joined the program in fall 2004, there have been important changes. Curricula have been expanded; students now complete their first course in Radiation Therapy Physics prior to arriving at Mary Bird Perkins for clinical training and student research topics are selected to produce research that should be publishable in scientific journals. These changes are important to the current program goal of achieving accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP) in the near future. These changes are also important to the program goal to add the Ph.D. degree component within the next few years.

Mary Bird Perkins partners with LSU in offering an M.S. in Medical Physics and Health Physics Program. The Center’s faculty and staff teach five of the 15 required courses. Chief of Clinical Physics Dr. John Gibbons directs the Radiation Therapy Physics course and two Clinical Cancer Therapy Rotation courses. Chief of Physics Dr. Hogstrom directs the Advanced Radiation Therapy Physics course. Medical physicists Angela Stam, Dan Neck, Kara Ferachi and Dr. Robert Boyd and medical dosimetrists Pat Summers, Eddie Singleton and Chad Dunn assist.

Dr. Sheldon Johnson directs the Clinical Principles in Radiation Therapy course in which his fellow radiation oncologists assist. The net result is one of the strongest clinically oriented medical physics graduate programs in

Drs. Kenneth Hogstrom, chief of physics, and Robert Boyd, medical physicist, instruct medical physics graduate students John Richert (l) and Michael Ashenafi.

the country. LSU faculty members, Drs. Hogstrom, Boyd and Gibbons also direct graduate students in their M.S. thesis research.

Dr. Hogstrom is pleased with the progress to date and believes that continued growth will allow the program to become one of the best in the United States. This joint venture between Mary Bird Perkins and LSU has provided the commitment required for success. Program research and graduates will benefit the Center, the State of Louisiana and the practice of radiation therapy. Dr. Hogstrom said benefits can already be seen from these efforts, as the program recruited its top five applicants for the Fall 2005 incoming class.

What is a Medical Physicist?

The medical physicist is the member of the radiation oncology team who is responsible for the technical aspects of radiological imaging and radiation therapy of cancer patients. The medical physicist’s duties include selecting and implementing new equipment and techniques, planning and delivering complex treatments such as radiosurgery and providing continuous quality control of patient treatments.

The medical physicist also manages radioactive material and ensures patient safety. A major pathway to becoming a medical physicist requires an M.S. or Ph.D. in medical physics and two years of residency or on-the-job clinical training, after which certification by the American Board of Radiology in therapeutic radiologic physics can be achieved.

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Bruns, Caldwell Named Anna B. Lipsey Volunteers of the Year Nearly 50 Years of Combined Dedicated Volunteering Mildred Caldwell and Marie Bruns, honorees, enjoy the volunteer luncheon. Pictured (l to r) are Susan Lipsey, Caldwell, Bruns, Todd Stevens and Richard Lipsey.

This year, two exceptional individuals were selected for one of the Center’s most prestigious honors. Long-time volunteers Marie Bruns and Mildred Caldwell both received the Anna B. Lipsey Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award for 2005-2006.

The award, named for the late Baton Rouge volunteer activist and community leader, was presented by Anna Lipsey’s son, Richard Lipsey, and his wife, Susan.

“It is kind-hearted, dedicated people like you who are the heart of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center,” said Richard Lipsey.

“Volunteers send a message of service and compassion. They see a need and they fill that need — wanting nothing in return except the satisfaction of serving one’s community. Thank you for the many years you have helped the Center in the continued fight against cancer.”

Marie Bruns, a volunteer of 20 years, took a friend to get her treatments when Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center was located on the campus of Woman’s Hospital. Upon accepting

her award Bruns said that she volunteers in memory of many special friends, but most especially in memory of her daughter who was diagnosed with cancer in 1980 and died in 2001.

“This gives me a chance to give something back,” said Bruns.

Mildred Caldwell, who has volunteered for 23 years, is a cancer survivor of 35 years. “Mildred has brought her love, devotion and caring to hundreds of patients over the years,” said Susan Lipsey. “An avid gardener, she also brings flowers to the Center every day she volunteers.” Caldwell said that the Center is a source of inspiration for her. “I see more courage here than anywhere else.”

Anna B. Lipsey was a founder of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and served as secretary/treasurer of the board from 1968 until shortly before her death in 1985. The Volunteer Service Award is given each year to the volunteer who best exemplifies the volunteer spirit and dedication for which Mrs. Lipsey was known.

Area-Wide Screenings Promote Early Detection Local Dermatologists Volunteer

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

In May, National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, 479 people were screened by the C.A.R.E. Network for free on three consecutive Saturdays across the region. Additionally, a midweek evening screening was cosponsored with Our Lady of the Lake and held at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Local dermatologists volunteered for a Center in Baton Rouge. skin cancer screening at Mary Bird Perkins, Baton Rouge. Pictured (l to r) are Drs. Poche, Tucker, Brantley, Meek, 6 Massengale, Johnson and McEwen. Seated are Drs. Phillips and Murphy.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s C.A.R.E. Network, in conjunction with community partners and Mary Bird Perkins staff volunteers, offered numerous colorectal cancer screenings throughout the greater Baton Rouge area, Hammond and Covington. Over the course of the month, free colorectal cancer kits were distributed to 834 people at eight screenings.

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Hispanic Woman Translates A Life-Saving Message Explaining to Hispanic women that early detection saves lives is now a passion for Maria Mazuera. Originally from Columbia, South America, Mazuera agreed to accompany a Spanish-speaking friend from Ecuador to a C.A.R.E. Network breast cancer screening. Mazuera saw an ad in the newspaper about the free screenings and mentioned it to another friend who had already been. “My Columbian friend told me that the people there were very nice and that the doctors were good,” said Mazuera.

While there, she saw many Hispanic women in need of an interpreter. She put herself to work clarifying the questions for many of the Hispanic women waiting to be screened. When the physician saw what Maria was doing, the doctor said that he really needed her help in the exam rooms and asked her if she could please stay. She was delighted to help and remained there for three hours.

“If I can help somebody, I’m going to,” said Mazuera. “The lady (Outreach Coordinator) at the screening told me I could help anytime. I told her to just call me. If you need help, I’m glad to do it. I know how people feel when they don’t understand English.”

Mazuera shared that many Hispanic women in this area have never had a breast exam and that unfortunately, most of the information available is only in English. “There needs to be more information in Spanish about this. These women don’t know where to go or how to find places. Many don’t have anything – no health insurance, no money, nothing.”

Meanwhile, Mazuera has become an advocate for early detection. “I talk to all women about it and I tell them they need to have their first mammogram at age forty,” said Mazuera. “You can do selfexams in between, but you have to have an exam every year. I tell them they have to do it because it can save their life.”

Maria Mazuera

Breast cancer screenings are cosponsored by Woman’s Hospital, YWCA ENCOREPlus and LSUHSC.

Minority Cancer Coalition Offers Comprehensive Cancer Program Cancer Workshop, Prostate and Breast Screenings In observance of National Minority Cancer Awareness Week recognized in April, the C.A.R.E. Network partnered with other organizations to hold a comprehensive cancer program.

Collectively entitled “Let’s Talk About It: Minority Cancer Awareness,” the program began with cancer presentations at several senior adult centers, continued with a cancer workshop for the general public at which Drs. Donnie Batie, Lydia Sims, Peter Bostick and Jule Assercq gave overviews of different cancers, and ended with free breast and prostate cancer screenings.

Partners included the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Southern University School of Nursing, East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging, YWCA ENCOREPlus, Sisters Supporting Sisters, LSUHSC, Louisiana Health Care Review, Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, 100 Black Men, 100 Black Women, Greater Baton Rouge Federation of Churches and Synagogues, City of Baton Rouge Community Centers, Delmont Service Center and the American Cancer Society.

30 Years of Employment at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center On May 1, 2005, Dr. Eula Palmer (l) and Dr. Bill Hancock celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first day of employment at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. The two retired employees are seen here photographed at a celebration in their honor. Dr. Palmer was an administrator and Dr. Hancock was a radiation oncologist.

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Screening Participant Offers Thanks This letter was addressed to Kate Mortland, regional cancer control officer, C.A.R.E. Network.

Ms. Mortland, I just wanted to take the time to thank you and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center for taking the time and effort to put on the breast cancer screening April 2nd at the Tangipahoa Parish health unit. I am especially thankful that it was open to persons such as myself who cannot afford health insurance, cannot afford to go to the doctor, but do not qualify for aid. I am over 50, and because of difficult times financially, was unable to get a much needed screening for 2 + years.

Thankfully my screening did come out clean and I was able to put my concerns to rest. The people at the screening were very nice but also very efficient and professional. Thank you again so much for your help.

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Coming Up… Saturday, July 9: Free Breast Cancer Screening for eligible women* at the Tanigpahoa Parish Health Unit in Amite. 9:00 a.m. - noon.

Saturday, August 27: Free Prostate Cancer Screening for eligible men* at the Covington Wellness Center in Covington. 9:00 a.m. - noon.

Wednesday, July 13: Free Colorectal Cancer Screening Kits for eligible participants* at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge.

4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

2nd Tuesday of every month: Free Breast Cancer Screenings for eligible women* at LSUHSC Mid City Clinic in Baton Rouge.

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 23: Free Breast Cancer Screening for eligible women* at Woman’s Hospital Breast Center in Addis. 9:00 a.m. - noon.

Friday, August 12: Free Colorectal Cancer Screening Kits for eligible participants* at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge.

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, August 13: Free Breast Cancer Screening for eligible women* at Feliciana Parish Health Unit in Clinton. 9:00 a.m. - noon.

Saturday, August 20: Free Skin Cancer Screening for eligible participants* at the Farm Bureau Office in Franklinton. 9:00 a.m. - noon.

2nd Friday of every month: Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment and Counseling in Covington: Call (985) 542-5000 for an appointment.

3rd Friday of every month: Free Breast Cancer Screenings for eligible women* at Leo S. Butler Community Center in Baton Rouge.

1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

4th Friday of every month: Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment and Counseling in Hammond: Call (985) 542-5000 for an appointment.

Free Lymphedema Prevention Clinics: Held on a monthly basis at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge and quarterly at the Hammond and Covington facilities.

*To determine if you are eligible for a screening or for more information on these events and other C.A.R.E. Network activities, please visit our Web site at www.marybird.org or call (225) 215-1234 or toll-free (888) 616-4687.

Sincerely, Bonnie Jorden

(Cancer Support Services, Awareness and Education, Research and Early Detection) is working to reduce cancer incidence and mortality in southeast Louisiana and to improve the quality of life for those affected by cancer.

Charles M. and Mary D. Grant Foundation Makes Gift to C.A.R.E. Network for Mobile Medical Clinic A grant of $50,000 has been received by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center from the Charles M. and Mary D. Grant Foundation toward the purchase of a mobile medical clinic for the C.A.R.E. Network. Payment of this grant was contingent upon the Center’s acquisition of $100,000 in additional funding for this project by year end, 2005. The ExxonMobil Foundation stepped forward to meet the challenge, and combined with previously 8 committed funds and community generosity, all the necessary

funding has been secured to purchase a customized mobile medical clinic for cancer screenings. The Center is currently seeking funding for first-year mobile unit operating costs in the amount of $244,000. Several grants have been submitted toward that end. If you are interested in helping underwrite the mobile unit’s operating costs, please contact Lynn Weill, vice president for development, at (225) 215 -1201.

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Dr. Billy Penn Featured Speaker at Leadership Dinner Community Donors Recognized at Annual Dinner More than 275 Center supporters gathered for the Mary Bird Perkins 10th annual Leadership Dinner on March 17th to recognize donors who made cumulative gifts of $1,000 or more in 2004. The dinner was underwritten by Southeast Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group.

Those assembled were moved by retired physician Dr. Billy Penn, who shared the personal story of his struggle to survive cancer. “Dr. Penn is a person of character and integrity. His sincerity is matched only by his sense of humor,” said Dr. Sheldon Johnson, radiation oncologist and Dr. Penn’s friend and physician.

Penn commented on the unsurpassed quality of care available at Mary Bird Perkins as well as the warmth and compassion of the staff. Following his touching story of survivorship of throat cancer, Penn told those assembled, “I thank you all for supporting such a noble institution as this.

It has helped, and is going to help, a lot of people.”

Dr. Billy Penn and his wife, Nancy, visit with Dr. Sheldon Johnson, radiation oncologist. Dr. Penn was the featured speaker at the Center’s annual Leadership Dinner.

Hillar C. Moore Jr. was honored as the recipient of the annual D. Jensen Holliday Memorial Award recognizing an individual in the communities served by Mary Bird Perkins who has made a difference in the fight against cancer.

Giving from the community totaled more than $3 million in 2004. There were 474 Leadership donors giving $1,000 or more during the calendar year.

Tuesdays with the Sisters Twenty Years of Volunteering in Hammond

Pictured (l to r) are sisters Lou Fitzmorris and Joy Sheridan.

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Hammond wouldn’t be the same without volunteers Lou Fitzmorris and Joy Sheridan of Ponchatoula. The two sisters have been volunteering every Tuesday since the Center opened nearly 20 years ago.

The sisters — Fitzmorris who is 86 and Sheridan who is 82 — used to have a wide range of volunteer assignments from pulling charts and running them back and forth to the doctors to pushing wheelchair patients. “But at our age, we can’t do all of that anymore,” said Sheridan. Instead, the sisters arrive at 8 a.m. every Tuesday, without fail, to fulfill different, but equally important assignments. Sheridan gets coffee brewing for the early morning patients and makes sure the carafes are never

empty during her watch. Fitzmorris tackles clerical duties.

They leave for home around 11 a.m.

Fitzmorris, a 26-year breast cancer survivor, said they’ve been coming to the Center for so long that they feel at home there.

Sheridan agrees. “They’re like family to us here. The ‘kids’— as we call them — have been so good to us — every single one of them.”

Both widows, the sisters live next door to one another and do everything together. Sheridan does all the cooking but can no longer drive due to an eye condition, so Fitzmorris is the designated driver. “I drive and Joy prays,” Fitzmorris laughed.

The pair has been representing Mary Bird Perkins at the monthly Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce meetings for the past 12 years where they’re on the hospitality committee. The two women have a joie de vivre that would brighten anyone’s day. The Center’s Hammond campus, and certainly the 9 Tuesday patients, are fortunate indeed.

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Baton Rouge’s Only Pro Golf Tournament 2005 Brings Return of Tight Lies Pros, Record Purse The University Club in Baton Rouge was the site for the Sprint Open, presented

by Associated Food Stores and LEMIC Insurance Company, held on April 14th 17th, 2005. The third stop on the Tight Lies Tour, the par 72, 7,274-yard course carried a field of 144 pros and a purse of $165,000 — the largest of the Tour’s season.

“If you ask anybody out here,” said former LSU golfer and now Tight Lies Tour player Alan Morgan, “they would say it’s either the best or one of the best tournaments we play all year.”

Darian Chustz, Baton Rouge CocaCola, chairman of the tournament’s organizing committee, said, “A great golf course, great players and a great media partner made the week-long event the tremendous success it turned out to be, thanks to The University Club, the Tight Lies pros and WAFB-TV.” Mayor Kip Holden dropped by to show his support for this one-of-a-kind event for the Capital City.

Admission was free to this major fundraiser for Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. The funds raised come through sponsorship opportunities associated with all aspects of the six-day event as well as the auction and raffle at The Taste of Louisiana.

Sprint was the new title sponsor of this year’s tournament. “Sponsoring a professional tournament to benefit Mary Bird Perkins is a great fit for us,” said Brad Supple, marketing director for Gulf Coast Wireless, a local affiliate of Sprint.

“Sprint likes to keep donations in the community as our way of giving back.

10 Perkins Perspective

Sponsors enjoy The Taste of Louisiana. Pictured (l to r) are Brad Supple, Sprint; Robert Burgess, Sprint; Darian Chustz, Baton Rouge Coca-Cola; and Bob Greer, LEMIC Insurance Company.

The monies raised at this event go right back into the community they came from.”

The WAFB Pro-Am took place on Wednesday, April 13th. The popular four-man shamble tournament format was a sell-out months before the event.

The professional tournament followed Thursday through Sunday. Twenty-six year-old Cody Freeman of Afton, OK took home the Sprint Open Title and $22,000 with his score of an 18-under 270.

event should take pride in knowing they have played an essential role in furthering the prevention and treatment of cancer,” said Todd Stevens, president and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for next year’s tournament, which promises to be even bigger and better.

For more information, please contact Kathleen Sarsfield at (225) 215-1229, or by email at kathleens@marybird.com

Following professional play on Saturday, Tight Lies golfers took time to share their talents with approximately 50 aspiring young golfers who were given free personal instruction at the Baton Rouge Coca-Cola Junior Clinic.

This year’s tournament netted over $151,000 for Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s C.A.R.E. Network of free community outreach programs and patient care services. “We couldn’t have done it without the support of all the area businesses and individual volunteers who made this week the success it was,” said Kathleen Sarsfield, event director.

“Whether a sponsor, volunteer, player or supporter, everyone involved with this

Thank Yo u to the University Club Staff

for all of your hard work during the week of the golf tournament. The Sprint Open, presented by Associated Food Stores and LEMIC Insurance Company, was a great success because of you.The tournament volunteers and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center staff say THANK YOU!

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The Taste of Louisiana Kicks Off the Center’s 16th Annual Golf Tournament Generous community supporters spent over $58,800 on auction items, contributing to the $151,233 net total amount raised for the sixday event - the highest yet for this event. On April 12th, A Sportsman’s Paradise -The Taste of Louisiana presented by The First Tee of Carville, LA, kicked off six days of amazing golf festivities for Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

Guests, who included not only friends of the Center but some of the professional golfers in town for the tournament, enjoyed the traditional pre-tournament sampling of delicious South Louisiana cuisine. Restaurants donating food for the evening included Cake Palace, Camelot Club, Chef KD Louisiana Legends, Country Club of Louisiana, Mansur’s on the Boulevard/ French Market Bistro, Ninfa’s Mexican Restaurant, Phil’s Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant, Primo’s Steak & Louisiana Cuisine, Ruffino’s Italian Restaurant, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, T.J. Ribs, Unique Cuisine and Vincent’s Italian Restaurant. Libations were supplied by Baton Rouge Coca-Cola, Glazers Wholesale Liquor and Mockler Beverage-Budweiser. The Cut Flower supplied the floral decorations.

TITLE SPONSOR

PRESENTING SPONSORS

PRO-AM TOURNAMENT SPONSOR JUNIOR CLINIC SPONSOR

THE TASTE

OF

LOUISIANA SPONSOR

SHOOT-OUT SPONSOR

PRINTING DONATE

Tanie Bush served as chairman of this event.

Committee members assisting her were Beth Aguilar, Kim Angers, Michele Bienvenu, Jackie Boudinot, Donna Boé, Madeleine Conger, Rachel Dabadie, Lisa Guarisco, Monica Hadlock, Scot Hixon, Donna Jolly, Debbie Kleinpeter, Ginger Kurlas, Kathy McArthur, Anne McCanless, Linda Mitchell, Adele Netterville, Nancy Robichaux, Missy Robinson, Aimee Rotenberg, Laura Sante, Sarah Sheely, Katie Taylor, Heather Woolf, Kerri Woolf and Julie Wright.

John Spain of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and attorney Charles Landry of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, LLP served as auctioneers for the live auction held at the event. Steve Schneider of WAFB was the master of ceremonies for the evening. Music was provided by the band Color Blind.

BY:

PREMIUM HOLE SPONSOR

AWARDS RECEPTION SPONSOR Manda Fine Meats DRIVING RANGE SPONSOR AmSouth Bank TEE MARKER SPONSOR Mockler Beverage-Budweiser VIP TENT SPONSORS Acosta Sales & Marketing Argosy Casino Dairy Fresh GE Medical Systems CART SIGNAGE SPONSOR Cornerstone Government Affairs GOLD HOLE SPONSORS Andreeff Equity Advisors APPRO Systems Celco Brokerage Inc. Chinet/Tom Sarsfield Fresh Express GMFS

IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. Lamar Advertising Company MAPP Construction Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Pfizer Oncology Phelps Dunbar, LLP Sanderson Farms, Inc. Sara Lee Foods OFFICIAL LEADERBOARD SPONSOR Stanford Group Company PUTTING CONTEST SPONSOR Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, L.L.P. PUTTING GREEN SPONSOR Saurage Realtors VOLUNTEER SCORING SPONSOR Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates (Drs. Bienvenu, Billings, Hanson, Patten, Shih, Spell)

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Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center gratefully acknowledges the following gifts made in memory of or to honor a special person or loved one during the period of January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2005. Memorial and honorary gifts may be made at any time and mailed to: Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Office of Development, 4950 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Gifts may also be made online at www.marybird.org under “Giving Opportunities – Donate Online.”

In Memory of…

Linda Richard Abadie Helen Harbourt Sarah and C. D. Romero Marion O. “Buck” Aime, Jr. Bruce and Pamela Falgoust Warren Joseph Anselmo Anonymous Marianne Ward Averette Mrs. Glenda Sullivan Eleanor W. Baer Bruce L. Baer, M.D. Mary Claire Bonnet Bahlinger Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brian Charles D. Bailey, Jr. Sternfels Insurance Agency Mary Scott Duchein Barton Malcolm L. Tucker Dr. Charles Stuart Bates Alan L. Wallace George William “Bill” Bentley, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John Lapenas, Jr. Lee and Karen Williams Josian Pizzoloto “Josie” Bercegeay Johnny and Clarice Bercegeay Gary M. Gaudin Mary Lou “Sisi” Berthelot Craig and Bridget Soileau Corinne Bolton Nick and Jeanne Adams Joanna Bolton and Family Ellis J. Bourgeois Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Dumez Dorothy Anne and Darrell Hardaway Randy and Susan Hotard Claire B. Waguespack Mrs. Ruth B. White William F. White F. Neal Bolton Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Dumez Charles Earl Bond Wellington W. Carter, Jr. Peggy B. Bonnecarrere Donald B. Bonnecarrere Ronald Boucher Quality Suites Hotel Edward Boudreaux Mr. and Mrs. Winfield J. Bouquet James “Doc” Brabham Mr. and Mrs. John H. Perkins Mary Elizabeth Scroggs Brady Tyler Aldrich Barry Joe Braud, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Julius Braud

12 Perkins Perspective

Mary Brewer A. C. Tipton, Jr., M. D. Gladys Edwards Calder Mr. and Mrs. Henry K. Miller, Jr. William L. Clark, Sr. Betty Youree Clark Gilbert K. Coffman, Jr. Henry “Rex” Coffman Lenore K. Coffman Henry “Rex” Coffman Mary Eloise McCain Conn Mr. and Mrs. John E. Miller John Dailley Dez O’Rourke Arthur Davis The 1940 Graduation Class of Kentwood High School Jere Miah Daye Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kelly Victor E. Debetaz Mr. and Mrs. Ted Denstel Michelle Decuir Jesse and Nola Decuir Katherine P. “Nu” DeJohn Louis Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Cecil Delaune Mrs. Richard K. Delaune, Jr. Camille Diaz Anonymous Diane Marie Smith Doiron AIA Architects, Inc. Bani, Carville, & Brown Becky Doty The Sheehan Family Jerome Lawrence “Joe” Duplessis Employees of Crompton Corporation Terry Heintze Sidney J. Duplessis Duplessis Pontiac-Buick-GMC Mary Jet Roth Durant Blaise and Marilyn Carriere John Edgar Hershel and Dianne Griffin Claude Martin Enright Martha and Joe Juban L. Esquerre Anonymous William “Bill” Evans, Jr. Lynn and Felix Weill Harold Boyd Forbes The Frontline Life Group Dr. Jennings Bryan Frye, Jr. Mrs. P. Chauvin Wilkinson Jean K. Garrison Jack B. Garrison Mary Jane Gautreaux M. L. Lambert

Dr. Dean W. Geheber Mrs. Dean W. Geheber Glen Talmage Gentry, Sr. Bruce, Jeri, and Christopher Liles David Gould David and Sue Thornhill Dianne Graham Rebel Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Mr. Butch Graham Hoss Gremillion Anne Montelaro Katherine Anne Gremillion Anne Gremillion Nettie Anna Guerin Rita G. LeBlanc Brennice Harkins The 1940 Graduation Class of Kentwood High School Katie D. Haydel Calvin H. Haydel Dottie Higgins Mary LaPlante and Stephanie Henson Ernest L. Hill Judge and Mrs. Michael R. Erwin Betty Jo Hollingsworth Darian and Lisa Chustz Edmund D. Houde Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Houde Rev. Maynard “Tippy” Hurst Jamin Scott David Brenda G. Grisaffe Francis Hutchin Mrs. Mary L. Evans H. Cooper Hutchinson, Sr. Lynne Graner Margie Boyles Hutchinson Lynne Graner Frank Leighton Jamison III Brigitte and Curtis Ducote Kester and Bonnie Hawthorne Huey and Tammy Martinez Mae and Rod Ritterman David and Paulette Senior Robert Jenners Kelly Randow Oris B. Johnson Mrs. Oris B. Johnson Alice B. Jones Mr. Philip K. Jones Richard Jones Mr. and Mrs. Donald S. Jones, Jr. Gaye E. “Robbie” Juban Lynn and Felix Weill Max K. Klaus Pat and Lela Weber Sidney J. Lacy, Jr. George and Lowry B. Griffon Maria Lambert Janet Olson Rack Agnes LeBlanc Landry Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Gomez Anna Lee LeBlanc Monty, Mary Jane, Sully, Brad, Jack, Mary, Jack Ed, Renne, Laura, John and Tootlum Gee

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A. J. LeBourgeois Neil and Becky Record Jordan G. Lee Myra B. Lee James Elmo and Gertrude Loudon Charles and Winifred Severance Helen Joyce Adams Brooks Love Mr. and Mrs. George Melancon Laverne Lundy Anonymous Hillman W. Madison, Jr. Tom Ellsworth Thomas C. Main, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Milton L. Harris Charles Mascarella Anonymous Tammy Mayers Neil and Becky Record Julia Laverne McDaniel Mr. and Mrs. Teddy Peno Leonard Leslie McKinnon, Jr. Thanie P. McKinnon Sandra Meche Jim and Beulah Andrews Sara L. and Hollis Merritt Rita M. Chidester Nora Mestayer Dr. and Mrs. James A. Laville Catherine Costello Brousseau Middleton Helen Harbourt Rev. Larry Dan Minor, Sr. BellSouth Co-Workers Bernie Moore Honorable Louis R. Daniel Larry C. Musgrove, Sr. Crystal N. Musgrove Margaret “Midge” Neal Mr. and Mrs. William H. Jordan Wilbur D. “Boots” Nesbit Anonymous George Nohra Lena M. Polite Delores Kleinpeter Noland Lora M. Clouatre Mrs. Guy Otwell Mrs. P. Chauvin Wilkinson Sally Beverung Pareti Michael P. Esposito Enos T. “Tiger” Parker Janet Olson Rack Dr. Thomas E. Patrick Golda Patrick Darryl Lynn Phillips, Sr. ExxonMobil Refining and Supply Co. Jerry Lee Phipps Bum and Ann Puckett Melanie Darlene Reulet Porter Larry and Lesley LeBlanc Mrs. Iris Loup Rae Dell Record Dr. Charles Prosser Mr. and Mrs. Russell H. Fish Mrs. Dudley L. Pope, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Stuart

Page 13

Zoe K. Pursell Wallace G. Pursell Mildred and Wade Randolph Wade B. Randolph, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. M. J. Rathbone, Jr. Jack and Randee Rathbone Dr. M. J. Rathbone, Jr. Ann Wilkinson Daniel F. Regan Mrs. Rosemary G. Regan Jeanne Reynolds Elsie M. Perrero and Jerry Perrero E. D. Roberts, Jr. Janet and Jerry Baldwin Marilyn and Blaise Carriere Joyce and John Ferraro Myrt and Frank Husband

Judy and Robert McVea Janet Sutherlin Sarah and Frank Warren Helen Robinson Mr. and Mrs. David Fitzgerald Denise A. Rogers Bobby, Tina, Leah, and Trey Annison Cathy W. Bucher First Baptist Church Joey and Sonya McCoy Craig and Marcy Ortego Larry and Nancy Sims Shirley L. Smith Anthony Gregory “Greg” Salvaggio, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Eckles Stacie Mayer James H. Ware, Jr.

Legacy Builders Legacy Builders is comprised of individuals who have made – or have notified Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center of their intent to make – planned gifts through their estate plans. Donors who have made outright gifts of $10,000 or more to the endowment or created endowed gifts for specific MBPCC programs are also recognized as Legacy Builders.

Through their generosity, the following individuals are helping MBPCC to remain steadfast in continuing its mission of providing the highest-quality, most state of the art treatment technology and compassionate support services to all patients and their families today and in years to come.

Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. John W. Barton, Jr. Mr. John W. Barton, Sr. Mark and Kathy Bensabat Mr. and Mrs. James M. Bernhard, Jr. Evelyn Campbell Beven * Dr. and Mrs. Frederic Billings III Mrs. Jane Thibaut Boyce Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Campbell, Jr. Pat Cheramie Beverly and Dudley Coates Estate of Jess Willard Cockerham Estate of Charles Newsam Conner Estate of Violet T. Crum Estate of Jean H. Curet Mr. Louis D. Curet Mr. D. Cecil Delaune * Ms. Elaine T. Delaune Estate of Hazel Ewing Estate of Isiah J. Ewing Leon Ford IV and Helen Ford Dufreche Charlie V. Giambelluca * Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Greer, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Griffin David S. Hanson, M.D. and Jolene K. Johnson, M.D. Mrs. Cecile B. Harrell The D. Jensen Holliday Family Fund Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon A. Johnson Jerry and Donna Jolly Estate of Esther Kent Mary Alicia and Bettye* Lauret Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Lipsey Mrs. Paula Garvey Manship

Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. McArthur II Mrs. Sancy H. McCool Chuck and Ruth McCoy Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. McKernan Estate of Lady Katharine McLaurin Dr. and Mrs. Tom J. Meek, Jr. Estate of Marguerite H. Mills Mr. Hillar C. Moore, Jr. Mr. Thomas J. Moran Mr. and Mrs. Roger A. Moser Mr. and Mrs. Hermann Moyse III Estate of Rosalie Moyse Estate of Stephen R. Musso Earl E. Nelson Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Nowacki Miss Emogene Pliner Mr. and Mrs. David C. Price Ms. Barbara V. Rathbone Estate of Dr. and Mrs. M. J. Rathbone, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Richard Rathbone Suzanne and Jackie Rome Anonymous Elaine Kessler Schudmak * Ms. Ruth C. Sessions Beverly Carson Smiley Todd and Kelli Stevens Peter and Paige Stewart Emily C. Stich Dr. and Mrs. O. M. Thompson, Jr. Felix and Lynn Weill * Deceased

If you have included MBPCC in your estate plans and have not yet notified the Office of Development, you are encouraged to do so. If you would like information on making a planned gift and/or would like assistance with the legal wording, the Office of Development staff will be happy to assist you.

Volume 2 2005 13

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Sue Sanders Neil and Becky Record William C. Sandoz Jane S. Sandoz Joanne Sarullo Maxine and Glynn Cox Mr. and Mrs. Hugh F. Wagley Everett C. Schaefer Justice and Huang Engineers, Inc. Elaine Caffarel Schlatre Judy Dees Joe E. Sedberry, Jr., Ph.D. Ms. Birdie S. White James and Malissie Severance Charles and Winifred Severance Margaret Ann Sproles “Tippy” Simmons Ola B. and Roy Adams Central High School Social Studies Department Bill Mason Mr. and Mrs. Bill Oberschmidt and Family Mrs. Dudley L. Pope, Jr. Ruth’s Chris Steak House Donald and Maggie Siler Tuesday Night Bunko Group Jeff B. Simpson, Jr. Mrs. Carolyn H. Simpson Elsie Sonnier Todd and Kelli Stevens Raymond Sterdivant Ted and Kathleen David Susan Faust Straley Dr. Richard A. Magill

Page 14

Robert “Bob” Tate Mrs. Elizabeth Griffing Mrs. Chris Taylor John and Mary Rayborn and Betty Tinnin Ted Thiel Marie and Al Landry Eleanor Thomas Mrs. Dudley L. Pope, Jr. William A. Tinsler, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Houde Merlin Morgan “Chief” Tynes Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kelly Bob and Millie Odom Sidney Vail Mrs. Dudley L. Pope, Jr. Marilyn Vitrano Joanna Bolton Dorothy Anne and Darrell Hardaway Mrs. Ruth B. White William F. White Deborah Lafleur Wade 224 Group The Staff of Kleinpeter Veterinary Hospital Genora Caroline Wire Mrs. P. Chauvin Wilkinson Elmer Witenan Victoria C. Ward Sybil J. Wittmer Frances and Charles Bennett Jean J. Cangelosi Anonymous Jack and Kristen Faller Andre Farrah Edythe M. Holmes

J. D. and Betty Hughes Cleo P. Jones Annie Laurie Miller SAIA Electric Incorporated Mrs. Charles Titkemeyer Ray Wilson

In Honor of…

Dr. Frederic T. Billings Thanie P. McKinnon Steve Bodie Lew Bodie Bob Campbell Dot O’Neal Dr. Curtis Chastain and Staff Donald J. Houde C. J. Ladner Dr. and Mrs. Elwin Michael Donner III Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Luquet, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Wally Rosenblum Mr. and Mrs. Michiel van Voorthuysen Dr. James Morris and Staff Donald J. Houde Bill and Cherie Peters SuSu M. Rosenthal Roswell Weil Dr. and Mrs. Miles Friedlander Ann Wilkinson Malcolm L. Tucker Winnie Winfree Lew Bodie

Katherine Rose Joins Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Katherine H. Rose has joined Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s Office of Development as the new Development Director for Hammond and Northshore.

Rose is responsible for the continuation and expansion of the fundraising programs in the parishes served by the Hammond and Covington campuses. Through personal interaction and community involvement, she will also be responsible for increasing the awareness level and visibility of these facilities.

Rose comes to MBPCC from the LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation, where she served as the Director of Special Events and Chapter Programs. She has held development positions at Pine Manor College, The Children’s Museum in Massachusetts, Georgia State University in Atlanta and Duke University in North Carolina.

14 Perkins Perspective

As part of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s participation in the WBRZ Life After 50 Expo, Amy L. Benton, communications director, Mary Bird Perkins, helps a visitor with an online cancer risk assessment available through www.marybird.org. My Cancer Risk estimates your risk of cancer and provides personalized tips for prevention.

MyCancerRisk.com is a program of the C.A.R.E. Network.

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Community Support Groups, Events and Activities Brunch Bunch This social outing is for those experiencing grief and meets the first Tuesday of every month. Call Hospice of Baton Rouge at (225) 767-HOPE [4673] for more information.

Cancer Survivors Support Group of Pointe Coupée Cancer survivors, family and friends gather to provide support, share experiences and discuss successful coping techniques. Meetings take place the first Friday of the month at 10 a.m. at Expresso Etc. in New Roads. Call Patricia Watson at (225) 627-3991 for more information.

Candlelighters This group is for children with cancer and their families. The program includes monthly fun activities in a supportive atmosphere, a summer day camp, and annual holiday party, tutoring, as well as individual and/or family counseling. Contact Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge at (225) 927-2273 for more information.

GYN Oncology Support Group This group, which provides support to women with gynecologic cancer and their families, meets once a month. For more information, contact Woman’s Hospital at (225) 924-8456.

HOPE (Bereavement Support Group) Free to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, this group, facilitated by a trained hospice professional, meets every Thursday at noon at the Hospice of Baton Rouge office at 9063 Siegen Lane.

Contact Hospice of Baton Rouge at (225) 767HOPE [4673] for more information.

The Hope Chests Organized by patients and facilitated by a nurse practitioner, this program’s purpose is to inform, encourage and meet the needs of breast cancer patients and their families. Speakers offer educational information on group-selected topics and emotional support is offered through group interaction and exercises that promote ventilation of feelings and fears. The group meets at Ochsner Clinic the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the fourth floor lobby. Call Ochsner Clinic of Baton Rouge at (225) 761-5488 for more information.

I Can Cope This series of sessions is for people with cancer, their families, and their friends, providing information about cancer diagnosis, treatment, and symptom management, and practical help in coping with some of the emotional issues that can go along with a cancer diagnosis. Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 for details.

Introduction to Bereavement Offered the first Monday of the month at 11:30 AM at the Hospice office at 9063 Siegen Lane to all those interested in learning more about the grief process and about the bereavement services offered

by Hospice of Baton Rouge. Contact Hospice of Baton Rouge at (225) 767-HOPE [4673] for more information.

PERKINS PERSPECTIVE is published by the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Communications Department to provide information about news and programs of interest to the medical community, cancer patients and their families, donors and friends of the Center.

Communications Department (225) 215-1225 Amy L. Benton, Communications Director Sally Garner, Communications Manager Debby Vollmer, Public Relations Manager/Senior Staff Writer

Introduction to Hospice This free seminar, for those interested in learning more about hospice care or becoming a volunteer, is held the first Wednesday of every month at noon at the Hospice of Baton Rouge office at 9063 Siegen Lane.

For more information, contact Hospice of Baton Rouge at (225) 767-HOPE [4673].

Kids Kare This group is to help parents help their children cope when a parent is diagnosed with cancer. Monthly activities provide time for children to have fun and for parents to connect and gain support from other parents dealing with similar issues. This program also includes an annual holiday party, a School’s Out Program, as well as individual and/or family counseling. Contact Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge at (225) 927-2273.

Life Goes On This support group for adults who have been diagnosed with cancer and are raising young children meets the first Friday of every month at noon at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge. Call (225) 927-2273 for more information.

Look Good...Feel Better A program in which trained volunteer cosmetologists help female cancer patients deal with the side effects of treatment by teaching them beauty techniques to enhance their appearance and self-image.

Participants are given a complimentary box of makeup and shown how to wear wigs and turbans.

Programs are offered on Mondays at facilities across Baton Rouge.

Call 1-800-ACS-2345 to register.

Lymphedema Prevention Clinic A free clinic providing one-on-one consultation with a certified lymphedema physical or occupational therapist will be held monthly at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge and quarterly in Hammond and Covington. Call (225) 215-1234 or (888) 616-4687 for more information.

Lymphoma Support Group For patients with Hodgkin’s disease and nonHodgkin’s lymphoma, their families and friends, this support group meets at noon on the last Friday of every month at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge. Contact Cancer Services at (225) 927-2273 for more information.

Man to Man Support Group This group offers education and mutual support for prostate cancer survivors as well as those currently undergoing treatment. Meetings are held three times per month at various locations across Baton Rouge.

Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS2345 for more information.

Make Today Count: Baton Rouge, Lutcher, St. Francisville Chapters Through speakers, social gatherings, discussion of mutual concerns and sharing of information, Make Today Count offers support and education for cancer patients, family and friends. The Baton Rouge chapter meets at noon on the fourth Thursday of each month at Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge for a guest speaker’s presentation followed by a support group. The Lutcher chapter meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the Lutcher Library, and the St. Francisville chapter meets at 2 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at the St. Francisville Town Hall. Call Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge at (225) 927-2273 for details.

New Voice Support Group This support group is designed to encourage and support those who have had a laryngectomy (surgical removal of the larynx, or voice box) and to assist with physical, social and emotional rehabilitation. Meetings are the third Monday of every month at 11:45 a.m. at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 for more information.

Ostomy Support Group This group assists with the rehabilitation of ostomy patients through information, educational material and emotional support. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at Baton Rouge General Medical Center - Bluebonnet at 7 p.m. Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 for more information.

Reach to Recovery This patient visitation program is for women who have had breast surgery related to cancer. Visitors are trained volunteers who have recovered from similar surgery. A prosthesis can be provided as well as literature and emotional support. Contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 for more information.

Sisters Supporting Sisters A support group for African-American breast cancer survivors, this organization provides a strong support base and emotional safe-haven for survivors to express fears, frustrations, and concerns. Meetings are held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon the first Saturday of every month at the Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church. Call (225) 921-9072 for more information.

To add your support group, event, or activity to our quarterly listing, please contact Sally Garner, Communications Manager, at (225) 215-1225, or by email at: SallyG@marybird.com.

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 4950 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809-3482 (225) 767-0847 Todd D. Stevens President/CEO

Lynn S. Weill Vice President for Development

PERKINS PERSPECTIVE is printed and mailed by Franklin Press.

Lori McCallum Executive Director/ C.A.R.E. Network

Brenda Truxillo Vice President/ Radiation Oncology Services

Greg C. Henkelmann, M.D. Radiation Oncologist/ Medical Director

© Copyright 2005 Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission from Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is prohibited.

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Save the Date

October 1-2, 2005 Baton Rouge Conference Steering Committee:

Saturday, October 1st

Cancer Services of Greater Baton

Center C.A.R.E. Network, American

Join us at the Sheraton Baton Rouge Convention Center Hotel. Daylong conference offering educational topics of interest to cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers and a luncheon with an exciting celebrity cancer survivor keynote speaker.

Cancer Society, Baton Rouge

Sunday, October 2nd

Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen

An afternoon of family fun at a location to be announced.

Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma

All is free of charge.

Rouge, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer

Society, Sisters Supporting Sisters, YWCA ENCOREplus.

For more information, please call 225.215.1368 or email cancerconf@marybird.com

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Sharon Myshrall, Lynn Weill, Brenda Truxillo, Lori Truxillo and Todd Stevens gather in anticipation before the start of the 2005 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center was a presenting sponsor of the event.

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID 4950 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809

BATON ROUGE, LA PERMIT NO. 603