Innovations - Leading the Cure for Cancer by Saint Johns

LEADING THE CURE FOR CANCER â&#x20AC;˘ SUMMER 2013

GOING

GLOBAL Hundreds of research collaborations around the world pool the best ideas for fighting cancer

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

SUMMER 2013

INSIDE

JWCI Faculty Listing

Seeds of Innovation

Letter from the Chairman of the Board

Welcome from the Chief of Medicine

At the Forefront

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happening

Peggy Maddox says she owes her life to innovative cancer treatment pioneered at JWCI.

PROFILES

Memorable Events Honor Roll

Philanthropy

FEATURES

Having cherished his own education, Dr. Morton is shaping the careers of young cancer researchers.

Immune system treatments represent a promising approach to melanoma.

Dr. Donald Morton

Dr. Delphine Lee and Martin Dirks

The Dirks/Doughery Laboratory for Cancer Research is home to some novel ideas about halting and preventing cancer.

Dr. Junko Ozao-Choy

A young researcher uses her fellowship to investigate why cancer turns deadly.

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Pioneering the Next Generation of Melanoma Treatments

Global Impact

JWCI scientists collaborate with colleagues around the world in a prestigious research alliance.

The Dirks/Dougherty Laboratory supports the work of Dr. Delphine Lee.

ON THE COVER The illustration depicts some of the Institute's hundreds of research collaborations around the world including the INCORE study group. See the story on page 22.

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Investing In Our Future My family has been proud to be a part of the John Wayne Cancer Institute for more than three decades. I continue to be amazed by the talented scientists who work within its walls to demystify the complex disease of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide. Throughout the Institute, researchers are pursuing novel ideas that are transforming the way we think about cancer treatment. From studies that identify blood-based biomarkers for the early detection of colon cancer to therapies that enlist a patient’s immune system to fight advanced skin cancer, our dynamic faculty works at the cutting edge of science. Our future is incredibly bright.

The achievements of the faculty at the John Wayne Cancer Institute are even more impressive because they have been accomplished without the scope of resources available at many larger institutions."

The achievements of the faculty at the John Wayne Cancer Institute are even more impressive because they have been accomplished without the scope of resources available at many larger institutions. It’s more difficult than ever to obtain support for medical research from the federal government, and private contributions have been the lifeblood of the Institute. Our researchers’ progress, described in this issue of Innovations, would not be possible without your support and the contributions of so many donors who share my family’s passion for finding cures for this dreadful disease. I hope you enjoy the new name, look and feel of Innovations (formerly Perspectives).

Patrick Wayne hairman of the C Board of Directors

REMEMBERING THE DUKE

Photo courtesy mptvimages.com

THE BIG TRAIL, 1930 This movie tells the story of a young trapper named Breck Coleman as he leads a large convoy of covered wagons westward from the Mississippi River. Filmed in black and white, this early "talkie" was originally set to star Gary Cooper, but Cooper was booked, and the role went to John Wayne— his first starring credit. He was 23. Directed by Raoul Walsh, the film also starred Marguerite Churchill and Tyrone Power, Sr.

“When you stop fighting, that’s death.”

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

INNOVATIONS

FACULTY JWCI FACULTY Garni Barkhoudarian, MD Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery Anton J. Bilchik, MD, PhD Professor of Surgery Chief of Medicine Interim Chief of Science Chief of the Gastrointestinal Research Program Myles C. Cabot, PhD Professor of Biochemistry Director of Experimental Therapeutics Lisa Chaiken, MD Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology Maureen Chung, MD, PhD Professor of Surgery Director of Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program Director, Margie Petersen Breast Center Director, Breast Oncology Fellowship Program Maggie DiNome, MD Assistant Professor of Surgery Associate Director of Margie Petersen Breast Center Mark B. Faries, MD Professor of Surgery Director of Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Director of Melanoma Research and Therapeutic Immunology Leland J. Foshag, MD Surgical Oncologist Dave S. B. Hoon, MSc, PhD Professor and Director of Molecular Oncology Chief of Scientific Intelligence Director of Genomics Sequencing

Sharon Huang, PhD Assistant Professor of Molecular Oncology Reiko F. Irie, MD Director of Biotechnology Hitoe Torisu-Itakura, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Immunology Daniel F. Kelly, MD Professor of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery Director of Brain Tumor Center and Pituitary Disorders Program Delphine J. Lee, MD, PhD Professor of Immunology Director of Translational Immunology Laurent Lessard, MD Assistant Professor of Molecular Oncology Donald L. Morton, MD Distinguished Professor of Surgery Chief of Melanoma Program Director of Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Peter A. Sieling, PhD Professor of Immunology Assistant Director of Translational Immunology Myung-Shin Sim, MS, DrPH Associate Professor and Director of Biostatistics Frederick Singer, MD Director of Endocrinology and Bone Disease Program Roderick Turner, MD Professor of Pathology Jinhua Wang, PhD Assistant Professor of Molecular Oncology

JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE EDITORIAL STAFF

Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Wall Chief of Medicine Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD Vice President, Public Affairs and Development Andy Trilling Director of Marketing, Public Relations & Communications Andrea R. Salazar Marketing Coordinator Angie Johnson

JWCI ADJUNCT FACULTY Stan Alfred, MD Dermatology Peter Boasberg, MD Medical Oncology Stanley A. Brosman, MD Urology Sant P. Chawla, MD Medical Oncology Alistair Cochran, MD Pathology Rebecca Crane-Okada, PhD Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist L. Andrew Di Fronzo, MD Surgical Oncology David Elashoff, PhD Biostatistics Robert Elashoff, PhD Biostatistics Joshua Ellenhorn, MD Adjunct Professor of Surgery Clark B. Fuller, MD Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery Edwin Glass, MD Nuclear Medicine Chester Griffiths, MD Otolaryngology Omid Hamid, MD Medical Oncology Vivanti N. Jain, MD Plastic Surgery J. Arthur Jensen, MD Plastic Surgery

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Peter Jones, MD Adjunct Associate Professor of Surgery David Krasne, MD Pathology Ronald S. Leuchter, MD Gynecologic Oncology Ali Mahtabifard, MD Adjunct Assistant Professor of Thoracic Surgery Silvana Martino, DO Medical Oncology Lisa C. Moore, MD Adjunct Assistant Professor of Endocrinology Carol Nishikubo, MD Medical Oncology Steven J. O'Day, MD Medical Oncology Jay S. Orringer, MD Plastic Surgery Lawrence D. Piro, MD Medical Oncology Lauren L. Reager, MD Dermatology Jaime M. Shamonki, MD Pathology Ira Smalberg, MD Radiology Marilou Terpenning, MD Adjunct Professor of Medical Oncology Robert C. Wollman, MD Radiation Oncology

VP, Branded Media Emily S. Baker Art Director Ajay Peckham Editor Shari Roan Copy Editor Laura Watts Contributors Linda Marsa Jeannine Stein Photographers Siri Berting, Remy Haynes President & CEO Charles C. Koones Chairman & Founder Todd Klawin If you have a change of address or would like to be removed from our mailing list, please contact the Public Affairs and Development Office at 310-315-6111.

WELCOME FROM THE CHIEF OF MEDICINE

With New Accreditation, A Legacy Continues At the John Wayne Cancer Institute, we have long taken great pride in our programs to teach, train and inspire the next generation of physicians and researchers. That practice has served our community and country well, producing hundreds

United States. Graduating fellows will therefore be among the first surgeons ever to become boardcertified in surgical oncology. The recognition by the ACGME is a tribute to the visionary leadership and teaching skills of Donald Morton, MD,

This issue of Innovations also tells the less well-known story of our painstaking efforts to collaborate with researchers around the world in order to advance our knowledge of cancer prevention and treatment." p.22

of talented individuals who are now leaders in oncology with the goal of saving their patients’ lives and preserving their quality of life. Our commitment to teaching was acknowledged in March by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which granted our fellowship program accreditation for complex surgical oncology. Our program is one of the first in the country to receive this distinction and is only one of 13 programs currently approved in the

whose remarkable career is featured in this issue of Innovations. Dr. Morton’s worldrenowned expertise in cancer and, in particular, melanoma put the Institute on the map a long time ago, attracting the finest students—such as Junko Ozao-Choy, MD, whose story you will also read about in this issue. Like many of our fellows, Dr. Ozao-Choy chose JWCI for her training after hearing about Dr. Morton’s pioneering research. We are grateful that the

fellowship program remains in the capable hands of directors Mark Faries, MD, and Dr. Morton, who will help carry it forward into the future. This issue of Innovations also tells the less well-known story of our painstaking efforts to collaborate with researchers around the world in order to advance our knowledge of cancer prevention and treatment. You will learn just why international collaboration is vitally important to the field and how fruitful such

relationships can be. We remain deeply grateful for the support of our donors who make it possible for us to continue a tradition of excellence.

Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD

Professor of Surgery Chief of Medicine and Chief of the Gastrointestinal Research Program

OUR MISSION John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center is a cancer research institute dedicated to the understanding and curing of cancer in order to eliminate patient suffering worldwide. Our mission is accomplished through innovative clinical and laboratory research and the education of the next generation of surgical oncologists and scientists.

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

AT THE FOREFRONT

Reaching the Crucial Tipping Point in Breast Cancer Research

Maureen Chung, MD, PhD, joined John Wayne Cancer Institute last year as director of the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program. She was previously an associate professor in the department of surgery at Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island. After 10 months on the job in Santa Monica, she shares her vision of breast cancer research.

What brought you to the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s?

“This is a rare opportunity for a surgeon who is also interested in research. One of the strengths of John Wayne is its involvement in translational research—research that is going to be applied to patients. We see a problem in the clinic, we take

6 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

it back to the lab and try to find a solution. Even though breast cancer is a common problem, we see recurring difficulties in the clinic. That is where the research program is focused. We’re always asking: Can we make our treatments better? Can we make them specific for individuals? Can we tailor and personalize their breast cancer care?” Can you explain your research on nanoparticles?

“One of the problems in breast

surgery today is we cannot see cancer cells as we operate. We offer patients breast conservation surgery, or lumpectomy, and take out what looks like the entire tumor. However, after we look under the microscope, we see cancer cells at the margins, and the patient needs a second operation. What we want to do is to attach nanoparticles to breast cancer cells so that they fluoresce—or give off a special light—so we can see cancer cells as we operate.” What is cryoablation, and how might that become a treatment for breast cancer?

“We’re asking: Do we even need to operate on patients? Instead of operating on cancers, can we freeze them and have the

body take care of it? That’s called cryoablation. It’s been evaluated for non-cancerous breast tumors and now is being studied for invasive breast cancer. What’s unique at John Wayne is that we’re not just looking at whether cryoablation can kill breast cancer cells. We’re looking at whether cryoablation can stimulate an immune response. In other words, can cryoablation turn a breast cancer into a tumor vaccine?” What other research plans do you have?

“One of the major resources of John Wayne is its tumor repository. Dr. Donald Morton has been saving tumors and blood samples from patients for the past 20 years, and these samples are linked to patient outcome.

AT THE FOREFRONT

We have learned that breast cancer is not one disease; it is a conglomerate of many biologies, and we’re getting better at understanding each biology.”

We can use these samples to evaluate new genes and proteins, linking their expression to patient outcome without having to wait 20 years. The tumor repository is a unique resource and a credit to the vision of Dr. Morton.”

And conversely, you don’t want to undertreat an aggressive breast cancer. We want to tailor treatments to the biology of the cancer, be more specific with targeted therapies and maximize benefits while minimizing side effects.”

What is the biggest change you’ve seen in breast cancer treatment and research?

What is happening in terms of learning how to prevent the disease?

“We have learned that breast cancer is not one disease; it is a conglomerate of many biologies, and we’re getting better at understanding each biology. You don’t want to treat a breast cancer that may respond to minimal treatment with a machine gun.

“We still have a long way to go. We know that diet and lifestyle influence whether you develop breast cancer and whether the disease recurs. But we’ve never understood why. Now we’re beginning to look at how these things interplay to cause breast cancer.”

What excites you the most about where this field is headed?

After several decades of struggling, has cancer treatment entered a new phase?

“Already I’ve seen in my professional career that cancer treatments have gotten better. It’s exciting that we can take this dreaded disease and turn it into a chronic disease. When you talked about breast cancer years ago, there was an immediate thought of losing a breast and perhaps dying. Today it’s about outpatient surgery and maybe not even needing chemotherapy or radiation. The idea that we may not need to operate on breast cancer is exciting.”

“Yes. We needed to understand how cells worked. It’s very hard to study abnormal cells until you know how normal cells work. Now that we have the human genome sequenced, we’re getting to that crucial tipping point where it’s all coming together. I’m excited to be here. It’s a wonderful time for John Wayne Cancer Institute. We have a lot of new ideas and new faculty. Coupled with the foundation already here, we’re expecting great things to happen. And we couldn’t do it without the support of our donors.” SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

AT THE FOREFRONT

Accelerating Research at the Molecular Level JWCI researchers embrace a new cell-sorting machine. Translational medicine. That’s the term used for moving knowledge attained in research laboratories to patients’ bedsides as rapidly as possible. The potential to turn pioneering

behave in specific ways. The research is augmented by a technology called fluorescenceactivated cell scanning (FACS). A machine separates cells that are phenotypically different from

The upgrade in technology will help the Institute recruit top scientists and continue to reap the benefits of translational medicine. therapies into life-saving treatments is on full display at the John Wayne Cancer Institute Molecular Oncology Laboratory. Researchers are studying cancer at its most basic level: the molecules that cause tumors to

each other. It identifies how many cells have expressed key proteins and how much these proteins have been expressed— details that help unravel the mysteries of cancer. JWCI will soon replace its

current 11-year-old cell-sorting machine with a new FACS machine. The upgrade in technology will help the Institute recruit top scientists and continue to reap the benefits of translational medicine. JWCI wishes to thank the

generosity of John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary, Roy E. Coats Memorial Fund/Laura Coats and Thom Schulz, Mary Ann and Marvin Weiss, and Maria Lim McClay for their contributions toward this important acquisition.

Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program Receives Prestigious Accreditation Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)

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Cancer surgery is an increasingly sophisticated specialty. But few institutions train surgeons in this fine art better than John Wayne Cancer Institute. In March, the Institute became one of only a handful of programs in the United States—and one of only two in California—to be accredited for complex surgical oncology as designated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME oversees all training programs that may result in board certification,

and only graduates of such programs are eligible to take board examinations. At JWCI, specialty training was pioneered by educators such as Donald Morton, MD, even before fellowship programs existed. When the Society of Surgical Oncology standardized a system of evaluation for fellowship programs, the program at JWCI was one of the first to be accredited. Specialized training in surgical oncology is a new board certification of the ACGME. JWCI fellows graduating from the program this year will be the first class to be board-eligible.

“We are delighted that our program had earned this prestigious designation,” said Mark Faries, MD, program director of the JWCI Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program and director of the Melanoma Research Program. “It is a testament to the quality of education the Institute provides and allows our graduates to achieve the highest level of certification. We take great pride in the success of our graduates, who are now leaders in surgical oncology throughout the nation. This accreditation assures our fellows can continue to be leaders into the future.”

AT THE FOREFRONT

A New Treatment Targets Cancer In The Liver Researchers at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center continue to pioneer cancer treatments that are being used around the world. Mark Faries, MD, director of JWCI’s melanoma research program, has helped develop a treatment called “isolated liver perfusion” and has been training other surgeons in England, Germany and France to perform this cutting-edge procedure. Oncologists know that advanced melanoma (skin cancer) tends to spread more often to particular areas, including

1998-99 Average

13%

14.8% Caucasian 10.6% Hispanic/Latino

2008-09 Average

27%

27.8% Caucasian 19.7% Hispanic/Latino

20.2% African-American

all other forms of therapy. Saint John’s Health Center is the only site on the West Coast approved to perform this procedure. “It sounds complex, but this treatment is really just a combination of fairly standard techniques,” says Dr. Faries. “The problem with melanoma is that it is fairly resistant to chemotherapy, and the amount of chemotherapy we have to use to kill the melanoma is probably enough to kill the person as well. But this method enables us to target the liver without harming the patient.”

More Women Undergo Breast Reconstruction Following Mastectomy

Mastectomy rates are rising in the United States, but more women are 6.7% 18.2% Asian/Pacific Islander Asian/Pacific Islander also choosing to have breast 7.3% 19.5% Amer. Indian/ Amer. Indian/ reconstruction Alaska Native Alaska Native surgery, according to an analysis by Elizabeth Arena, MD, a surgical oncology fellow at John Breast reconstruction Wayne Cancer Institute. surgery after mastectomy Overall, the rate of breast has become more accepted, reconstruction rose from 13% in but rates are higher in 1998-99 to 27% in 2008-09. The white women compared to increase is likely due in part to a other groups. federal law mandating insurance Source: John Wayne coverage for breast reconstruction Cancer Institute that was passed in 1998. 12.5% African-American

the liver—a vital organ. This innovative, interdisciplinary technique, called hepatic perfusion, involves physically isolating blood vessels leading to and from the liver and then delivering chemotherapy directly to the organ in doses far higher than patients can normally tolerate. By isolating the blood vessels, the poisonous therapy doesn’t escape into the body. Using this method, Dr. Faries and other researchers in the United States have demonstrated remarkable responses in patients whose tumors were resistant to

Dr. Arena used data from the federal SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) program to explore trends in reconstruction. She found the highest rates of reconstruction were among more affluent, non-Hispanic whites who live in metropolitan areas. The lowest proportional increase in reconstruction rates was in black women. Dr. Arena also found that the type of reconstruction surgery has changed. While tissue transfer was the most prevalent choice in 1998-99, implant reconstruction was more popular in 2008-09. “I think women are probably better educated about

reconstruction compared to when we were first collecting data,” says Dr. Arena, who presented the study in January at the Southern California chapter of the American College of Surgeons meeting. “But certain groups are potentially benefitting more from the law than other groups. It leads to the question: What kind of access are women having to reconstruction? How much is patient choice, and how much has to do with having access to the option?” Dr. Maureen Chung was the senior investigator of the study, which was supported by the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Foundation. SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

SEEDS OF INNOVATION

Your Private Funding Can Help Launch Promising Research Projects John Wayne Cancer Institute’s Seeds of Innovation program is a remarkable opportunity for individual donors to help spark important new findings in cancer research. The funds permit faculty at the Institute to turn novel ideas into large, promising research projects aimed at advancing the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease. Unlike government grants, which are typically restricted to pre-established projects, the Seeds of Innovation program is entirely funded by private support, allowing scientists to dream big yet start small.

Seed grants have been vital to the development of innovative treatments pioneered at the Institute that are making an impact on cancer patients around the world today.

Projects in need of funding include:

• Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Mark B. Faries, MD, is leading therapeutic immunology research in a new JWCI laboratory. He hopes to develop personalized melanoma cancer treatments using immune cells derived from a patient’s tumor—a strategy called tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes. Dr. Faries envisions a process where adoptive immunotherapy can be simplified and become more effective.

• Overcoming drug resistance for the treatment of cancer. Sometimes chemotherapy to treat breast cancer is not as effective as it could be, because the cancer cells become resistant to a drug. Myles C. Cabot, PhD, director of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, is focusing on a method to overcome drug resistance using nanotechnology to deliver drugs and molecular agents to breast cancer cells. Dr. Cabot and his colleagues are currently testing nano-agents capable of delivering tumor-toxic doses to cancer cells.

• Earlier cancer detection through the study of genetic changes and blood tests. Is it possible to detect breast cancer with a blood test? Researchers in the Department of Molecular Oncology believe it may be. Dave S. Hoon, MSc, PhD, is pursuing research on a technology that will isolate breast cancer cells in blood and reveal genetic changes that hint at the disease in its primitive stages. The research could lead to a better understanding of how cancer cells invade a new tissue. Moreover, by collecting blood samples and following patients, researchers hope to learn how these biomarkers affect disease progression.

• The role of bacteria and viruses in breast cancer and prevention of the disease. Delphine J. Lee, MD, PhD, is also looking at how bacteria living in the intestines can contribute to cancer. Bacterial and viral infections may contribute to cancer-promoting changes in breast duct cells. A better understanding of the role of viruses and bacteria could yield methods to prevent infection and block cancer from developing. 

For more information about these and other programs in need of funding, please call JWCI at 310-315-6111.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

August 3 Buehrle Golf Classic

Missouri Bluff Golf Course Saint Charles, MO The Buehrle Golf Classic, the premier fundraiser of The Buehrle Family Foundation, will benefit JWCI as well as other institutions. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit breast and colon cancer research in memory of Sharon Buehrle and Alan Pinkstaff. The two-shotgun event includes more than 300 participants.

September 7-8 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Santa Barbara The Santa Barbara coastline and stunning Santa Ynez Mountains provide the backdrop for the two-day, 29-mile Avon Walk. The event, launched in 2003 by the Avon Foundation, raises funds for breast cancer programs. The John Wayne Cancer Institute is proud to partner with Avon as a Medical Sponsor and as a beneficiary. Thanks to our dedicated walkers and volunteers who support this incredible event.

October 12 Saint John’s Health Center Caritas Gala

October 1 FFANY Shoes on Sale

Waldorf Astoria, New York City The John Wayne Cancer Institute is honored to be a partner at the 20th Annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” event. To date, the Fashion Footwear Association of New York Charitable Organization (FFANY) has contributed more than $5 million to JWCI to support innovative breast cancer research that has helped eliminate patient suffering for women around the world.

October 17 JWCI Auxiliary Annual Boutique and Membership Luncheon Honoring Susan Love, MD and Patricia Elton

Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills The annual boutique and luncheon help support the operations of the JWCI Auxiliary, which for 28 years has raised money for Institute projects.

Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills Each year, the Saint John’s Foundation and the Irene Dunne Guild host the Caritas Gala to honor those who demonstrate compassion and concern for others through exceptional service to the community. Proceeds from the Caritas Gala benefit the Health Center’s programs and services such as the Child and Family Development Center, Women’s Health Services and the Irene Dunne Guild Gift Shop. November 9 12th Annual Cathy Classic

Kissimmee Bay Country Club, Kissimmee, FL Hosted by the Hasselberger family, this annual golf tournament celebrates the life of the beloved Cathy Hasselberger. This 12th annual tournament raises much-needed funds to support melanoma research at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center. If you’re in the Sunshine State, grab your clubs and join us on the green!

December 8 JWCI Benefactors Dinner

Four Seasons Hotel, Los Angeles The Institute will honor its generous annual and major donors who have supported innovative cancer research at the highest levels of giving.

November 23 Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies (ABCs) Annual "Talk of the Town" Fundraising Gala

Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills The ABCs’ most extraordinary evening takes place each November when the organization recognizes individuals who have made a difference in the fight against cancer. A glittering, black-tie event, the party attracts more than 800 guests as well as major media attention. Celebrities and supporters alike gather to raise much-needed funds for JWCI’s breast and prostate cancer research. The evening includes dinner, dancing, guest performances and a boutique.

For more information on any of the events, please contact us at

development@jwci.org or 310-315-6111. SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

Pioneering the

NEXT GENERATION of Melanoma Treatments Researchers harness the power of the immune system to fight advanced disease. WRITTEN BY LINDA MARSA PHOTOGRAPHED BY SIRI BERTING

Peggy Maddox enjoys a round of golf with her 12 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013 husband, Richard.

octors gave Peggy Maddox only a few months to live. In the summer of 1983, the Torrance resident discovered a lump under her arm that turned out to be melanoma—the most deadly form of skin cancer. She was operated on by Donald Morton, MD, chief of the melanoma program at John Wayne Cancer Institute, who removed more than 60 lymph nodes from her neck and under her arm. He discovered that 14 of them were cancerous, which meant the disease has spread throughout her body. “I was devastated,” recalls Maddox, who was 42 at the time and had two young kids, ages 11 and 14. “He told me I had a 2% chance of survival.” But in September 1984, Maddox volunteered to undergo an experimental treatment that Dr. Morton had devised and became the first person to be treated with a new cancer vaccine that had been concocted from melanoma cells cultured in the lab. The vaccine was designed to make her immune system see the cancer cells as foreign invaders so it would mount a defense. The strategy worked. For the next 16 years, the continuing education teacher dutifully went to JWCI for a dose of the vaccine until she was declared cured. “Every September, I send Dr. Morton an anniversary card,” says Maddox, who’s now 71 and semi-retired, enjoying a life filled with grandchildren and golf outings. “He saved my life.” In the nearly 30 years since, Dr. Morton and his research team at JWCI have consistently been at the forefront of devising therapies to combat this potentially deadly skin cancer, which will be diagnosed in more than 76,000 Americans this year and claim nearly 9,500 lives. While early-stage melanoma is quite curable, once the cancer spreads beyond the skin and invades the lymph nodes and vital organs like the liver, five-year survival rates drop precipitously—to about 10%, which lends urgency to the search for better treatments for people with advanced disease. The latest generation of therapies that researchers are studying harness the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancer. Originally

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

developed at the National Cancer Institute, JWCI is one of five research centers here in the United States and in Israel that are testing and refining this experimental technique. The goal is to develop individualized treatments using immune cells taken from a patient’s tumor. Patients’ tumors are first incubated in special cultures that enhance the growth of cancer-fighting white blood cells. White blood cells are the foot soldiers the immune system dispatches to fight disease. Scientists cull out the ones that kill the malignant tumors— which are called tumor-infiltrating

lymphocytes (TILs)—and then make billions of copies of these cells, which are injected back into the patient. “Essentially, what this does is beef up the patients’ immune response since they’ve developed an immune response against the tumor already,” says Mark B. Faries, MD, director of melanoma research and director of therapeutic immunology. “But for various reasons, their response may not be strong enough to overcome the resistance mechanisms of the tumor.” Results from earlier tests on patients with metastatic

melanoma—disease that has spread—were quite encouraging and have improved cure rates by 20% to 40%, according to the most recent research. Scientists are awaiting the go-ahead from the Food and Drug Administration to move forward for the final phase of human tests. Right now, this technique is too scientifically complex to be done outside major cancer centers like Saint John’s Health Center’s JWCI. But because of JWCI’s experience in immunotherapy and cell culture, the Institute will aim to develop simplified and more effective therapies. Once they can

JWCI is leading one of the largest melanoma trials in the world—the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial II (MSLT-II). Some of the 65 institutions in the collaboration include: • Columbia University Medical Center

• Netherlands Cancer Institute

• H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center

• Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

• Hospital Clinic Barcelona • Johns Hopkins Medical Institute

• Ohio State University

• MD Anderson Cancer Center

• Roswell Park Cancer Institute

• Melanoma Institute Australia

• Saint Thomas Hospital of London

• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

• Sharp Memorial Hospital

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• St. Louis University

• Swedish Melanoma Study Group/University Hospital Lund • Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center • Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen • University of Michigan • University of Wurzburg • University of Zurich

PREVENTING SKIN CANCER • If you tan, stop. Tanning outdoors and using tanning beds and sun lamps are not safe activities. Research shows indoor tanning increases a person’s melanoma risk by 75%. • Spend time outdoors when the sun is less intense—before 10 a.m. and after 2 p.m. • Wear sunscreen every day, even on cloudy, rainy and snowy days. Use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30 and with both UVA and UVB protection. • Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before you go outside. • Put sunscreen on all skin that will not be covered by clothing. • If you spend time outside, reapply the sunscreen every two hours. • Wear sunglasses with UV protection. Melanoma can develop in the eyes.

WARNING SIGNS OF MELANOMA

lso in a continuation of research pioneered by Dr. Morton and his melanoma research team, Dr. Faries, Dr. Lee and other researchers are studying patients treated with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), a tuberculosis vaccine injected into metastatic melanoma skin lesions as an immune-boosting therapy used to treat advanced melanoma. In a 2012 study of nine JWCI patients with metastatic melanoma who received BCG along with another immunostimulatory cream (topical imiquimod), five patients saw all their lesions disappear, another had a partial response, and three were completely healed once solitary resistant lesions were surgically removed. (Two elderly patients died of unrelated causes.) And not only did the melanoma lesions that were injected with BCG shrivel in size, but the ones that hadn’t been treated regressed as well. “Somehow, the immune cells find their way to the other melanoma lesions and kill them too,” explains Dr. Lee, who is the director of the department of translational immunology at JWCI. She envisions that someday insights from studying immune stimulatory therapies might lead to a treatment which prevents future recurrences for low-risk patients who have had successful surgeries. Her team is also studying the

autoimmune disease vitiligo, a skin condition that causes blotchy white patches, to understand how the immune system kills the pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. “These are the cells that give rise to melanoma,” says Dr. Lee. “We know some people with melanoma who develop a loss of pigmentation have a better outcome.” There must be a connection between this heightened immune reaction and stopping the spread of the skin cancer, she says. Uncovering the mechanism might pave the way toward better, more targeted therapies. “Despite emerging therapies and new Food and Drug Administration approvals, only a fraction of patients respond, and many recur. We don’t have that much to treat melanoma, especially after it has spread,” she says. “We have to do better.”

n other fronts, John Wayne Cancer Institute researchers continue to head an international trial network involving more than 4,000 patients that is evaluating whether immediate extensive surgery is beneficial for melanoma patients whose disease has spread to their lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, round structures that trap cancer cells or other harmful substances which may be circulating in the lymphatic system. The current practice is to immediately remove all lymph nodes if there is evidence of cancer in the sentinel lymph node— the regional lymph node that is most likely to contain malignant cells that have spread from the skin. Studies have consistently shown that this approach results in a longer disease-free survival rate in the estimated 15% to 20% of patients in whom melanoma has penetrated beyond the skin. Scientists are looking at whether it’s better to immediately

MMET RY ASY

One half unlike the other half.

Irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border.

DIAMETER

6mm

OR COL

DE BOR R

While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller.

Varied from one area to another; shades of tan and brown, black; sometimes white, red or blue. EVOLVING

A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing size, shape or color.

EXAMPLE

demonstrate its feasibility, says Dr. Faries, this could be done at a broader range of institutions. Immunotherapy research has implications beyond melanoma, because the technique is one of the few that has demonstrated durable regression of metastatic disease. Now that the therapy has been shown to work in melanoma, scientists may turn their attention to applying cell transfer treatments to other types of solid cancers.

It’s especially important to recognize the early signs of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Detected early, the disease is almost 100% curable. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Dermatology. Finding Melanoma Examine your skin thoroughly. Look at moles and use the ABCDE formula that may suggest the presence of a melanoma in a mole. A — Asymmetry. One half not like the other half. B — Irregular, scalloped borders. C — Color. Shades of tan and brown, black; sometimes white, red or blue. D — Diameter. While melanomas are usually greater than six millimeters—about the size of a pencil eraser—when diagnosed, they can be smaller. E — Evolving or changing in appearance. Make notes about the size and shape of your moles and watch for any changes in the appearance. Check your scalp, palms, feet, nails and genital area. Make an appointment to see a dermatologist if you find a mole or growth that is growing, unusual, bleeding or not like the rest. An expert evaluation is important for any skin lesion that is worrisome. For more information about skin cancer, please contact the JWCI Melanoma Research Program Department at 855-530-SKIN.

remove the lymph nodes or to do ultrasound monitoring of the lymphatic system and only step in if the disease spreads. “How invasive do you have to

be to save a person’s life?” ponders Dr. Faries. “That’s the question we’re trying to answer, because the less surgery we can do, the better for the patient.”  SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

PROFILE

Donald L. Morton, MD A living legend, Dr. Morton shaped the field of surgical oncology. WRITTEN BY LINDA MARSA

16 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

In the field of oncology, Donald L. Morton, MD, is a giant. Over the past half-century, Dr. Morton, chief of the melanoma program and co-director of the surgical oncology fellowship program at John Wayne Cancer Institute, has led revolutionary changes in a field that was too often stumped by the complexity and tenacity of cancer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Don Morton is one of the most famous cancer surgeons in the world today and has been instrumental in changing the face of cancer and cancer research,â&#x20AC;? says Anton J. Bilchik, MD, PhD, chief of medicine and chief of gastrointestinal research at JWCI. In his long career, Dr. Morton has made significant contributions in two distinct fields: surgical oncology research and surgical fellowship training. On the research side, he devised

Dr. Donald Morton operates with his colleague Dr. Mark Faries.

them are university professors,” Dr. Morton says. “Ten percent of them are deans or department chairs, and 45% are chiefs of their respective divisions of surgical oncology. They are widely distributed throughout the country and will continue to make contributions to cancer research long after I’m gone.” It’s been a remarkable journey for the world-renowned surgeon, who was chief of the division of surgical oncology at UCLA before he established the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa

plumbing and no electricity.” As a youngster, Dr. Morton tended pigs, cows and chickens in the morning before school and again in the evening. “Only then could I do my homework by the light of a kerosene lamp.” After college at UC Berkeley he received his medical training at UC San Francisco Medical School. When he arrived at the National Cancer Institute in 1960, he began what became a lifelong study of melanoma. The surgical oncologist was intrigued by reports of spontaneous recoveries from cancer, which suggest-

drainage pathway of the tumor and tracks the primary or sentinel drainage node. If the tumor is going to spread, according to numerous clinical trials, it would have to go through that node. “The sentinel node concept saves the U.S. health care system about $3.8 billion a year and countless unnecessary operations and suffering from lymphedema for patients,” he notes. Dr. Morton was able to gain acceptance of his innovative work by creating a vast clinical trial network that involved institutions throughout the world. The way

For me, I think the greatest accomplishment was making it from rural West Virginia to the Westside of Los Angeles. I grew up during the Depression in a house that my dad built. We had no running water, no indoor plumbing and no electricity.”

a procedure that has become the standard of care for melanoma and breast cancer. He was also a pioneer in the development of cancer vaccines. On the education side, he has worked hard to establish the next generation of surgical oncologists, training more than 135 fellows. “I’m very proud that 80% of

Monica in 1991. Donald Morton grew up amid rural poverty in a small West Virginia coal-mining town and attended Berea College, a small college in Kentucky geared toward disadvantaged youth in Appalachia. His mother stressed the importance of education. “For me, I think the greatest accomplishment was making it from rural West Virginia to the Westside of Los Angeles,” he says. “I grew up during the Depression in a house that my dad built. We had no running water, no indoor

ed the body was mounting an immune response to fight off the malignancy. He felt that rallying the immune system through the use of therapeutic vaccines could be a way of combating cancer. These keen powers of observation also led Dr. Morton to devise the sentinel node biopsy technique. In the past, surgeons would remove all lymph nodes surrounding a cancerous tumor to see if a tumor has spread. Doctors now inject a radioactive dye near the tumor, which illuminates the

he organized this international consortium became a model for similar research efforts. In a 2011 editorial in the Journal of Surgical Oncology, Charles M. Balch, MD, professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, wrote of his colleague: "Donald Morton is truly a legend in surgical oncology, an icon as a surgical investigator, a pioneer in melanoma, a valued mentor, an authentic role model and a cherished friend to many of us around the world." 

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

PROFILE

Delphine Lee, MD, PhD In novel research, the Dirks/ Dougherty Lab looks for microbial causes of cancer. WRITTEN BY LINDA MARSA PHOTOGRAPHED BY REMY HAYNES

When Delphine Lee, MD, PhD, was recruited to move from UCLA to John Wayne Cancer Institute, a couple of factors made it an offer she couldn't refuse. One was the opportunity to work with worldrenowned melanoma researcher Donald Morton, MD. But another reason was the generous financial support of philanthropist Carolyn Dirks, a Life Trustee of Saint John's Health Center Foundation, and her husband, Brett Dougherty, to what is now known as the Dirks/ Dougherty Laboratory for Cancer Research. The Dirks/Dougherty funding has helped Dr. Lee, who is also a dermatologist, launch promising investigations to identify cancer subtypes as a way to direct therapy, to define the mechanisms of immune regulation that can be used to control cancer and to explore new ideas about what causes breast cancer. “This support gave me an unprecedented opportunity to do the kind of unfettered scientific exploration that often leads to great discoveries,” says Dr. Lee, director of the Department of Translational Immunology at JWCI. Breathing life into ideas, hopes and dreams is the hallmark of Carolyn Dirks' approach to philanthropy. Before she became president of the Joseph B. Gould Foundation, a charitable organization founded by her father, Carolyn had her own dreams. As a teenager growing up in Los Angeles, she enjoyed the benefits of good health while training as an elite swimmer. She also pursued a career in the fashion industry before meeting husband, Brett, an oil and real estate investor. As philanthropists, the couple's outreach reflects Carolyn's love of wellness, the arts and sports. Carolyn's and Brett's involvement at Saint John's Health Center is long and noteworthy. They were recipients, in 2010, of the Spirit of Saint John's Award, presented by the Saint John's Health Center Foundation, for their multiple gestures of support, including funding for the ambulance entrance and trauma bay and the beautiful Sister Marie Madeleine Chapel. The couple's involvement is truly a family affair with Carolyn's son, Martin Dirks, involved as a board member of the Joseph B. Gould Foundation. The couple also provides robust support for JWCI's research and fellowship programs. Funding the Dirks/Dougherty Laboratory for Cancer Research, which comes through the Joseph B. Gould Foundation, is yet another gesture of their desire to make a difference. "We're delighted to support the work of Dr. Lee and are excited with the direction her research is taking," says Carolyn, who is a member of the JWCI board of advisors. "I know with her vision and hard work, we will make great things happen.”

18 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Adds Martin: "We are happy to have someone of Dr. Lee's caliber leading the team." Among Dr. Lee's projects is an investigation on whether microbes have anything to do with breast cancer. In recent years, studies have shown that human papilloma virus is linked to several forms of cancer, such as cervical cancer. Breast cancer, too, may be linked to viruses. Another major theme of the Dirks/Dougherty lab involves investigating how both T-cells and other lesser immune cells contribute to cancer. Dr. Lee and her team are isolating breast cancer tissue and

Part of the job of T-cells and other immune cells is to recognize when normal cells go rogue. If they're not doing their job, we develop cancer."

Martin Dirks and Delphine Lee, MD, PhD, in the Dirks/Dougherty Laboratory for Cancer Research.

healthy adjacent tissue to investigate T-cell function. What they find out may help explain why some women have a recurrence of breast cancer and others don't. "Part of the job of T-cells and other immune cells is to recognize when normal cells go rogue," she says. "If they're not doing their job, we develop cancer." The support from Carolyn Dirks and her family permits the impressive range of research taking place in Dr. Lee's lab. "Sometimes, you need to wander around to see what you find," Dr. Lee notes. "If you just go looking for what you know, you won't find the things

you're not looking for, but that's when you'll make the breakthrough discoveries. Carolyn Dirks and Brett Dougherty have enabled us to do experiments that, in this day and age of limited finances, are high-risk, high-reward experiments." Dr. Lee's research is generously supported by: Carolyn Dirks and Brett Dougherty/Joseph B. Gould Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Avon Foundation for Women, Fashion Footwear of New York Charitable Foundation and The Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Research (ABCs). ď&#x20AC;ź

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

Fellowship PROFILE

Junko Ozao-Choy, MD When her parents were stricken with cancer, Dr. Junko OzaoChoy knew what she had to do. WRITTEN BY JEANNINE STEIN PHOTOGRAPHED BY REMY HAYNES

20 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Junko Ozao-Choy, MD, has known her way around a research laboratory since she was a teenager. While most of her high school peers were enjoying their summer vacations, she was working in an immunology lab studying melanoma. It should be no surprise that the lab is still familiar territory. Today sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in her third year as a surgical oncology fellow at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, where her research focuses on immunotherapies to treat cancer.

diagnosed with colon cancer, and her father developed liver cancer. Her mother survived the disease, but her father did not, passing away when Dr. Ozao-Choy was just 13 years old. “In a very real way, I was about to be orphaned by the disease,” she says. “It was one story of how modern medicine really helped my mother, but with my father, it didn’t work out that way.” Dr. Ozao-Choy received her undergraduate degree at Yale and medical degree at Dartmouth and came to JWCI after hearing about the melanoma research pioneered by I’m always inspired by the patients. Donald Morton, MD, chief of the JWCI melanoma They’re remarkable. They have sometimes program. In the lab and in clinical practice as an oncology surgeon, she searches for answers about how very devastating illnesses and side effects cancer spreads. from treatment, and they’re very strong “The fellowship is set up so that you have all the tools and the patients you need," she says. "You come people. They teach me a lot about being in with questions, and then you have a relationship strong and courageous. I think that’s a big with very experienced researchers who help you refine part of why I want to do what I do.” those questions." Dr. Ozao-Choy’s current research is on the role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (cells that help regulate immune responses and tissue repair) in people with advanced melanoma. She is investigating those cells, taken from samples of white blood cells from a trial to assess a prospective melanoma vaccine. Moreover, while recently investigating scalp melanomas, she found those tumors may have a worse prognosis than others on the head, neck, trunk and extremities. She presented a paper on the topic last year at the annual cancer symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Ozao-Choy also works with patients and credits them for much of her motivation to dig deeper into her research. “I’m always inspired by the patients,” she says. “They’re remarkable. They have sometimes very devastating illnesses and side effects from treatment, and they’re very strong people. They teach me a lot about being strong and courageous. I think that’s a big part of why I want to do what I do.” Her dedication to her job runs deep. While nearing her due date for the birth of her second child last year, Dr. Ozao-Choy felt well enough to assist in a day-long slate of four surgeries that stretched from early morning to midnight. After finally making it home and going to bed, she woke up an hour later to find her water had broken. “I must have missed labor somehow, because I went to the hospital and had the baby in a short amount of time,” she says, laughing. “There wasn’t even time to do the paperwork to admit me.” She and her husband, attorney Jason Choy, enjoy spending time with Why cancer research? daughter, Evelyn, now age 1, and older daughter, Isabelle, 4. Isabelle’s “At the very core, I was very interested in why cancer kills people, why hand-drawn pictures decorate a wall of the office. it’s so deadly,” she says, sitting in her office at the Institute. “When it’s Ultimately, Dr. Ozao-Choy would like to leave a legacy of finding localized, you can cure it with surgery, but when it spreads, it becomes a better cancer treatments and faster cures for future generations, like very different animal. That’s the central question I was always interested in.” those her daughters’ ages. “I think it will be a reality in the future that But there was another reason behind her motivation to work in we’ll be able to personalize treatments and make them less toxic for the field. While growing up in Scarsdale, New York, her mother was patients—and ultimately have better outcomes.” 

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

Going the

DISTANCE

to improve cancer care

Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston TX

Dr. Anton Bilchik is part of an international cancer research collaboration that has made major advances in the staging of colorectal cancer in recent years. The group is part of the International Consortium of Research Excellence and works in partnership with the U.S. Military Cancer Institute.

22 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Dr. Anton Bilchik engages colleagues around the world in a world-class research consortium. WRITTEN BY SHARI ROAN

or a man who dislikes travel, Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, certainly has an impressive network of out-of-state and international colleagues. He nurtures each relationship, tooâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;reaching out with frequent late-night telephone calls and dragging his bags through LAX to meet with his co-workers from Tacoma to Tel Aviv.

Dr. Bilchik does it because he believes wholeheartedly that future progress in preventing and treating cancer will come through worldwide collaboration. Gone are the days when a scientist or a small group of colleagues sharing a laboratory can expect to change the course of cancer care with a single, stunning discovery. Today, Dr. Bilchik says, the

Institute of Oncology of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia

Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv

SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

The biggest winner in accelerated cancer research is the patient." —Aviram Nissan, MD, associate professor of surgery at Hadassah University Medical Center–Ein Kerem and a member of the INCORE group name of the game is cooperation. Patients who see a cancer doctor should know the advice they are getting reflects the collective wisdom of specialists from around the globe. “I’m not someone who particularly likes traveling,” says Dr. Bilchik, chief of medicine and chief of gastrointestinal research at JWCI. “But I think that if you want to practice cutting-edge cancer care—if you want to tell your patients with all honesty that the information you’re providing them has been carefully thought out and is the most beneficial to them—then you have to be involved in dialogue with your colleagues and with other experts.”

24 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Dr. Bilchik and his colleagues are setting a new standard in that regard. He is involved in a multicenter clinical trials network known as INCORE—the International Consortium of Research Excellence, which includes the California Oncology Research Institute, the United States Military Cancer Institute and medical centers around the world. The group has generated a wealth of important data on the staging of colon cancer and biomarkers present in early colon cancer, among other findings, and have had papers published in leading medical journals, helping establish national guidelines and quality measures for cancer patients. Group members have presented their data at the most prestigious research meetings in the United States, including three

presentations in the past five years at the ultra-competitive American Surgical Association meeting. “That is how our work has been regarded by our peers,” says Dr. Bilchik, who is considered one of the country’s leading specialists in gastrointestinal cancers. Working with people who live thousands of miles apart may not seem like the easiest way to advance cancer research. But in fact, it may be the only way to make headway these days, he says. After decades of effort and billions of dollars spent, scientists now have the battle scars to show that cancer is an extraordinarily complicated disease that will not yield to simple approaches. Recent advances in molecular medicine, for instance, show that cancer often behaves differently and may respond to various medications differently based on an individual’s particular genetic profile. “Cancer research now is complex,” Dr. Bilchik says. “It

involves multiple disciplines. It involves people of different areas of expertise, and it involves access to patients to enroll in clinical trials. What international collaboration does is provide all three.” Economics also demand that scientists pool their talents to streamline research. The U.S. government funds only about 7% of the grant applications received, Dr. Bilchik says. “We’re living in a financially challenging environment right now where there’s limited funding for cancer research. Where before researchers could work in isolation, now it’s important not to duplicate work that’s being done elsewhere.” The National Cancer Institute, which distributes those limited funds, has called upon various smaller research groups to merge and become more inclusive. “I think that people now realize that, given the changing environment

Our findings are likely to be more meaningful because they’ve been tested in different parts of the world and in different groups." —Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, chief of medicine and chief of the gastrointestinal research program

we’re in,” Dr. Bilchik says. “The only way to really succeed is by finding loyal research partners.” Dr. Bilchik arrived at JWCI in 1998 and was quickly schooled in the art of collaborative research by Dr. Donald Morton, who had successfully advanced his pioneering research on melanoma and sentinel node mapping by forming global partnerships. Dr. Bilchik wanted to perform research on colon cancer in that same successful manner. “I recognized that by putting a group of people together both in the U.S. and internationally, we would be able to rapidly increase the number of patients that we could put on the study and that our findings are likely to be more meaningful because they’ve been tested in different parts of the world and in different groups,” he says. Of course, the biggest winner in accelerated cancer research is the patient, says Aviram Nissan, MD, associate professor of

surgery at Hadassah University Medical Center–Ein Kerem and a member of the INCORE group. Dr. Nissan praises the individual talents of the group, including Col. Alexander Stojadinovic, MD, professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda and gastrointestinal cancer program at the United States Military Cancer Institute. “This collaboration benefits each and every one of us, but it benefits the patients more,” Dr. Nissan says. “We’ve had remarkable achievements for such a small group of researchers, funded by peer-review and philanthropic grants. We conduct high-quality clinical and translational research in order to identify patients with early colon cancer that can be cured by surgery alone, without the need for additional chemotherapy. We have shown that by ensuring the quality of surgery and pathology by focusing on better staging of

lymphatic nodes, the disease-free survival of colon cancer patients may be improved.” Patients benefit as quickly as possible from research findings because the data is shared in an expedient manner, Dr. Bilchik says. “The most important thing is the sharing of data, the sharing of findings, the sharing of authorship. We all embrace each other’s success rather than compete against each other.” That level of cooperation demands that egos be set aside—something that ambitious researchers may find a bit unnatural. Many scientists today still work alone and somewhat secretively, Dr. Bilchik says. “Most scientists have a possessive nature,” he says. “They don’t want other people taking credit for their own work, their own breakthroughs. Everyone knows of a story where someone else has done the work and a second party has taken credit for the work. So there is this general

feeling of paranoia.” Some institutions also discourage collaboration, he adds. “Every institution is looking for something new or exciting or something they can take credit for. Collaboration is not done enough.” There are challenges to such far-flung associations, to be sure. But, Dr. Bilchik says, “The biggest challenges are not related to us and our enthusiasm and our trust in one another. The biggest challenges are related to bureaucracies and regulatory agencies.” Each hospital and each country has its own regulations and laws regarding scientific research. Forms must be translated into several languages. Databases and software systems must be compatible. Institutional review boards at every single facility have to approve the study before it can move forward. Paperwork can threaten to inundate everyone. “All of that stuff takes an SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE • Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD

• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA • John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, CA

• Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA

• Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem

• Brooke Army Medical Center,

• Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv

Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX

• Institute of Oncology of Vojvodina,

• Eisenhower Medical Center, Palm Springs, CA

Sremska Kamenica, Serbia

• UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

CANCER RESEARCH THRIVES OUTSIDE U.S. BORDERS

insurmountable amount of time,” Dr. Bilchik says. “That’s why, once you get through that, many groups that set up collaborations keep them going for many years. You know the individuals you’re working with and the administrative personnel.” But once those hurdles are overcome and the research findings start to trickle in, the fun begins, says Dr. Nissan. The collaboration with Dr. Bilchik and other members of the INCORE group, he says, “is based on true friendship. International collaboration exposes us to different views and different ways of thinking. It is always fascinating to hear other people’s views on a certain topic

26 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

and learn from the others.” That’s why those slogs through airports are, indeed, bearable, Dr. Bilchik says. His favorite moments are attending medical meetings and hearing one of his collaborators present the team’s findings to their peers. “It’s the satisfaction of learning new things from my colleagues,” he says. “That’s why we put up with all of the negative aspects of cancer research—the bureaucracy and administration. It’s the satisfaction and the thrill when a colleague calls and says, ‘We’ve looked at the data, and you’re not going to believe this, but this is what we’ve found . . .’ That’s our high. That’s our thrill. That’s what keeps us going.” 

The United States may have among the most sophisticated health care systems in the world, but when it comes to cancer research, we’re relying more than ever on people in all nations. Nowadays, many of the largest and most noteworthy cancer clinical trials are international or emerge from countries other than the United States, says Anton J. Bilchik, MD. Cancer research depends on the participation of patients. But Americans have long shown reticence to enroll in studies—even though many clinical trials offer not only the best available care but promising treatments that are currently unavailable outside of the study. “Many of the important cancer trials are coming from abroad,” Dr. Bilchik says. “It’s largely because many countries have socialized medicine. Physicians are salaried, so they’ve got the time to enroll people in studies. They don’t have to deal with trying to see as many patients in a day as possible and some of the issues we face in the States because we have a different health care system.” Research is also more expensive to conduct in the United States. Patient attitudes about participating in research also vary overseas. “Patients in Israel or Serbia are, for whatever reason, enthusiastic about being enrolled in clinical trials, whereas in the U.S., people may see it as being guinea pigs,” Dr. Bilchik says. The growth of cancer research overseas stands to greatly benefit countries in need of more sophisticated care. Cancer rates are rising in many impoverished nations as the average lifespan increases and as more people are introduced to tobacco products and Westernized diets. By 2030, about 70% of the global cancer burden will arise in developing countries, according to the International Association for Research on Cancer. International research can help shine a light on unique areas of need, Dr. Bilchik says. “It brings attention to certain countries where patients often present with more advanced cancers. Often when you start looking at these studies, you see different presentations in different parts of the world. It leads to more questions and comparing why their outcomes are different than outcomes in a Western country. There are so many additional satellite research projects that develop.”

MEMORABLE EVENTS

Many thanks to the individuals and organizations that have coordinated special events to benefit the John Wayne Cancer Institute. 2

Clarins Skincare Promotion at Bloomingdale's Shoppers purchasing Clarins skincare products at Bloomingdale's throughout May saw 5% of their total purchase donated to support melanoma research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute.

HERE COMES THE SUN KEEP YOUR SKIN HAPPY AND HEALTHY WITH CLARINS— AND SUPPORT SKIN CANCER RESEARCH!

JWCI and AVON Walk for Breast Cancer

John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center celebrated a decade as a proud partner of the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer on September 22–23 in Santa Barbara. JWCI served as the medical sponsor for the walk, led by Maureen Chung, MD, PhD, director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center, and assisted by Julie Billar, MD, JWCI Auxiliary Breast Fellow. Several JWCI Surgical Oncology Fellows, Saint John’s Health Center nurses and volunteers provided support in the medical tent. JWCI staff and volunteers also hosted a Cheer Booth along the route to offer encouragement, distribute water and JWCI pink bandanas, and offer walkers a chance to be photographed with “the Duke.” Walkers included many

Institute supporters, led by “Team Duchess,” who have raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years. Special thanks to Teddi Gilderman, Misha Wayne, Cynde Wilen, Dana McCormick, Kimberly Slevin, Sue Emmer, Susie Gesundheit, Veronica Mendez, Griselda Carrion and all of the dedicated walkers. The AVON Foundation recently awarded a $300,000 grant to JWCI to support innovative breast cancer research led by Delphine Lee, MD, PhD, director of translational immunology in the Dirks/Dougherty Laboratory for Cancer Research. This year’s AVON Walk for Breast Cancer will be held on September 7–8. For more information, please call JWCI at 310-315-6111.

PHOTOS

1. Dr. Delphine Lee accepts a check in the amount of $300,000 to support innovative breast cancer research. 2. JWCI Surgical Oncology Fellows with Saint John's Health Center nurses and staff 3. JWCI Auxiliary Breast Fellow Dr. Julie Billar and director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center, Dr. Maureen Chung 4. JWCI Team Duchess walkers SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

MEMORABLE EVENTS 1

John Wayne Cancer Institute Educational Evening and Reception On March 21, 2013, Benefactors and friends of JWCI enjoyed an Institute report and update on some of the latest clinical trials and research projects underway at the Health Center. The evening included an informative Q&A, live demonstrations, tours of the laboratories, and the opportunity to visit with many of the JWCI faculty in attendance.

6 PHOTOS

1. Lenny Eisman 2. Sheri Rosenblum and Elaine Lerman 3. Acting President and CEO Mike Wall 4. Dr. Anton Bilchik gives Institute update 5. Dr. Mark Faries and David Keller 6. Arnetta Notkin 7. Dr. Mark Faries discusses progress in melanoma research 8. Dr. Delphine Lee describes her work in the Dirks/Dougherty Laboratory for Cancer Research

Benefactors Dinner John Wayne Cancer Institute honored its major supporters at the 2012 Benefactors Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on December 2. Benefactors who have supported innovative cancer research at the highest levels of personal giving were joined by the Institute’s faculty and surgical oncology fellows. A highlight of the evening was the announcement by Anton Bilchik, MD, chief of medicine, that Donald L. Morton, MD, was named the Institute’s first-ever distinguished professor.

28 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Michael Morgan, Dr. Maureen Chung, Jim Saletnik and Carlye Morgan

JWCI chairman Patrick Wayne, Danielle Brown Ross, Michael Caan, Ronald Ross and Michael Wayne

Joan and Stephen Reeder, Joyce Green, Lorraine and Dr. Donald Morton

Dr. Daniel Kelly, Danielle Brown Ross and Ronald Ross

MEMORABLE EVENTS

Michael Wayne, Beti Ward, Patrick Wayne, Barbara and Stephen Allen

Patrick Wayne, Joyce and Stanley Black

Michael and Christine Wayne, Patrick and Misha Wayne, Marisa Wayne, Tony Ditteaux, and kids Jack Esensten and Ilene Eisenberg

Misha and Patrick Wayne

Patrick Wayne, Dr. Donald and Lorraine Morton, Joan Mangum Gold, Valerie and Eric Borstein, Bud Erhardt, Joan and Stephen Reeder and Michael Wayne Robert and Suzanne Davidow, Dr. Anton Bilchik

Dr. Lawrence Piro, Donna Tuttle, Gloria and John Gebbia

Maria and Emilio Arechaederra

Sandra Krause, Ruth Weil, Joan Mangum Gold and Bill Fitzgerald

Carl and Victoria Murray

Jerome and Carol Coben

Tim and Anita Swift

Surgical Oncology Fellow, Dr. Victoria Stager

Surgical Oncology Fellows Dr. Anna Leung, Dr. Connie Chiu and Dr. Joslyn Albright with Ruth Weil

Maria Lim McClay and family SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

MEMORABLE EVENTS Power of Pink

FFANY Shoes on Sale

The inaugural Power of Pink fundraising event was held November 12, 2012, at Sony Studios to recognize and celebrate the strength of women who battle and beat breast cancer. Grammy award-winning artist P!nk gave a rousing performance for more than 500 attendees. Funds from the event helped establish the Nurse Navigator Program at the Margie Petersen Breast Center at Saint John's Health Center.

Patrick Wayne greets Joe Moore, Chairman of FFANY, at the annual QVC presents "FFANY Shoes on Sale" event October 24, 2012, in New York City. The Fashion Footwear Association of New York charitable organization has contributed more than $5 million to JWCI to support innovative breast cancer research that has helped eliminate patient suffering for women around the world. The 20th annual FFANY Shoes on Sale event will be held October 1, 2013, at the Waldorf Astoria.

P!NK with associate director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center, Maggie DiNome, MD, and director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center, Maureen Chung, MD, PhD

Power of Pink guests Heather Locklear and Valerie Bertinelli

Patrick Wayne greets Joe Moore, chairman of FFANY

Girls Pitch in to Support Breast Cancer Research at the Surf City Tournament The John Wayne Cancer Institute was the beneficiary of the Surf City Girls Fastpitch Softball Tournament on October 22 to 23, 2012, in Huntington Beach. The Institute was on hand to pass out educational materials and sunscreen and to answer questions. Special thanks to Dan Hay, President and CEO of Surf City Tourneys, Inc., and all the teams who participated in the tournament to raise $23,000 for innovative breast cancer research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center. ď&#x20AC;ź

30 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

HONOR ROLL

The John Wayne Cancer Institute is deeply grateful for the philanthropic support of all our donors and friends. Your generosity funds breakthrough cancer research, sparks promising new treatments and provides inspiration to our physicians, scientists and fellows. Thank you for your partnership in our mission to eradicate cancer.

CUMULATIVE GIFTS John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center is honored to recognize the following Circles of Distinction members who have made cumulative gifts and pledges of $25,000 or more through January 31, 2013. Circles of Distinction members are recognized on individual plaques in the Institute’s main lobby. PAVE DIAMOND CIRCLE ($1,000,000+) Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation The Ahmanson Foundation Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies (ABCs) Avon Foundation for Women Donald and Brigitte Bren in Honor of Marion Jorgensen The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Foundation Roy E. Coats Memorial Fund Rita and Bill Coors The Davidow Charitable Fund Carolyn Dirks and Brett Dougherty and the Joseph B. Gould Foundation Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation The Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation of New York Gloria and John Gebbia Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Foundation Marion and Earle M. Jorgensen

Linda Tallen and David Paul Kane Cancer Education and Research Foundation The Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation Maria Lim McClay Melanoma Research Alliance Nancy and Carroll O’Connor Margie and Robert E. Petersen Foundation QVC Gene Raymond Estate The Lois Rosen Family Cheryl and Haim Saban The Samueli Foundation The Tarble Foundation The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation The John Wayne Cancer Foundation John Wayne Enterprises The Family of John Wayne Gretchen and Michael Wayne John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary Ruth Weil

DIAMOND CIRCLE ($500,000+) Mrs. James M. Amyx, Jr. The Danny Arnold Family Marsha and Martin Brander Larry and Lynn Brown Patricia C. Brown Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Christopher H. Buehrle in Memory of Sharon Buehrle & Alan J. Pinkstaff Buehrle Golf Classic Constance and Sydney Dunitz Randa and Ghassan Ghandour The William Randolph Hearst Foundations The Lincy Foundation Tom Mullin Memorial Fund Mr. Lloyd L. Ross Susan G. Komen for the Cure What A Pair! The Wrather Family YELLOW SAPPHIRE CIRCLE ($250,000+) The Carole Zumbro and George Adler Family Jackie and Howard Banchik Joan Berlin Reeder Louis L. Borick Foundation Linda L. Brown / Maddocks- Brown Foundation Maria Lucia and Fernando Diez Barroso Ilene and Juels Eisenberg Diane and Daniel Feldman

Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald Margo Groger Henry L. Guenther Foundation The Bob and Gaye Harris Foundation Judy and Sandy Litvack Michael Kadoorie Mr. and Mrs. James G. McFarlane Alice and Verne McKinney Ann Moorefield Jess and Palma Morgan Foundation Dr. Donald and Lorraine Morton National Operating Committee Standards Athletic Equipment HRH Prince Nawaf Bin Nawaf Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Nigg Roberta and Bob Novick Lynda and Stewart Resnick Donna and Harvey Rosen Simon-Strauss Foundation The Steele Foundation in Honor of Laura Perkins EMERALD CIRCLE ($100,000+) America Remembers Lance Armstrong Foundation Marilyn and Martin B. August Sheri and Arthur Berk Estate of C. June Bisplinghoff Mr. and Mrs. James R. Bobo Borstein Family Foundation Milicent Boudjakdji Bulova Gale Foundation The Rita Burkett Living Trust SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

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CUMULATIVE GIFTS

(continued from page 31)

The Campion Family The Carnegie Hall Corporation Bonnie E. Cobb In Memory of Ellen Cooperman Mr. and Mrs. John Crean Mr. and Mrs. Neal Dem The Doornink Family Eastman Kodak Company Mr. and Mrs. Louis W. Ehlers The People of Elko, Nevada, in Memory of John Ellison, Jr. Patricia Elton Entertainment Industry Foundation Mickey and Bud Erhardt Max Factor Family Foundation Farmers Insurance The Rod Fasone Memorial Cancer Research Fund Arthur J. Gallagher and Company Harold and Julia Gershman Family Foundation Drs. Cheryl F. and Armando E. Giuliano Frank L. and Helen G. Gofrank Leon and Toby Gold Foundation Great Western Bank The Family of Jack Green William H. Hannon Foundation The Nan M. and Reed L. Harman Foundation

32 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Circles of Distinction Members who have made cumulative gifts and pledges of $25,000 or more are recognized on individual plaques in the Institute’s main lobby.

Barbara and Ben Harris Selma L. Herbert George Hoag Family Foundation Sue and Larry Hochberg Immenroth Family Trust In Memory of Raymund A. Kathe Berton and Todd Kirshner Hildegard T. and Norbert E. Knoll The Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation Cynthia and Edward Lasker Foundation Elaine and Kenneth Leventhal Evan and Carol Li and Family Robert H. Lorsch MPI Media Group Mike and Muffy Murphy Fund Victoria and Carl Murray Heather and Jim Murren George W. Ogden The Estate of Edgar Bishop Pease and Eiko M. Pease The Rabinovitch Foundation The Estate of Carl Romer SABCO Racing, Inc. The Estate of Edgar J. Saltsman Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Schwartz Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom Ruth L. and Norman Shacknove The Al Sherman Foundation The Dinah Shore Foundation Jaclyn S. Smith

The Candy and Aaron Spelling Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon E. Stunkel The Tenenbaum Family Earlane and Robert Vallier Mr. Robert J. Vignolo The Wallis Foundation Del E. Webb Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Weil Mrs. Kimberly Harris and Mr. Scott Weiner Mary Ann and Marvin Weiss Rodney F. Williams and Elizabeth M. Williams Trust Elizabeth Woodard Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zukin, Jr. Robert and Joan Zukin RUBY CIRCLE ($50,000+) Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Allen Russell and Evelyn Anseth Bloomingdale’s, Inc. Helen and Harry Blusteen Andrew and Deborah Bogen M’Lou and Bill Born The Saul Brandman Foundation Gracia Bremer Charitable Foundation Mary Frances and Jack Brennan Abbott Brown Chartwell Charitable Foundation Carol and Jerome Coben Sandy and Irv Cohen The Collector’s Armoury

Gary Coull Mr. Robert L. Donley Pat and Jerry Epstein Mary Frances and Andrew J. Fenady Barbara J. Foreman The Franklin Mint Foundation for the Arts Beatrice and Philip Gersh Ronald and Catherine Gershman Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Harvey S. Gettleson Marilyn and Allen Golden Lisa L. Goodman Madelaine and Gene Gordon Gaile Gray Ryan The Green Foundation The Brad and Jill Grey Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Richard Haft Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd G. Hallamore The Hammock Family Foundation Hauptman Family Philanthropies Barbara A. Hillman The Bob and Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation Dr. Reiko F. Irie Judianne and Kenneth Jaffe Kantor Foundation Lenore Golden Kessler in Memory of Rudy Perkal Janice White and Eugene Krieger

HONOR ROLL

Lefkowitz Family Foundation Ina and Bernard Lewis Dr. and Mrs. Israel Lichtenstein MacDonald Family Foundation The Family of Lorraine Mann Ruth K. March and Family Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Mautner Bernard John and Beatrice McMorrow The Melanson Family Foundation Modern Business Interiors Muller Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Murphy National Asset Recovery Services, Inc. Arnold and Sherri Nelson Mr. and Mrs. John F. Nickoll Bradley S. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary Victor H. Palmieri Ralph and Marcia Peterson Jennifer Provine Richard Rogers Marianne J. Reis Stanley and Maida Richards Mildred and Chapin Riley Bernard J. Korn, M.D. and Betty Roach Ann and Nathan Stafford Rogers Eleanor Rothberg Linda Bernstein Rubin and Tony Rubin Gertrude and William Rutledge Jaclyn Smith Dean Smith Celebrity Rodeo John Shaw Herb and Jacque Spivak The Caryll M. & Norman F. Sprague Foundation Conservatorship for Eugene Thames, Belle Shayer Robert and Diana Thom Tower Imaging Medical Group, Inc. Warren Trepp Tustin Brewing Company UniHealth Foundation Universal Studios, Inc. Inna Vainshtock Valley Radiotherapy Associates Bea Blondell, Ursula J. Scarrow, and Mary Van Houten Vidfilm Services, Inc.

Sandi and Dan Walker Hollace Brown and Lewis Wallensky The Walt Disney Company Beti Ward The Weingart Foundation The Weisenfeld Family Western Classics - Wilma Russell Witherbee Foundation F. Michael and Roberta Simmons Wong Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Martin J. Wygod BLUE SAPPHIRE CIRCLE ($25,000+) Marianna and Harry Allgauer Maria and Emilio Arechaederra Timothy Aycock Melanoma Research Foundation The Solomon R. and Rebecca D. Baker Foundation Jannell and Randy Banchik Irene and Don Baron Anne Barryâ&#x20AC;Š Cecile and Fred Bartman Foundation Bernice and Harold Belfer Daisy and Daniel Belin Richard Bender Mr. Jeffrey C. Beyer The Boudjakdiji Foundation R. J. Brenner Gerald Bronstein Jacqueline Burdorf Dr. Michael Caan The Dr. Patrick Cadigan Family Dr. MaryLou Ozohan and Mr. Andy Camacho Barbara and Harlan Carey Mr. and Mrs. William Christopher Evelyn Mandel and Geralin Clark Breast Cancer Research Fund Horace O. Coil Living Trust Joan Walkup Corrigan Marissa Coughlan In Loving Memory of Donna J. Coxeter Joe Crail Western Mutual Insurance Group Frances Cutler Mrs. Nancy Dean Deluxe Laboratories

In Memory of Irene R. Diamant Mrs. William H. Doheny, Sr. Farmers Insurance Western Division Michael V. Ferrone Wilda and Paul Fetterolf Mrs. Bernice Fine Edward and Sandra Fineman Lynne and Michael Flynn Darlene Fogel Steven Fogel Foote, Cone & Belding Alain and Myra Gabbay Estate of Claude E. Gainer and Thelma J. Gainer The Robert Garthwait Family Lucy and Francis Gartlan Thomas and Gerrianne Goff Elma Sylvia and W. Earl Goldberg Stan and Pat Goldman John Gouldthorpe Julia and Ken Gouw Reva Graziadio Pamela and Neal Green Lisa and Marty Greenberg Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks Ann G. Harmsen In Memory of Cathy Hasselberger In Memory of Morrie Hazan Janet and Stanley Imerman The JS Trust Karen and Lonnie Kane Linda Kaplan Karl-Storz Endoscopy-America Andrea Katz Kelton Fund - Lenny and David Kelton Michael King Mrs. Virginia M. Knott Andrea and Larry Kopald Joyce and Lou Krasny Diane Krieger Alice and Nahum Lainer Mr. and Mrs. Tom H. Lang Richard C. Levi Suzanne and Jay Lichter Hal Linden The Litt Family Foundation LOGS Financial Services, Inc.

Barbara and William Long Lorraine and Elliot B. Lubin Wendy and Greg Lumsden Evelyn Mandel Marilyn Maroney Bruce and Sandra Massman Margaret A. Maw Kathleen L. McCarthy Patricia and Don McFarlane Don H. Meinhold Donna J. Mettler Milken Family Foundation Patrick Morton Mr. and Mrs. Terry Mullin Mutual of Omaha Josephine Naify The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation The Ronald Newburg Foundation James R. Olsen Sandra and Robert Teitsworth Shelley J. Perel Rudy Perkal Sandra and Lawrence Post William H. Prusoff Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Purer Gladys and Ralph Reisfeld J. Marshall Robbins Maxine Robinson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Roemmele Lee Rogers Constance E. Ropolo Sheri Rosenblum Philip and Monica Rosenthal Danielle Brown Ross and Ronald Ross Stephen Ruvituso Ada and Leonard Sands Alvin Sargent Dena Schechter Sandra and Vincent Scully Kreetta K. Shaner David and Beth Shaw Teresa and Alan Smith Ruth Z. Solomon Stark Family Trust Larry and Marlene Stern Barbara Streisand Gloria Strelitz Sherry Sexton Striepeke and Dan Striepeke Surf City Tourneys, Inc. SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

HONOR ROLL

Anita and Tim Swift Eugene and Florence Tande Ferne Marshall Theis Lawrence H. Thompson Sandy Tsukamoto Joe and Janet Tydlaska Union Bank of California Susan L. and Richard Veerman Emily and Gregory Waldorf Sharon and Joel Waller Audrey J. Walton and Ann Walton Kroenke Charitable Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation Harriet Werner Roberta M. White in Memory of Harvey I. White The Gary and Karen Winnick Family Robert and Joan Young

ANNUAL GIVING John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center is honored to recognize the following generous donors who have made an annual commitment of $250 or more between January 1, 2012 and January 31, 2013. DIAMOND CIRCLE ($500,000+) Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation YELLOW SAPPHIRE CIRCLE ($250,000+) The Ahmanson Foundation The Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation of New York John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary EMERALD CIRCLE ($100,000+) Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies, Inc. Avon Foundation for Women The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Foundation The Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation The William Randolph Hearst Foundations RUBY CIRCLE ($50,000+) Linda L. Brown and Maddocks- Brown Foundation Patricia C. Brown Foundation Roy E. Coats Memorial Fund Doornink Family Henry L. Guenther Foundation Estate of George W. Ogden The Lois Rosen Family John Wayne Cancer Foundation BLUE SAPPHIRE CIRCLE ($25,000+) The Carole Zumbro and George Adler Family

34 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

The Bob & Gaye Harris Foundation Borstein Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Christopher H. Buehrle in Memory of Sharon Buehrle & Alan J. Pinkstaff Mickey and Bud Erhardt Estate of Claude E. Gainer and Thelma J. Gainer Karl-Storz Endoscopy America, Inc. Suzanne and Jay Lichter Alice and Verne McKinney Danielle Brown Ross and Ronald Ross Carole and Jeffrey Schwartz The Al Sherman Foundation Ruth Weil

Rama R. Mantena Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Mautner Harry T. McMahon Donna J. Mettler Dr. Donald and Lorraine Morton Mike and Muffy Murphy Fund Victoria and Carl Murray Richard Rogers Linda Bernstein Rubin and Tony Rubin Sheryl K. Sherman Surf City Tourneys, Inc. Audrey J. Walton and Ann Walton Kroenke Charitable Foundation Mary Ann and Marvin Weiss Wells Fargo Foundation Robert and Joan Zukin

PLATINUM BENEFACTORS ($10,000+) America’s Charities Jackie and Howard Banchik Joan Berlin Reeder Estate of C. June Bisplinghoff Gracia Bremer Charitable Foundation Abbott Brown Michael K. Brown Bulova Gale Foundation Carol and Jerome Coben Joan Walkup Corrigan The Davidow Charitable Fund Mr. and Mrs. Neal Dem Donna F. Tuttle and David G. Elmore Patricia Elton Pat and Jerry Epstein Robert H. Feldman Mary and James Flaherty Leon and Toby Gold Foundation The Hammock Family Foundation William H. Hannon Foundation Immenroth Family Trust Linda Tallen and David Paul Kane Cancer Education and Research Foundation Kiwanis Club of Tustin Club No. 05103 Hildegard T. and Norbert E. Knoll Susan G. Komen for the Cure Lou Lazatin

GOLD BENEFACTORS ($5,000+) Allos Therapeutics, Inc. The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute Inc. Maria and Emilio Arechaederra Timothy Aycock Melanoma Research Foundation The Solomon R. and Rebecca D. Baker Foundation Milicent Boudjakdji Gerald Bronstein The Carole and Robert Daly Charitable Foundation Diane and Daniel Feldman Mary Frances and Andrew J. Fenady Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald Barbara J. Foreman Fraternal Order of Eagles The Robert Garthwait Family Lucy and Francis Gartlan Judianne and Kenneth Jaffe Kantor Foundation Kevin R. Kelly Ronald A. Laird Kathleen L. McCarthy Robin and Phillip McGraw Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc. Roberta and Bob Novick Ralph and Marcia Peterson Philip and Monica Rosenthal

HONOR ROLL

The Dinah Shore Foundation Siemens Healthcare Simon-Strauss Foundation Jacquelyn and Larry Stephenson TEVA Neuroscience, Inc. Tower Imaging Medical Group, Inc. Linda and Stanley Trilling Hollace Brown and Lewis Wallensky Janice Weil F. Michael and Roberta Simmons Wong Foundation BRONZE BENEFACTORS ($2,000+) 21st Century Oncology Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Allen The Amyx Foundation, Inc. Jannell and Randy Banchik Doug Baron John R. Barone Paul B. Barsamian The Cecile and Fred Bartman Foundation Michael Bedner Debbie A. Britz Dr. Michael Caan Karina Calvert - Jones Gerald J. Cohen Michael J. Cohen Karrie and David Deaton Mrs. William H. Doheny, Sr. Peter R. Dunn Ilene and Juels Eisenberg Robert L. Florence Mr. and Mrs. Harvey S. Gettleson Bruce L. Goldsmith Julia and Ken Gouw James D. Gray Carol L. Haskin Lawrence J. Hasselberger Donna and Mel Heier Bradley A. Jabour Karen Kaplan Lenny and David Kelton Kelton Fund, Inc. Lawrence J. Kuss The Lafferman Family Foundation Alice and Nahum Lainer Rena and Kirk Lenhard

Melinda Lerner Kathleen Lewis The Litt Family Foundation Robert MacDonald Bruce and Sandra Massman Van and Donna McWhirter Paula Kent Meehan Ann Moorefield Mr. and Mrs. Michael Morgan Cathalee and Ken Moyle Arnold and Sherri Nelson Alice R. Neuman The Ronald Newburg Foundation Andrew and Helen Palmer Dan S. Palmer Mark B. Pearce Lee M. Polster Anette Gilbert and Paul Ratoff Real To Reel, Inc. Belle C. Reed Maura and Harold Richardson Noah Rosenberg Mansel and Brenda Rubenstein Kreetta K. Shaner Charles and Donna Southard Herb and Jacque Spivak Harold R. and Winifred R. Swanton Foundation Barbara A. Taub William H. Tilley Family Foundation Dr. Karen Zoller and Dr. David B. Tillman Joe and Janet Tydlaska The Wain Foundation Beti Ward Philip Welch Carol and Robert Wilson Stacey F. Winkler Robert and Joan Young Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Zukin, Jr. ANNUAL DONORS ($1,000+) David C. Anderson Margot and Mark Armbruster Autozone Distribution Center Ina Bezahler The Bidstrup Foundation Lenore F. Broughton John R. Copeland Joe Crail Western Mutual Insurance Group

Michael Cunningham Dale E. Drum Donald S. Eisenberg Pamela Elton Jamie B. Erlicht Joan and William Feldman Patricia L. Fenton First California Bank Patsy P. Franklin Friars Charitable Foundation Irene M. Furlong Martin Gardner Gloria and John Gebbia Donna and Norman Gleit Stan and Pat Goldman Madelaine and Gene Gordon Frances W. Hamermesh Martha Harper Sue and Larry Hochberg Sue and Jerry Jameson William Koier Janice White and Eugene Krieger Laskey-Weil Company Henry M. Lederman Anna M. Lehrer Davida and Don Lettiere Bari Lipp Foundation Barbara and William Long Ruta Lee and Webb Lowe Dana R. Martin Maria Lim McClay Dana McCormick Patricia F. McTeague Richard F. Mogan Charles Moulton Muller Family Foundation Bronwyn Murdock Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Murphy Katherine Okun Paula L. Pinhas Point Dume, Ltd. Evgueni A. Popov Fred Post Don Quon Marla A. Rosen Gertrude and William Rutledge Steven C. Schumann Rita L. Schwartz Thomas Slone Smiedt Family Fund Solomon, Winnettt and Rosenfield Kevin Tighe

Truist Julie R. Vanderboom Susan L. Veerman Melinda Wayne Mu単oz Wells Fargo Los Angeles Real Estate Group Mrs. Florence F. Wheeler Roberta M. White Misty Widelitz Barbara Wilson Carl E. Wynn Foundation Richard F. Zamboni ZapTel SupportStore.com Marisol Zarco Zolla Family Foundation ANNUAL DONORS ($250+) Buzz Aldrin Lois Driggs Aldrin Harriet Alef Ben Allen Mary K. Allison Robyn L. Altman Barbara J. Andrew Joseph A. Balbona Diana L. Balfour Quine Thomas J. Barber Margot A. Barron Luster Bayless Laurie L. Becklund Harriet Leva and Norman Beegun Judy A. Bell Ronald J. Bell James P. Birdwell Kathleen E. Bishop Lisa Blons Margaret M. Bloomfield Carl F. Bohn George I. Boyadjieff April A. Bradley Joanna and Robert Brent Barbara K. Brown Charles W. Brown Jacqueline Burdorf Janice H. Burrill Cabrera and Associates, Inc. Elaine R. Caplow Dorothy M. Carter Roxanne Carter Susana Cervantes Dwayne R. Churches Claude D. Clark SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

HONOR ROLL

ANNUAL GIVING

(continued from page 35)

Wendell W. Clements Milton L. Clift Irving A. Cohen Toby K. Cohen Thomas W. Cooney Richard Cooper Brian Cormin Gerald K. Cornelius Cornerstone Support, Inc. Thomas C. Crouse Terry and Greg Curtin Sharon Dane Paul C. Deutsch David S. Diaz Trish Dixon Brian P. Dolan Carolyn Dirks and Brett Dougherty Joseph F. Dox

Ardyth Freshman Marlene Bronson and Cliff Fried Janine and Jordan Friedberg Jeri A. Fukumoto Karen Furie Gayle M. Gardner Evan and Valarie Gardner Jack Garlock William Gerber Stephen Getzoff Teddi and Brad Gilderman Clorie Gill Moira Gill Bob Girard Cherna L. Gitnick Patricia S. Gjerde Lesli L. Glatter Glenn R. Shuman, CPA Vanessa R. Gold Marilyn and Allen Golden Ellie and Allan Goldman Diane B. Goldstein

We also gratefully acknowledge all of our anonymous donors. Adam Duncan Chet E. Dye J. R. Egan Jennifer and Ralph Ehrenpreis Lois S. Eisenberg Elman Family Foundation Harold C. Ericsson Floyd R. Everhart Marc Ezralow Louis R. Fabbiano Valerie Faris John Farrer Marta M. Fernandez Patricia R. Field James B. Fisher Frances and Terry Flanagan Darlene Fogel Dan Ford Forest Family Foundation Cyndie C. Foster Nancy Fox David Fradin George W. Frank Martha J. Franklin

36 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

Neal Goodwin Joseph G. Gorman Laura Grant Barbara S. Gregory Betty L. Griffith James M. Griffith George H. Grifka Laurie Haagsma Tom J. Hall Ellen Hallal Meryl Halpern G. P. Hamati Nat Handel Keith Harmon Jeff A. Hastings Elizabeth Hearne Nancy Heil Barbara Heinrich John C. Hesling Lynne Heslov Carolyn T. Higgins Dave S. B. Hoon, MSc, PhD Diane Weil and Leslie Horowitz Doug Horton

Hospice Partners of Southern California Leonard I. Hurwitt IDS Real Estate Group Indulgence, Ltd. Janet E. Inkster Deanna Jackman Mary Rose and John Jardine David Jarrett Dolores H. Johnson Gordon R. Johnson JTS Technology & Realty Services Marla and Michael Kantor Albert M. Katz Andrea Katz Joan W. Katz Paulette Katzenbach Sharon H. Kessler Patricia A. Kifer Sheldon M. Kirsch Billy E. Koenig Claire Koga Devin P. Kramer David L. Krasne Carl D. Krueger Janet Krusi Juanita Langsford Michelle P. Lass Theresa and Robert Lass Anette Levine Ina and Bernard Lewis Diane and David Licht Aron Lichtenberg Ruth C. Lima Shirley Lipstone Gloria Litvak Marjorie H. Loeb Peter M. Loisides Wilburn H. Long Evelyn and Martin Lutin Corey L. Lutz M.T. Novick Construction Alexander Marmureanu Cecilia Matta Ann Mazirow James P. McNulty Brent McClaskey Theodore L. McCluer Laurene T. McCollum Mary McCormick Thomas John C. McGinley Anne B. McKinley

Raylene and Bruce Meyer Jodi Miller Kenneth Millman Richard Miyauchi Helene Moskowitz F. Dian Mrosko Mary P. Mueller Fred Nason Phyllis Nault Mehran M. Navid Christine and Richard Newman Barbara D. Nichols Michael Novick Nancy and Harrison Oliff Ann Osher Arthur B. Pacheco Rauna and Alvin Perry Mauricio Pier Peter Poulson William L. Pyle Decio M. Rangel Maureen N. Rankin Adnan Rawjee Pamela Rechtschaffen Marianne J. Reis Nancy Reskin Respiratory Consultants of Santa Monica Dan S. Rhodes Rhonda Fleming Foundation J. A. Riordan J. Marshall Robbins Foundation Jill and John Robertson Kenneth J. Rodgers Sylvia and Herbert Rose Sandra D. Rosenbaum Sam Rosenberg Sheryl A. Ross Patricia Rubinstein Wendy and Kenneth Ruby S.B.R., Inc. Joanne Sackheim The Samueli Foundation Ada Sands Yoriko Saneyoshi Timothy Scarne Eve Scheinman Michael G. Schmitz Donna L. Schweers Anne Marie Scibelli Michael S. Segal Adam Senter Gary M. Shafer

HONOR ROLL

Prediman K. Shah Ava T. Shamban Leigh M. Shapiro Carolyn Shelley Joanna Shewfelt Tracci Shibuya Angela Shukitt Deborah Siegel Edwin B. Siegel James E. Sims Scott L. Singer Hans E. Skacel Ansel A. Slome St. Monica Catholic High School Jackie and Bob Stibor Catherine A. Stone Arline and Donald Stroup Stunt Partnership, Inc. David Sugarman Kathie Takowsky Matt A. Tebbetts Patience F. Tekulsky Laurie A. Tissot Elisabeth Tolmie-Nave University Scholarship Foundation Stephanie Vahn Valley Radiotherapy Associates Dick Van Patten Bernard Van Tol Richard Vargas Michael Vasseghi Dee D. Vick Mr. Robert J. Vignolo Ricky Vinyard Marder Kim Vo Amir Vokshoor Abraham Wacht Angelle G. Wacker Toby Waldorf Charles Warner Jerry Washington Wechsler Foundation Gail Wedrall Cathleen and Gregory Wervey Cynthia and Mitchell Wilen Diane R. Winkler Karen B. Wong Alison Woods Laurence M. Young

Young Presidents Organization Beverly Hills Laurie Zaballos Andrea Zuckerman

GUARDIANS OF THE FUTURE John Wayne Cancer Institute is honored to recognize the following visionary donors who have included the Institute in their estate plans as members of a special honor group, the Guardians of the Future. Members are listed permanently on the Guardians of the Future plaque in the Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main lobby. Barbara and Stephen L. Allen Agnes Anderson Patricia L. Antuna Avazian Revocable Living Trust Mr. and Mrs. Gordon S. Ayers Jackie and Howard Banchik Jannell and Randy Banchik Mr. and Mrs. Marvin M. Barofsky Bernice and Hal Belfer Marilyn Bernard C. June Bisplinghoff Helen and Harry Blusteen Brenda and Alan Borstein Ms. Janice H. Burrill Douglas and Mary Byard Jerome C. Byrne The Patrick F. Cadigan Family Robert Campbell and Alpha de Monte-Campbell Robert E. and Carol T. Caniglia Geralin A. Clark Roy E. Coats Sandy and Irv Cohen Horace O. Coil Gary W. Cook Mr. and Mrs. Mohammad Courah

Janien Daley Sherry and Charley Dargan Nancy L. Dean Robert L. Donley Carolyn Dirks and Brett Dougherty Constance and Sydney Dunitz Mickey and Bud Erhardt Richard Andre Espinosa Diane and Daniel Feldman Steven Feldman Mary Frances and Andrew Fenady David Gabriel Fine Julia Fischer and Howard D. Nunn Marte J. Franklin Claude E. Gainer and Thelma J. Gainer Gloria and John Gebbia Brian and Tracy Geschickter Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gilbert Elma Sylvia and W. Earl Goldberg The Harry and Eve Goldberg Foundation â&#x20AC;ŠJulie and Stanley Goldhaber Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Foundation Marcia L. Goodman Joyce Green Margo Groger William B. Grover and Joyce R. Grover Lawrence S. Hamilton Ruth and Harry Hanson Ruth Henkin Selma L. Herbert Sue and Larry Hochberg Glenn Iino Emma and Otto Immenroth Janet E. Inkster David and Carlene Iwerks Judianne and Kenneth Jaffe Sharon James Linda Tallen and David Paul Kane Cancer Education and Research Foundation Linda M. Kaplan Linda and Alan Katz Mrs. Beatrice S. Kaufman

Mr. and Mrs. Barry Kaye Robert Kelljan Michael S. Kennedy Hildegard T. Knoll Rev. James Kolling Ronald A. Laird Audrey and Jack Leif Edel Limprecht Judy Litvack Phyllis and George Lorentzen Terrence G. Malouf Evelyn Mandel Robert L. Martin Lorraine and Donald Mazzeo Professor Gerald T. McLaughlin Mr. and Mrs. Van N. McWhirter, Jr. Rose M. Mikulecky Mrs. Maureen Miller Marilyn W. Mitchell Lillian and Richard Moore Pat Morton Peter Richardson Mullen Josephine Wayne Nigg George W. Ogden Katherine and Ronald Okun Juanita J. Patterson Dr. Edgar B. Pease and Eiko M. Pease Angela Porfido Richard Price Earl and Victoria Pushee Annette Pyes Carole D. Ralston Dale and James Ransom Maida and Stanley Richards Ann and Nathan Stafford Rogers Carl Romer Ms. Constance E. Ropolo The Lois Rosen Family Ms. Eleanor Rothberg Gaile Gray Ryan Edgar J. Saltsman Judy and Thomas Schatzman Dr. Stanley R. Schoen Ellen Schuck Gary L. Schwandner Sherry Sexton Striepeke and Dan Striepeke Mr. and Mrs. Steve Shagan

We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. If we have made a mistake, please accept our apologies and let us know so we may correct it. Please contact 310-315-6111 or email: development@jwci.org SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS 37

HONOR ROLL

GUARDIANS OF THE FUTURE

(continued from page 37)

James A. Shanley Caroline and Richard Shinee John Shuba, Jr. Jack Silberkleit Mr. Albert E. Smith Marjorie and Ronald Souza Diane Joy Sweet Mary and Eugene Sze Eugene Thames Hazel M. Throckmorton Vickie Tomastik-Sproatt Mary Van Houten, Ursula Scarrow, Bea Blondell Earlane and Robert Vallier

Anita and James Vieceli Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ray Wallace Primavera and Luis Watkins Dorothy Watson Melinda Wayne Muñoz Martin and Ruth Weil Mary Ann and Marvin Weiss Harriet Phillips Werner Rodney Fargo Williams and Elizabeth M. Williams Living Trust Lee and Bill Wood Irene and Edwin Wright

If you would like to learn more about the Guardians

SPECIAL THANKS

of the Future and benefits of charitable estate planning for you and your family, please contact Andy Trilling, Vice President of Development and Public Affairs, or Tanya Lopez, Director of Planned Giving, at 310-315-6111.

2012 SPECIAL EVENTS Many thanks to the individuals, groups and organizations that have coordinated special events to benefit the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center.

Thanks to the Generous Supporters* of the John Wayne Cancer Institute Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program

Patricia C. Brown Foundation Carolyn Dirks and Brett Dougherty and the Joseph B. Gould Foundation Eastman Kodak Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation Ronald and Catherine Gershman Foundation Leon and Toby Gold Foundation William H. Hannon Foundation William Randolph Hearst Foundations John Wayne Cancer Foundation John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary Lance Armstrong Foundation The Lincy Foundation Compaq Computer Corporation Judy and Sandy Litvack The Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation The Family of Robert Novick Mrs. Lois Rosen The Samueli Foundation The Tarble Foundation The Ruth and Martin H. Weil Foundation The Wrather Family Foundation * Cumulative giving of $50,000 or more to the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program

38 INNOVATIONS, SUMMER 2013

ABCs Talk of the Town Gala ABCs Mother’s Day Luncheon Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Buerhle Golf Classic Cathy Classic John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary Membership Luncheon John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary Odyssey Ball Power of Pink QVC Presents Fashion Footwear Association of New York “Shoes on Sale” Surf City Tourneys, Inc. Tustin Brewing Company Golf Classic 

The John Wayne Surgical Oncology Fellows

PHILANTHROPY

Importance of Individual Giving to JWCI Our donors become our partners in pioneering research that is leading to innovative strategies against cancer, especially when it's at its early stages and most curable—and when it's at its most advanced stage, when few treatment options exist. The Institute has been successful in securing highly competitive grant awards from government resources — however, cancer research at its earliest stages requires private funding to advance to a level where it can be considered for government support. With your generous

philanthropy, the Institute's scientists are able to pursue new ideas leading to early detection and greatly improved cancer care. Benefactors and Circles of Distinction The Benefactors and Circles of Distinction members make up an esteemed and loyal group of annual and major donors to the John Wayne Cancer Institute who share the Wayne family's vision to eradicate cancer. We are grateful for their giving leadership to sustain our research and broaden our scientific and clinical investigation.

Benefactors Benefits (Annual giving of $2,000 or more) • Invitation for two to our annual Benefactors Dinner in December with Institute faculty • Invitations to special events and educational evenings • Listing as a benefactor on donor recognition materials Circles of Distinction Benefits (Cumulative giving of $25,000 or more) In addition to Benefactor's benefits, Circles of Distinction members receive:

• Custom-designed gold John Wayne Cancer Institute pin • A commemorative plaque on the Circles of Distinction donor wall in the Institute's main lobby Gold Card Program Annual donors of $10,000 or more to the Institute will become part of the Saint John's Health Center "Gold Card" Program, which includes: • Complimentary parking • Private room priority • Expedited admission • A variety of other benefits

You make it possible for the Institute's physicians and scientists to make breakthrough advances in the fight against cancer!

The Future is in Your Hands

Become a Guardian of the Future for the John Wayne Cancer Institute. When you designate a planned gift to the John Wayne Cancer Institute, you empower our physicians and scientists to advance the frontiers of scientific knowledge and cancer care for future generations. In addition to supporting innovative cancer research, you and your family can also reap significant financial and tax benefits through a charitable gift from your estate. Most planned gifts are through a will or living trust. With these, you can name the John Wayne Cancer Institute as a beneficiary, designating either a specific amount, real property and/or a

percentage of your estate. Other planned gifts, such as charitable trusts or gift annuities, can earn you or your family income and can help avoid capital gains. With the charitable IRA rollover or designation, you can save significant income and estate/ gift taxes, which can be taxed up to 70% or more! If you would like additional information, sample language or illustrations for you and your financial advisors, please call Andy Trilling or Tanya Lopez in the JWCI Development Office at 310315-6111. We would be pleased to provide you with information without any commitment.

The Institute is honored to recognize individuals who inform us that they have included the Institute in their estate plans on the Guardians of the Future donor wall at JWCI. Thank you for considering a lasting legacy at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center. To ensure proper fulfillment of your bequest, the correct legal description of the Institute is: John Wayne Cancer Institute 2200 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404 Federal ID #95-429-1515 

For more information about supporting lifesaving cancer research, please contact the JWCI Development Office at 310-315-6111. Thank you! SUMMER 2013, INNOVATIONS

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

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PROFILE:

Dr. Morton

Having cherished his own education, Dr. Donald Morton began shaping the careers of young cancer researchers.

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