Perspectives - Winter 2013

NON PROFIT

US POSTAGE

P A I D LOS ANGELES, CA PERMIT NO. 1494

Perspectives THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE | WINTER 2013

Public Affairs and Development Office 2200 Santa Monica Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA www.jwci.org 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.

UPCOMING EVENTS is made possible by the generous support of

ODYSSEY BALL

THE JUELS EISENBERG FUND

April 13, 2013 • 6pm The Beverly Wilshire

OUR MISSION

PLEASE REMEMBER THE JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE

John Wayne Cancer Institute

You can help ensure that the battle against cancer will be won. Join others in creating a legacy of change in cancer research by making a meaningful gift through your estate plan. Your vision today will make a difference for generations to come.

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

For more information about tax-wise gift planning that can benefit you and your loved ones, please call the JWCI Planned Giving Office at (310) 315-6111 or visit www.jwci.org.

worldwide. Our mission is accomplished through innovative clinical and laboratory research and the education of the next generation of surgical oncologists and scientists.

New Leaders Shape a Bright Future ALSO INSIDE: JWCI Specimen Repository Holds the Potential Cure for Cancer • Successes of JWCI’s Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program • Donor Profile: Judianne Jaffe

John Wayne Cancer Institute

New Cancer Translational Research Leadership for the Future

DR. ANTON BILCHIK, DR. MAUREEN CHUNG, DR. MAGGIE DINOME AND NANCY HARRIS

These are exciting times at John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI). Following the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Institute’s founding (in 2011) – and the 20th anniversary of its move to Saint John’s Health Center – a new generation of cancer translational research leaders has joined the management team. This recently appointed group of talented individuals – including the four profiled below – is uniquely qualified to lead JWCI into the future. Inspired by more than 30 years of groundbreaking achievements which have earned JWCI an international reputation in cancer research and treatment, the team has brought new energy, passion and intellectual capital to the Institute.

ANTON J. BILCHIK, MD, PHD, FACS Chief of Medicine Chief of the Gastrointestinal Research Program

“The changes over the past several months at JWCI have been monumental,” says Anton J. Bilchik, MD, PhD, FACS, a highly respected and internationally recognized surgical oncologist who recently assumed his new roles at the Institute.

Dr. Bilchik, who recently returned to the Institute after a four-year absence, was largely responsible for building JWCI’s GI program during his previous tenure here. His appointment follows Mark Faries, MD, FACS, who returned to JWCI from Yale University last September. Director of the Melanoma Research Program and Co-Director of the Institute’s much-admired Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program, Dr. Faries is one of the nation’s leading melanoma researchers.

“The return of Dr. Faries has already strengthened the translational research program at the Institute, and we’ve recruited other outstanding individuals as well,” said Dr. Bilchik. “In addition, the productivity and the success of our surgical oncology fellows – as judged by the presentations they’ve made all over the country, the number of articles they’ve published and the number of awards they’ve won – has been extraordinary.

There’s an enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment about the place that is quite astonishing.”

Dr. Bilchik’s return will allow the Institute to expand its clinical trial network for GI cancers. One of his major goals is to increase the Institute’s national and international presence in gastrointestinal cancer research and establish JWCI as a center of excellence for all gastrointestinal cancers.

There’s an enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment here that is quite astonishing.

- Anton J. Bilchik, MD, PhD, FACS

A former fellow in the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program, he will also play a key role in mentoring JWCI’s surgical oncology fellows to be future leaders in the fight against cancer. “One of the great strengths of JWCI is the fellowship program, and both Dr. Faries and I have been working very actively with the fellows since returning to the Institute,” Dr. Bilchik said.

(continued on pg. 3)

NEW CANCER RESEARCH LEADERS

Perspectives Winter 2013 • 1

INSIDE: 1

New Leaders for the Future

2

Letter from the Chief of Medicine

2

Letter from the Chairman of the Board

4

Banking on Saving Lives

A Historical Moment: Welcoming New Cancer Translational Research Leadership

5

Guardian of the Future

6

JWCI Fellows Lead the Way

There are moments in the life of any organization that come to be recognized – often in retrospect – as being especially significant in its history. Today, there is no mistaking the fact that John Wayne Cancer Institute is experiencing such a moment.

7

Educating the Next Generation of Cancer Surgeons

8

Events: ABCs Gala “Talk of the Town”

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Events: ABCs Mother’s Day Luncheon and FFANY

10

Events: JWCI Auxiliary Luncheon

11 Events: JWCI Auxiliary Odyssey Ball

Welcome From the Chief of Medicine

In the space of a few months, we have added a new generation of Cancer Translational Research leaders to our management team to help take the Institute forward into the future. This new group brings a wealth of talent, passion and intellectual rigor to our organization and I’m proud to be a part of this team.

We have already seen the impact this new leadership team has had on JWCI. Thanks in large part to our dedicated faculty, the JWCI surgical oncology fellows – the elite group of physician-researchers we are training as future leaders in the fight against cancer – have risen to new heights of creativity and productivity this year. There is a renewed sense of energy and dynamism throughout the Institute – and an even stronger desire to accomplish our mission of finding innovative and effective cancer treatments.

As always, we are humbled and gratified by the example set by our donors, who continue to support our programs, selflessly and generously. Your unwavering commitment to JWCI inspires us to work harder and do more.

Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, FACS Chief of Medicine and Chief of the Gastrointestinal Research Program

Letter from the Chairman of the Board | Looking Toward Tomorrow One of my dad’s favorite sayings was, “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life.” It’s something he truly believed. In many ways, it summed up his whole attitude to life. He wasn’t a man who dwelt on the past. He was always looking forward… to his next movie, to his next adventure.

I’m reminded of his words as we look beyond last year’s celebration of the 30th anniversary of John Wayne Cancer Institute’s founding and focus on the next 30 years. They seem especially meaningful now, with the appointment of a new generation of leaders at JWCI. This extraordinarily talented group of physicians, researchers and administrators faces the important and challenging task of leading the Institute to even greater heights of success and renown over the coming years.

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life.

Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands.

It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”

Fortunately, they do not have far to go to look for inspiration. Under the leadership of brilliant researchers like Don Morton, MD, Chief of the Melanoma Program, John Wayne Cancer Institute has achieved a level of world-wide distinction that far surpasses its size and resources. Working together, I am confident they will be able to build upon our three decades of accomplishment and take us even further along the road to realizing my family’s vision of eliminating cancer.

Thankfully, it’s a vision that so many of you share. We deeply appreciate the generosity of all of our donors who have helped make JWCI a world-class research center. Your continuing contributions, as much as anything else, will ensure that JWCI’s important work continues long into the future.

Patrick Wayne Chairman of the Board of Directors

― John Wayne

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• Perspectives Winter 2013

WELCOME

John Wayne Cancer Institute

New Leaders for the Future

(continued from page 1)

MAUREEN CHUNG, MD, PHD

Director, Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program Director, Breast Oncology Fellowship Training Program Director, Margie Petersen Breast Center Now a nationally known surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancer, Dr. Chung had not yet completed her residency at McGill University in the early 1990s when John Wayne Cancer Institute transformed diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

She clearly remembers the global impact when JWCI researchers successfully adapted the sentinel node technique for breast cancer patients. First developed for melanoma by renowned JWCI surgical oncologist Donald L. Morton, MD, the technique – a less-invasive way to determine if tumor cells have spread to a patient’s lymph nodes – is now the worldwide standard of care for melanoma, breast and other cancers.

“JWCI revolutionized our whole approach to breast cancer,” said Dr. Chung, who left her position as an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at Brown Medical School in Providence, RI, to come to the Institute. “Dr. Morton’s vision in developing the sentinel node technique is one of the reasons why JWCI is considered a premier cancer institute and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Dr. Chung cited the Institute’s focus on translational medicine – that is, converting basic lab research into effective new treatments for patients – and the surgical oncology fellowship program as key reasons for coming here. “JWCI is one of the few places where a surgeon-scientist can do basic science research and have a very active clinical practice,” she said.

“It’s also one of the few programs to offer surgical oncology fellowships.”

Her primary goal for the Breast Cancer Program is to create a patientfocused, multidisciplinary clinic where women are empowered to make decisions about their care, with greater emphasis placed on genetic risk factors for breast cancer and on post-treatment survival and risk reduction. She will continue research into developing novel nanoparticles for non-invasive imaging, targeted drug therapy and intra-operative tumor localization.

“We’ve got new, young, aggressive leadership at JWCI, with new ideas and energy and an interest in genetics and personalized medicine,” Dr. Chung noted. “This is the future of cancer research and care.”

MAGGIE DINOME, MD, FACS

Associate Director, Margie Petersen Breast Center Chief, General Surgery, Saint John’s Health Center A board-certified general surgeon who specializes in cancer surgery and advanced laparoscopic techniques, especially for patients with breast and colorectal cancer, Dr. DiNome has been in private practice at Saint John’s Health Center for 11 years. She took up her new staff position as Associate Director of the Margie Petersen Breast Center on April 1, 2012.

Dr. DiNome, too, believes the future success of JWCI and Saint John’s lies in building upon the two institutions’ already strong relationship. “One of the things that distinguishes us from our competitors is the collaboration between this internationally recognized research center and this jewel of a community hospital,” she said. “Patients who come here receive personalized care for themselves and their whole family; they don’t get lost in the bureaucracy of a big system.”

With Dr. Chung, she will work to bring important ancillary services such as nutrition counseling, risk screening and genetic testing to the Breast Center. She also sees an opportunity to expand the number and range of clinical trials at the Institute, so that JWCI patients can have even greater access to cutting-edge treatments.

One of her primary roles will be helping to train the breast oncology and surgical oncology fellows. “We want to expose the fellows to the wide variety of breast surgery and breast patients that we see at Saint John’s and the Margie Petersen Breast Center, and show them how a community practice and an academic practice can work together successfully to offer comprehensive breast care,” Dr. DiNome said.

She added, “We have a group of young, talented physicians here who are dedicated to making JWCI the premier cancer center on the Westside.”

NANCY HARRIS

Chief Administrative Officer Vice President, Oncology Services For her first 10 years in healthcare, Nancy Harris worked as a medical technologist in a lab. After obtaining a master’s in health services administration, she carved out a new career as an administrator, setting up and overseeing cancer research and treatment programs, including at St. Joseph Health System in Orange County. But she has never forgotten her clinical roots.

“My clinical background has given me a head start in understanding the research that JWCI scientists conduct in their labs and how it impacts the treatment and care of patients,” said Harris, who started at the Institute on March 30, 2012.

In her dual roles, Harris provides administrative direction and support for John Wayne Cancer Institute and oversight for Saint John’s Health Center’s oncology service line, including the John Wayne Cancer Clinics and clinical trials. Her other duties include responsibility for strategic and operational

planning, and physician and scientist recruitment. “My primary job for JWCI is to support the clinicians and scientists so they can do their best work and bring the results of their research to patients,” she said.

Noting JWCI’s long-time commitment to translational medicine, Harris said: “One of the Institute’s unique strengths and competitive advantages is, and will continue to be, the symbiotic relationship it has with Saint John’s Health Center, which allows it to bring research results to the bedside more quickly. This relationship, and the patient-centered care approach for which Saint John’s is noted, is a winning combination for patients in this competitive environment.”

Her vision for JWCI includes an increased focus on personalized medicine, in which physicians develop individualized treatments for cancer patients by examining their genetic and cellular information. “JWCI is already going in this direction, which is the future of cancer care,” Harris said. “That, plus the reputation of the Institution and the quality of the people here, is what prompted me to take this position.”

NEW CANCER RESEARCH LEADERS

Perspectives Winter 2013

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DELPHINE J. LEE, MD, PHD DIRECTOR OF TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY DIRKS/DOUGHERTY LABORATORY FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Banking on Saving Lives JWCI Specimen Repository holds the potential cure for cancer

W

hen Delphine J. Lee, MD, PhD, decided to join the faculty of John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, she knew she was making the right choice. Dr. Lee had been aware of JWCI’s world-renowned translational research program, outstanding surgical oncology teaching and top-ranked Breast Center. However, she was excited to find that JWCI is also home to one of the largest specimen repositories for cancer research in the world.

“I walked into a large room filled wall to wall with freezers, and I almost fell over,” recalled Dr. Lee, Director of Translational Immunology in the Dirks/Dougherty Laboratory for Cancer Research at JWCI. “There’s nothing like this anywhere.

The cure for cancer is in those freezers.”

Packed away in row upon row of sub-zero storage units inside the specimen bank are more than 1.5 million vials containing blood cells, serum and tumor tissue from thousands of cancers – primarily from melanoma patients. Since 1971, when the specimen bank was started by Chief of the Melanoma Program Donald L. Morton, MD, JWCI physicians and researchers have collected specimens from patients treated at Saint John’s and other hospitals in the US and around the world, as well as from participants in two multicenter clinical trials headquartered at JWCI involving 5,500 melanoma patients from many countries.

A Coveted Resource

“The JWCI Cancer Specimen Bank is a very rare resource,” said Mark Faries, MD, FACS, Director of the Melanoma Research Program and Co-Director of the JWCI Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program. “So-called bio-repositories like ours are a hot commodity these days. Everybody wants to build one. Our specimen bank is probably the largest one of its kind – certainly in melanoma, and probably in other types of cancer as well. It’s also one of the earliest established repositories.”

“The specimen bank is one of Dr. Morton’s most significant contributions and is a real testament to his vision,” Dr. Faries added. Specimens from the JWCI bank are used in collaborative research projects and clinical trials with dozens

of universities and research institutions in Israel, Europe, Canada, Australia, and throughout the US, giving the Institute a global impact in the worldwide search for new cancer treatments. Researchers in other countries also send samples to be stored at JWCI and used in research projects at the Institute.

“JWCI is relatively small compared to many of these other large universities and research institutions, yet the impact we have had on cancer research overall is out of all proportion to our size,” said Dr. Faries. “The specimen bank gives the Institute the global reach to look at melanoma as well as other types of cancer throughout the world.”

Showing What Works — Fast

One exciting aspect of the specimen bank is the potential it offers to accelerate the discovery of new, effective treatments for cancer. A clinical database linked to the specimen bank allows JWCI researchers to learn critical follow-up information about many of the patients who provided the samples – including whether they survived or succumbed to their disease. “This ability to link the patients’ outcomes after so many years to their stored samples is what makes the specimen bank so priceless and so unique,” said Dr. Lee. Instead of having to wait for years to see how cancer develops in a set of patients they want to study, JWCI researchers can take those data directly from the specimens in the bank. “We know both where the specimens came from and what happened to those patients over time,” explained Dr. Faries. “We can immediately get long-term follow-up data that would otherwise take years to collect.”

How You Can Help

In part as a result of its success, the specimen bank is rapidly running out of space. “We’re basically reaching capacity,” Dr. Faries said. “The only way to increase storage capacity is to update our current freezers to larger ones with improved technology. We would welcome additional private support to help us continue to expand this extraordinary resource.”

For more information on the Specimen Repository, please call (310) 315-6111 or visit www.jwci.org.

Special Thanks to Major Funders of the John Wayne Cancer Institute Specimen Repository Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation | The Ahmanson Foundation Henry L. Guenther Foundation | John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary

4 • Perspectives Winter 2013

RESEARCH

DONOR PROFILE

GUARDIAN OF THE FUTURE

Judianne Jaffe When Judianne Jaffe discovered a lump in her breast, she turned to her brother-in-law, a radiation oncologist, for guidance. He immediately referred her to physicians at the Breast Center at Saint John’s Health Center.

During Judianne’s fight, she did extensive research and became very knowledgeable about breast cancer and the various treatment options available to her. One of the most important reasons she chose Saint John’s Health Center and the John Wayne Cancer Institute was because of the pioneering work that has been done here in minimally invasive surgery and the sentinel node clinical trial.

Fortunately, Judianne has been cancer-free for more than 13 years.

During this time, she has been an unwavering friend and active supporter of the John Wayne Cancer Institute’s research and outreach. Judianne is a member of the JWCI Board of Advisors and contributes her time and resources to support the battle against cancer. “I was interested in fundraising for the Institute because my successful treatment would not have been possible without seed money that made these medical advances in cancer possible,” she said.

Judianne, a business litigation attorney, has been inspired to help other breast cancer patients well into the future by including JWCI in her estate plans. Judianne has designated a percentage of her retirement funds to support breast cancer research at the Institute. With her vision, Judianne will make a significant impact on research, but her gift will also save significant taxes. “If I leave my retirement fund to my heirs, it can be taxed up to 75 percent or more through estate and income taxes,” said Judianne. “With a simple form I received from my retirement fund manager, I was able to save taxes and make a meaningful gift.”

For sharing her decision to include the John Wayne Cancer Institute in her estate plans, the Institute is pleased to welcome Judianne as a member of the Guardians of the Future Legacy Society.

“Everyone can make a difference,” said Judianne. “Our collective support will hopefully soon turn cancer into a curable condition, and I have tremendous comfort knowing that many others will benefit from the advances at the Institute.”

JUDIANNE JAFFE

Guardians of the Future members are recognized on a permanent plaque in the Institute’s main lobby, and are invited to lunches, lectures and special events. “Too often, we don’t learn about someone’s gift until it is too late,” said Andy Trilling, Vice President of Development. “We would love to thank our benefactors in person, and show them the impact of their philanthropy,” he added.

If you would like more information about charitable estate planning, please contact JWCI Vice President of Public Affairs and Development Andy Trilling at (310) 449-5246.

“Our collective support will hopefully soon turn cancer into a curable condition.”

- Judianne Jaffe

DONOR PROFILE

Perspectives Winter 2013 • 5

JWCI Fellows Lead the Way

N

othing better sums up the sense of accomplishment and upward momentum at John Wayne Cancer

Institute than the collective achievements of the 2011-2012 graduates of the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program.

A High Level of Achievement From January to June 2012, JWCI faculty and fellows authored at least 28 journal papers and book chapters for publication. This includes melanoma, breast cancer, pituitary/ brain cancer and gastrointestinal studies in surgical, pathology, neurosurgery, dermatology and basic science journals. During the same period, JWCI faculty and fellows made 40 peerreviewed presentations at regional, national and international medical and scientific society meetings. Most of these presentations were first-authored by JWCI surgical oncology, breast oncology, neurosurgical or postdoctoral lab-based fellows. Additionally, many of the presentations received special recognition, including highly coveted travel and merit awards.

“The fellows were remarkably productive in their research over the course of a year – many times more so than in the prior year or two,” said Mark Faries, MD, FACS, Director of the Melanoma Research Program and Co-Director of the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program.

“It really is a remarkable level of achievement.”

As a result, added Anton J. Bilchik, MD, PhD, FACS, Chief of Medicine and Chief of the Gastrointestinal Research Program, “There’s an enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment here that is quite astonishing. The fellows are doing incredible work in so many different areas and the success they’ve achieved in just a short period of time is amazing.”

A Perfect Storm JWCI is one of only 16 centers in the US approved by the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) to provide advanced training in surgical oncology. The Institute offers SSO-accredited programs in surgical oncology and breast oncology, as well as a neurosurgery program that is not SSO-accredited. There are seven surgical oncology fellows, two breast oncology fellows and one neurosurgery fellow.

The year’s surge of creativity and productivity resulted from a combination of exceptionally talented, motivated fellows supported by outstanding mentoring from JWCI’s staff of renowned physician-researchers. That’s according to the two fellows who shared the role of chief administrative fellow.

2011-2012 SURGICAL ONCOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM GRADUATES Charitable Foundation Fellow and Co-Chief Administrative Fellow. “All of the fellows were very eager and very motivated to get involved with research. Then, with the return of Dr. Faries and Dr. Bilchik to JWCI, they gave us the fuel to start so many different research projects. Both of them are extremely well-known and wellrespected in their fields. Their mentoring – and the desire of the fellows to take advantage of the opportunity presented to them – ignited tremendous productivity.”

Patricia C. Brown Foundation Carolyn Dirks/Brett Dougherty and Family Eastman Kodak

Junko Ozao-Choy, MD, the Patricia C. Brown Foundation Fellow and Co-Chief Administrative Fellow, agreed. “The return of Dr. Faries and Dr. Bilchik had a great impact; both are excellent mentors,” she said. “There’s a lot of very smart, exceptional talent at JWCI, and the quality of the fellows’ research is primarily affected by the intellectual environment that surrounds them.”

She added, “The fellows who come here have a deep interest in research and a desire to contribute to cancer research. JWCI offers them a large group of patients with complicated cancers, a wealth of data captured in the specimen repository – which is a great resource – and excellent statisticians and researchers.”

Success at the National Level The achievements of the fellows not only reflect well on them, but also on the Institute. “The success of the fellows is great for JWCI because it helps keeps the Institute on the national stage,” said Dr. Howard. “And it’s great for the fellows because we want to be productive and we want to be successful. That’s what makes us competitive at the next level.”

“It was like a perfect storm – in a good way,” said Harrison Howard, MD, the Harold McAlister

6 • Perspectives Winter 2013

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

Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation Ronald and Catherine Gershman Foundation Leon and Toby Gold Foundation Joseph B. Gould Foundation William H. Hannon Foundation William Randolph Hearst Foundations John Wayne Cancer Foundation Johns 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 Ruth and Martin H. Weil Fund The Wrather Family Foundation

* Cumulative giving of $50,000 or more to the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program

SURGICAL ONCOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Educating the Next Generation of Cancer Surgeons The Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program

T

he Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program at John Wayne Cancer Institute is one of the most comprehensive centers for advanced training in surgical oncology in the United States. It is one of only 16 programs in the United States approved by the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), and ranks in the top three largest in the US, along with M.D. Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

The exceptional combination of disciplines and facilities provided by the John Wayne Cancer Institute Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program, in addition to the Institute’s affiliation with Saint John’s Health Center, a leading community hospital, allows each Fellow to have a synergistic learning experience between the laboratory and the clinic.

More than 130 Fellows have graduated from the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training.

Graduates have gone on to faculty positions at universities across the US and many have become Chiefs of Surgical Oncology.

How You Can Help The John Wayne Cancer Institute Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program relies heavily on private donations. Your gift to the Program will be measurable and consequential.

Not only will your gift solely support the Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program and benefit our Fellows, but it will have implications throughout the field of cancer research — touching the lives of local and international patients as well as laying the groundwork for a future without cancer.

The John Wayne Cancer Institute Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program prepares surgeons not only to give the best clinical care available, but encourages them to see the value of passing down critical knowledge to the next generation of cancer surgeons.

- Larry Kaiser, MD, Class of 1981, Dean of Temple University School of Medicine

To get more information about the Fellowship Program or to make a donation, please contact the Office of Development at (310) 315-6111.

77%

OF GRADUATES HAVE ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

39%

OF THESE ARE CHIEFS OF DIVISIONS, CHAIRS AND DEANS AT PROMINENT UNIVERSITIES AND MAJOR MEDICAL CENTERS • City of Hope • Columbia University Medical Center • Duke University • Fox Chase Cancer Center • Mayo Clinic • MD Anderson Cancer Center • National Naval Medical Center • New York University • Lynn Sage Breast CenterNorthwestern Memorial Hospital

77%

• Stanford University Hospital • UCLA • University of Nevada • University of Pennsylvania

39%

• USC Norris Cancer Hospital • Vanderbilt University • Yale University Cancer Center

SURGICAL ONCOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Perspectives Winter 2013 • 7

EVENTS

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

ABCs Gala “talk of the town” 2012 The Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies (ABCs) hosted their 23rd Annual Gala, “The Talk of the Town,” at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. The event was truly a night to remember with special guest entertainment by Earth Wind & Fire.

The Spirit of Hope Award was presented to Donald and Shelly Sterling for their lifetime of giving back to those in need. Their success in law, philanthropy, sports, real estate development and financial investment has made them well-known and highly respected in the Los Angeles community. Patrick Wayne presented the Spirit of Entertainment Award to Nicole Murphy, successful business woman, proud mother of her five children and currently the executive producer of VH1’s “Hollywood Exes.” The Spirit of Hollywood Award was presented to David Spade, famously known for his success on Saturday Night Live as well as many hit television shows and feature films. Aside from his celebrity success, David gives of his time to create awareness and help others.

The partnership and generous support provided by the ABCs over the past 20 years has raised more than $14 million and has enabled the John Wayne Cancer Institute to make significant contributions in breast and prostate cancer that have fundamentally changed the way physicians around the world diagnose and treat cancer.

Spirit Of Entertainment Awardee Nicole Murphy, John and President of the ABCs Gloria Gebbia, and JWCI Chairman Patrick Wayne

Co-Chair Davida and David Lettiere

Earth, Wind & Fire Performs

Elaine And Co-Chair Jack Lerman

Leonard and Ada Sands

Spirit of Hollywood Awardee David Spade

Dick Haft and Millie Nixon

8 • Perspectives Winter 2013

Seymour and Sherri Rosenblum

EVENTS

Spirit of Hope Awardees Donald and Shelly Sterling and Lisa and Marty Greenberg

Associates for Breast and prostate Cancer studies mother’s day Luncheon 2012 The ABCs hosted its annual, star-studded Mother’s Day Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel, May 9, 2012, to benefit breast and prostate cancer research at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center. Women of Achievement Awards were presented to Kris Jenner, Giuliana Rancic and Jillian Reynolds. Actress, comedienne and radio personality Lisa Ann Walter emceed. Beverly Cohen and Lana Schervone co-chaired. Sherri Rosenblum chaired the boutique which featured a fashionable array of select vendors donating a portion of proceeds from their sales to the organization.

A highlight of the luncheon included a StockCross Trading Group check presentation in the amount of $10,000 to ABCs President Gloria Gebbia. The proceeds were generated by StockCross’ premier philanthropy event, Trading For A Cure, held on May 8. A portion of its trading profits were donated to the ABCs.

ABCs President Gloria Gebbia, Honorees Jillian Reynolds, Giuliana Rancic, Kris Jenner and JWCI Chairman Patrick Wayne

Pooh Richardson (10-year NBA legend and UCLA great), Scoop Jardin (NBA first-round prospect), Thomas Robinson (2012 NBA top draft prospect) and Gloria Gebbia

QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on sale” With thousands of shoes offered at half the manufacturer’s suggested retail price during the 18th Annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale,” it was easier than ever for shoe lovers to take another step forward in the fight against breast cancer.

Supporting breast cancer research and education institutions nationwide, 2011’s event selected John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center as one of the eight beneficiaries. A check in the amount of $271,357, as part of their total generous donation of $467,715, was presented by QVC and Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) to Patrick Wayne, JWCI Chairman, who accepted the donation on behalf of the organization.

Mike George, President & CEO, QVC, Inc.; Patrick Wayne, JWCI Chairman; Dr. Mark Faries; Joseph C. Moore, President & CEO, Fashion Footwear Association of New York

EVENTS

Perspectives Winter 2013 • 9

JWCI Auxiliary membership Luncheon 2012 John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary Honors Gloria Gebbia and Colonel Alexander Stojadinovic, MD, at Annual Membership Luncheon The John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary (JWCIA) honored Gloria Gebbia, President of the Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies, with the Angel Award, and Colonel Alexander Stojadinovic, MD, FACS, with the Public Service Award at their Annual Membership Luncheon and Holiday Boutique on Oct. 18, 2012 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Nancy Heim and Paula Pinhas co-chaired. Laura Baron, Today Show contributor, host and life coach of VH1’s “You’re Cut Off,” and A&E’s “Monster In-Laws,” emceed.

A highlight of the afternoon was a check presentation for $432,811 by Auxiliary President Anita Swift and Auxiliary Treasurer Martha Harper to Patrick Wayne, JWCI Chairman of the Board, and Maureen Chung, MD, Director of the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program at JWCI. The program included an educational presentation by Amy Rosenman, MD, Gynecologist and Urogynecologist at Saint John’s Health Center. Prior to the luncheon, guests enjoyed a Holiday Boutique.

JWCI Chairman Patrick Wayne, Angel Award Honoree Gloria Gebbia, Public Service Award Honoree Colonel Alexander Stojadinovic, MD, and JWCI Auxiliary President Anita Swift

Dr. Maureen Chung, Anita Swift and JWCI Auxiliary Breast Fellow Dr. Julie Billar

Beverly Hills Hotel Ballroom

Patrick Wayne, Co-Chair Nancy Heim, Emcee Laura Baron and Co-Chair Paula Pinhas

10 • Perspectives Winter 2013

JWCI Auxiliary President Anita Swift; Dr. Anton Bilchik; Patrick Wayne; JWCI Auxiliary Treasurer Martha Harper

Gloria Gebbia and Donald Morton, MD

Auxiliary Past Presidents

EVENTS

jwci auxiliary Odyssey Ball 2012 The 27th Annual Odyssey Ball, the yearly fundraising event that benefits the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, was held on April 21, 2012 at the renowned Beverly Hilton Hotel. This year’s gala was an exciting event, honoring Lawrence Piro, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Los Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, with the Special Service Award, “The Duke.” The evening also included an important announcement

by JWCI Chairman Patrick Wayne that Dr. Anton Bilchik, a world-renowned cancer surgeon and scientist, has been appointed Chief of Medicine and Director of the Gastrointestinal Research Program at JWCI. And after an extensive national search, Dr. Maureen Chung has been named Director of the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program Co-Chairs Katie Lewis, Teddi Gilderman and Marisol Zarco with Dr. Lawrence Piro

and Director of the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program beginning in June 2012.

Since its inception, the Auxiliary has raised more than $17 million to support JWCI’s lifesaving cancer research and treatment programs.

John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary Board of Directors

Patrick Wayne, Dr. Anton Bilchik, Dr. Maureen Chung, Dr. Daniel Alana Stewart Kelly, Dr. Myles Cabot and Michael Wayne

Jackie Banchik, Judy Piro, Diane Feldman, Roberta Novick

Maria and Wolfgang Petersen

Bruno Tolioni and Marlee Matlin

Susan Veerman and Ruth Weil

EVENTS

Perspectives Winter 2013 • 11

NON PROFIT

US POSTAGE

P A I D LOS ANGELES, CA PERMIT NO. 1494

Perspectives THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE | WINTER 2013

Public Affairs and Development Office 2200 Santa Monica Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA www.jwci.org 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.

UPCOMING EVENTS is made possible by the generous support of

ODYSSEY BALL

THE JUELS EISENBERG FUND

April 13, 2013 • 6pm The Beverly Wilshire

OUR MISSION

PLEASE REMEMBER THE JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE

John Wayne Cancer Institute

You can help ensure that the battle against cancer will be won. Join others in creating a legacy of change in cancer research by making a meaningful gift through your estate plan. Your vision today will make a difference for generations to come.

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

For more information about tax-wise gift planning that can benefit you and your loved ones, please call the JWCI Planned Giving Office at (310) 315-6111 or visit www.jwci.org.

worldwide. Our mission is accomplished through innovative clinical and laboratory research and the education of the next generation of surgical oncologists and scientists.

New Leaders Shape a Bright Future ALSO INSIDE: JWCI Specimen Repository Holds the Potential Cure for Cancer • Successes of JWCI’s Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program • Donor Profile: Judianne Jaffe