Eco-friendly Annex Opens Its Doors
FAMILY TIES When Cancer Hits Home
Getting Ready for Gala
Libby Annulis is a three-time cancer survivor. Page 10
contents SPRING 2008
features FEELS LIKE HOME
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The UAMS Family Home provides a safe and comfortable home away from home for cancer patients.
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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
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For some cancers, a family history can be one of the best indicators of its occurence.
RISK REDUCTION
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Radiation research leads one UAMS faculty member to a prestigious national honor.
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A TOUCH OF GREENE
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Graham Greene, M.D., uses his creativity as both an artist and a surgeon.
SYMBOLS OF HOPE
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Married cancer survivors give back to the Cancer Institute.
A GREAT MATCH
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Herren and Susan Hickingbotham bring their expertise to the 13th Annual Gala for Life.
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in every issue From the Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Construction is under way at the Cancer Institute. Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Cancer Institute's new Walker Annex is eco-friendly.
“It was luck of the draw that I was fortunate enough to be born a Rockefeller. But with that comes the additional obligation, or I should say opportunity, to do some good.”
Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Three-time cancer survivor Libby Annulis shares her story.
Winthrop P. Rockefeller 1948-2006
Medicine Bag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Breast Cancer Challenge Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair
Edmonson planned gift Chancellor's Circle Rasco lectures
Blass and
Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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ly Annex Eco-friend Doors Opens Its
Cover photo by Johnpaul Jones
TIES FAMILY Cancer When me Hits Ho
Ready Getting for Gala is a Libby Annulis r. cancer survivo10 Page
three-time
Foundation get togethers
Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
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Editor Susan Van Dusen Art Director Laurie Shell Managing Editor Liz Caldwell
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Writers Nate Hinkel, Jon Parham, David Robinson, Susan Van Dusen Creative Director Keith Runkle Photographer Johnpaul Jones Production Manager Angi McDaniel Database Manager Kelly Pollnow Director Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Peter D. Emanuel, M.D. Chancellor University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences I. Dodd Wilson, M.D. Vice Chancellor of Communications & Marketing Pat Torvestad Associate Vice Chancellor of Communications & Marketing Leslie Taylor Seek is published quarterly for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute by the Office of Communications & Marketing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St. #890, Little Rock, AR 72205-7199; phone (501) 686-5686; Fax (501) 686-6020.
director’s letter
Welcome to the second issue of Seek! We hope you enjoyed our inaugural issue. From the cover profile on Herman Davenport and his struggle with prostate cancer to the depiction of the team approach to cancer care highlighting breast cancer patient Alice Beard to the great story of Cally Cochran’s lemonade stand, we shined the spotlight on our patients and supporters. We also shared some insight into our faculty by featuring Dr. James Y. Suen, depicted in his photo as holding up the mighty walls, and Dr. John Shaughnessy, whose big eyeball peered through the magnifying glass at our readers. If you missed our first issue, let us know. Construction of the new tower addition to the Cancer Institute is well under way. At the time this issue of Seek went to press, our construction crew was diligently working on utility relocation and site work, with steel erection to commence shortly. Most importantly, we were presented with the opportunity to speed up the construction process, and we seized that chance. We are now targeting a completion date of June 2010, several months earlier than previously projected. We view this as vitally important to our patients, especially those in the chemotherapy infusion areas, where new and expanded space is needed as soon as we can deliver it. Our fundraising toward the tower is going well, but we need help from each of you. To date, we have raised nearly $90 million toward the building project, but we still have more state dollars to match with your dollars. The generosity of the state means that every dollar you donate is really worth $2! The Cancer Institute Gala for Life is set for Sept. 5, and the Commodores will be our entertainment. All proceeds from the Gala benefit the building project and will be matched. As an added bonus, the Razorbacks play in Little Rock Sept. 6. So plan to enjoy the excitement in Little Rock on the first weekend of September!
Peter D. Emanuel, M.D. Director, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
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Erin Burns, president of the board that operates the UAMS Family Home, is a strong advocate for the home's services.
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Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
Feels Like
Home
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Cancer patients find comfort and compassion By Susan Van Dusen at the UAMS Family Home.
Imagine being diagnosed with cancer. Now imagine your treatment happening miles from home — perhaps even hundreds of miles. Where would you sleep? How would you cook meals? Where would you do laundry? For some cancer patients at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the UAMS Family Home is the answer to all of these questions and more. Though it bears the name of UAMS, the home actually is a private, nonprofit facility located across the street from the university. The Family Home’s purpose is to provide low-cost, comfortable and affordable housing for cancer patients and parents of infants being treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It also houses the Cancer Institute Auxiliary’s Cancer Support Center. “Our goal is to provide a layer of consistency and comfort in the lives of our residents,” said Erin Burns, board president of the nonprofit organization that operates the Family Home. “We want to give them a seamless environment where they know they will have a safe and comfortable place to rest during this challenging time.”
One Family’s Story One of those patients recently included Tonya Wright of Jonesboro and her husband, Joey. Early in her pregnancy with their second child, Tonya experienced a tingling sensation in her lip. When her face started to swell, she saw a physician who referred her to a dentist.
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
From there she was sent to an oral surgeon where a biopsy was performed, and Tonya was diagnosed with cancer of the jawbone.
“I don’t know what we would have done without the Family Home.” About halfway through her pregnancy at this point, the Wrights’ lives immediately became a whirlwind of decisions. Fortunately for them, Tonya’s Jonesboro physician was familiar with James Y. Suen, M.D., chairman of the u
UAMS Family Home at a Glance 4 It cost $1.3 million to build the UAMS
Family Home in 2002.
4 More than 1,000 families have stayed
at the home.
4 Ten bedrooms are designated for
cancer patients.
4 All patients must bring a family
member or caregiver.
4 Residents must be referred by UAMS
social workers.
4 The home is owned by the nonprofit
organization Parents and Friends of Children and Adults. seek
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UAMS Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. After reviewing her case, Suen recommended that the couple come to UAMS, where Tonya could not only have her cancer treated but also deliver her baby. UAMS is home to the state’s only board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialists trained to handle high-risk pregnancies. But Suen didn’t stop there. He also referred them to the UAMS Family Home, a place where they could both stay prior to and after the baby’s birth and where Joey could continue to stay following Tonya’s surgery. All rooms at the home include a private bath and access to a family room, kitchen, library and laundry room. Residents are asked to pay only $10 per night, and some stay for weeks or months while undergoing treatment. The Wrights left their 7-year-old daughter in the care of relatives and arrived in Little Rock on Dec. 27, 2007. Their baby, Josey, was born four days later. Because she was eight weeks premature, Josey spent the first weeks of her life in the NICU while Tonya prepared for Suen to remove her tumor about two weeks later.
Immediately following the surgery by Suen, her jaw was reconstructed by UAMS surgeon James Yuen, M.D. The two surgeries took a total of about 11 hours. “We’re so glad we were referred to Dr. Suen and the Cancer Institute,” Tonya said. “We’re really happy with the success of the surgery and the care we received.” The couple has now returned to life in Jonesboro, where Tonya has undergone radiation treatment and Josey is thriving. Looking back, the Family Home was one part of their experience that made the journey a little less difficult. “I don’t know what we would have done without the Family Home. I don’t know where we would have gone,” Joey said. “I was able to take care of Tonya UAMS Family Home at the Family Home, residents have come from and we were close as far away as Zimbabwe. to Josey too.”
Etc.
COMMUNITY OF CARE
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Lightening the load of cancer patients is one of the goals of the UAMS Family Home, and the Junior League of Little Rock (JLLR) is helping make that possible. Through its Nightingales community service committee, JLLR members offer twice-monthly bingo nights for patients and family members staying at the home. The committee also provides two annual dinners and a holiday dessert night. “It’s a chance for us to visit with the families and hopefully take their minds off why they are here,” said Erin Cullum, Nightingales committee chairman and an attorney at Little Rock’s Friday, Eldredge and Clark law firm.
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In addition to patients at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Family Home also provides low-cost, temporary housing for parents of infants being treated in UAMS’ neonatal intensive care unit.
Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
Growth Spurt
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By Jon Parham
The new Walker Annex isn’t just good for the Cancer Institute. It’s also good for the environment.
In the TV show “The Office,” character Michael Scott likes to create “win-winwin” situations for his staff. Some might say that the opening of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s new Walker Annex is just that type of situation. When the Walker Annex opened in January, it allowed consolidation of offices that had been located off campus or in temporary buildings on campus; a win. The move allowed those temporary buildings to be removed so that a 12-floor, nearly 300,000-square-foot expansion to the Cancer Institute could be built; another win. And lastly, the Annex includes a slate of energy-saving and energy-efficient features; win No. 3. The two-floor, 15,860-square-foot Annex adjacent to the existing Cancer Institute building houses the Office of Grants and Scientific Publications, the UAMS Cancer Control and Population Science Program, and a new loading dock. Built on the roof of the UAMS Outpatient Diagnostic Center, the Annex includes energy Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
efficient or “green” practices, from the use of recycled materials in furnishings to design elements intended to conserve energy or water. “We’re pleased to have such a wonderful facility that gives a new home to some of our programs while making way for our major expansion,” said Peter Emanuel, M.D., Cancer Institute director. “The green elements of the building are very much in the caring spirit of the Cancer Institute.” The Annex allowed the Office of Grants and Scientific Publications to move from the portable buildings. The Cancer Control and Population Science Program was located in leased space in University Mall, which was being torn down. The Annex was designed by Cromwell Architects & Engineers Inc. CDI Contractors, Inc. was the general contractor for the project. The facility was named for the Walker family of Springdale, longtime UAMS supporters, whose gifts have made possible many UAMS projects, including the Pat and Willard Walker Tower of the Cancer Institute. u seek
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Recycled steel produced in Arkansas from old buildings and cars
Cabinets made from corn husks, not wood
Linoleum made from a linseed oil product instead of petroleum-based vinyl tile
Recycled materials used in the carpeting and furnishings
Decreased overhead lighting and increased use of more efficient desk lighting
Natural lighting emphasized through skylights in office areas
Glass around interior meeting areas to borrow light from other spaces
An energy-efficient glaze on exterior windows
Fly-ash flooring — a byproduct of burning coal — instead of concrete
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Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
Ground Work Started for Cancer Institute Expansion Site work is under way for the nearly 300,000-square-foot expansion to the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. In February, utility lines adjacent to the existing Cancer Institute building were relocated. This followed removal of two portable buildings at the site. Also torn down was the canopy over the Cancer Institute’s closed north entrance. While utility relocation continued, drilling also started for the concrete piers that will support the 12-story expansion. The pier depths vary, as drilling continued until they hit solid rock. Some are as deep as 40 feet. With the concrete foundation and support in place, workers began setting up the steel beams that serve as the building’s skeleton.
“The green elements of the building are very much in the caring spirit of the Cancer Institute.”
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Survival to the Third
Power After surviving cancer three times, Libby Annulis is hitting the trails again. By Nate Hinkel
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The number three is often thought of as a lucky number. For Libby Annulis, she’s hopeful it’s the symbolic charm that will ultimately end her fight against a triple threat of cancer. An avid hiker with a genuine love for the outdoors, Annulis, 62, was as healthy as could be in 1996. She had a rewarding career, a blessed family and social life, and figured staying active and fit would carry her well past retirement. Then, during a routine gynecological visit, Annulis’ doctor identified calcification on her mammogram and referred her to the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, where she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “You’re never prepared for that kind of news, but the advice and treatment I received at UAMS along with the support of family and friends helped me realize that I was going to get through this and that life would go on,” Annulis said. So much so that following her mastectomy and reconstructive surgery at UAMS, Annulis continued working as director of information technology at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM), a job she first took in 1973. Annulis relied on her job to be the stabilizing force of Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
normalcy. That worked, but This time it was a 13-centimeter unfortunately normalcy was tumor in her abdomen found by only temporary. Hutchins during a routine visit. In May 2000, an enlarged Ultimately she was referred to tonsil led Annulis back to the Frits van Rhee, M.D., Ph.D., at operating table, this time only the UAMS Myeloma Institute for a tonsillectomy, but the for Research and Therapy for a results of which revealed a nonstem cell transplant in summer Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. 2006, which cut the tumor’s size Her positive experience down to 2 centimeters. at UAMS during breast cancer The non-Hodgkin’s treatment had Annulis again lymphoma is now in remission, seeking the expertise of her though she continues seeing previous physician, Laura Hutchins for follow-up every Hutchins, M.D., director of the three months. Although it UAMS Division of Hematology was the most intense battle and Oncology. of the three, Annulis said she “I always felt like Dr. Hutchins “It’s as simple as dealing with was very open and honest with me and what you were given and was very matter of then making the most of the fact about how we time you have.” were going to fight this,” Annulis said. That’s also when she cherished the time she got decided to opt for early to spend with her daughter, retirement just as soon as she Leah, a pediatrician living in pulled through. Little Rock, while staying with And so, after 29 years, the her during her transplant. Her first female IT director at a four- husband, John, retired dean of year college in Arkansas called it the School of Mathematical and quits. Annulis spent more time Natural Sciences at UAM, made reading, traveling, gardening, countless trips for support. walking, volunteering, practicing “I’m not heroic in any sense yoga and visiting her family. of the word,” she said. “It’s as Then, just as unannounced simple as dealing with what you as the first two times, Annulis’ were given and then making the life again was interrupted by a most of the time you have.” cancer relapse in August 2005. seek
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Knowing your family's medical history can assist in your own health care decision making.
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Knowledge is Power
By Jon Parham
Family history can determine many things, including — in some cases — a predisposition for cancer.
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Jennifer Pickus’ grandmother died in her mid 30s from colon cancer. Jennifer’s father is in his 60s and has had colon cancer three times. The first time was in his 30s. Her dad’s brother had colon cancer twice. Her dad’s sister had colon, uterine and breast cancer. “It was clear there was something in our family,” said the Little Rock resident. For some cancers — especially colon, breast, ovarian or uterine — a family history can be one of the best indicators of its occurrence, said Kent McKelvey, M.D.,
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
director of cancer genetics services in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. About 25 percent of the roughly 150,000 new colon cancer patients diagnosed each year will have a family history of the disease, he said, adding that geneticists will be able to find a mutation in about a third of patients who have a family history of cancer. “In our family is our genetic history. They determine the DNA code that is passed on,” McKelvey said. “In addition, a family is usually together in the same environment — eating the same things, living in the
same area — so environmental exposures are important as well.” The DNA is the chemical code in our cells that contains the genetic information responsible for the development and operation of an organism. It is a blueprint passed on from generation to generation. But amid all the information passed on in our DNA can be a defect or mutation that may predispose to a disease. Examining this code can help determine if one has a higher risk for developing cancer. McKelvey cautioned that one only inherits an increased risk of cancer – not the disease itself. u seek
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Not all people who inherit the genetic defect for a cancer in their genes will develop cancer, he said. For example, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) noted that women with a specific breast cancer susceptibility gene have an 80 percent chance of developing breast cancer by the age of 65. The risk is high but not absolute and family members who test negative for the genetic mutation are not exempt from breast cancer risk, according to the NCI. Over time, they can acquire breast cancerassociated genetic changes at the same rate as the general population. “Knowledge is power, and through cancer genetics we can provide a patient with choices
She, her father and two siblings eventually underwent genetic testing by giving a blood sample. Using a blood sample, geneticists analyze specific genes tied to cancer syndromes for defects or mutations. There are more than 30 defined cancer syndromes that increase the risk of developing specific cancers. Hundreds of genes are involved, so the physician also
needs a complete patient and family history before blood is drawn for the test. The genetic test does not return a “yes” or “no” answer on whether a person will develop cancer — only that the cancer syndrome is or is not present. Sometimes, McKelvey said, the test results can be inconclusive. If a cancer syndrome is present, then the patient can
If one member of a family has a genetic mutation, there is a 50/50 chance that a first-degree relative also will have the mutation. for making a more informed decision about preventive health care,” McKelvey said. “What we do in cancer genetics is prevention, since it is much better medicine to prevent a disease from developing in the first place.”
Getting tested Pickus, 38, took the first step when she was in her 20s. Knowing her family history, she sought genetics consultation and learned about the genetic syndrome that can cause inherited colon cancer. 14
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While one family member may test positive for a genetic mutation, another may test negative.
Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
consider preventive steps. Increased cancer screenings, such as an annual colonoscopy or mammogram, could catch cancer cells in development or in a pre-cancerous state, allowing surgeons the chance to remove them. In some cases, women with a genetic predisposition for breast cancer have opted to have their breasts removed. Those with a predisposition for uterine or ovarian cancer may choose to have a hysterectomy and oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries). Jennifer Pickus’ test turned out positive. She now has an annual colonoscopy and upper endoscopy exam. Since she is finished having children, she said she is planning to have a hysterectomy and oophorectomy. She said she will encourage her two young children to be tested for the syndrome when they are older. Her two siblings also tested positive for the syndrome while two cousins tested negative, she said. “Every time you find a case of a genetic mutation, there are usually other family members with it as well. The implications can be dramatic for a family,” McKelvey said. In the case of colon cancer, McKelvey said, if one member of a family has a genetic mutation, there is a 50/50 chance that a first-degree relative — that is a parent, sibling or child — also will have the mutation. If the test is negative, then the person can be considered to be of “population risk” — that is at no more risk of developing
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
cancer than the rest of the population. That can bring peace of mind, McKelvey said.
Who should get tested? McKelvey recommends consultation for: Those with a family history of cancer, particularly if the history occurs in multiple generations or has a young age of onset Those with a family history of an unusual type of cancer or an unusual pattern of cancers, such as colon and uterine cancer in the same family or person McKelvey said some may think genetic testing is too complicated. While the outcome may not be a simple yes or no, he said, the test result can offer valuable information. He noted concerns about insurance coverage may deter some from being tested. It is against federal law for an insurer to discriminate in coverage based on a genetic predisposition to disease, he said, and a more comprehensive non-discrimination law has passed the House and Senate. “Genetic testing isn’t something to be afraid of,” McKelvey said. “It’s just another tool in our arsenal to prevent cancer that we didn’t have 10 years ago.” Pickus is glad she was tested. The result was scary at first, she said, but she used McKelvey’s refrain: “Knowledge
is power. Now I know for sure, and I can do the things I need to do to watch out,” she said. “I wanted to have that information rather than having to wonder about it year after year.”
New Leadership Cancer genetics research and treatment at UAMS is getting a boost in July with the arrival of nationally known, board-certified genetics expert G. Bradley Schaefer, M.D. Schaefer will be the founding director of the new Division of Genetics in the UAMS College of Medicine, leading both basic science research and clinical efforts. He also will serve as chief of pediatric genetics and metabolism. Schaefer previously was director of the Hattie B. Munroe Center for Human Genetics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and has served as associate director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation since 1997. Since 2004, he also has served as an adjunct professor and medical director in the UAMS College of Health Related Professions Department of Genetic Counseling. UAMS is the lead institution in the Mid-America Genetics Education Consortium that uses a variety of distance education methods including interactive video and Web-based lectures to offer a Master of Science degree in genetic counseling.
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Risk Reduction
Martin Hauer-Jensen is dedicated to reducing the harmful effects of radiation — good news for cancer patients and anyone concerned with the possibility of bioterrorism. By Susan Van Dusen
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While practicing medicine in his native country of Norway, Martin Hauer-Jensen, M.D., Ph.D., began noticing a trend among patients who had previously received radiation treatment for cancer. Although their cancer may be in remission, many of the patients experienced debilitating side effects — some even requiring surgery — as a result of radiation treatment. “Because the cells of the intestine are always rapidly proliferating, it is very sensitive to radiation exposure,” HauerJensen said. “This is similar to the rapid proliferation of cells we see in the bone marrow, another area that is particularly sensitive to radiation.” It was this realization that put Hauer-Jensen on a lifelong path of discovery about the effects of radiation on the human body. And it was this path that led him to receive one of the highest awards presented by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) — the MERIT Award. As the first NCI MERIT Award recipient in Arkansas’ history, Hauer-Jensen’s radiation-related
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
research is guaranteed funding for up to 10 years. A decade’s worth of national funding is a coup for any researcher, particularly in light of declining budgets at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NCI’s umbrella organization. “Dr. Hauer-Jensen has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the study of radiation and its effects on the human body. The fact that he is being recognized nationally is a fitting testament to the importance of his research,” said Peter Emanuel, M.D., director of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Emanuel added that the MERIT Award also will bring national attention to the significant research going on at the Cancer Institute. Fewer than 3 percent of NIHfunded researchers are MERIT Award recipients. Those who receive the honor have previously submitted highly successful NIH grant applications as well as demonstrated an exceptionally strong record in research likely to impact human health. “The radiation research program at NCI has only one other MERIT Award nationwide, so it is quite an honor to be selected," said Hauer-Jensen, professor of surgery and pathology at UAMS. The focus of his MERIT Award research is the investigation of how specific interactions among the nervous system, immune
system and coagulation system influence the development of acute and chronic intestinal radiation injury. In addition to studying ways in which radiation treatment can be made more tolerable, safe and effective, Hauer-Jensen is internationally recognized as an expert in the possible effects of a radiation bioterrorism attack or radiation accident. With four grants to investigate various aspects of radiation terrorism, he also serves as an external advisor to the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute in Bethesda, Md., and is a member of a national working group charged with developing a nationwide medical response plan for radiological and nuclear terrorism. At the international level, Hauer-Jensen is on a five-member task group of the International Commission for Radiation Protection focused on radiationinduced tissue injury. “With the work we’ve done both before and after 9/11, we’ve made great strides in the development of countermeasures against a possible radiation bioterrorism attack,” he said.
Etc.
The MERIT Award’s name stands for Method to Extend Research in Time.
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MedicineBag C ANCER INST I TU T E NEWS
In Honor of …
Recent lectures at the Cancer
Institute honored the memory of two Arkansans.
The Charles William Rasco
III Symposium on Colorectal Cancer was held April 26 and featured a session for health care professionals as well as one for the general public. Topics for the public session included the role Judy Tenenbaum; V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D.; and Harold Tenenbaum at the investiture ceremony.
Recognizing Research
In a standing-room-only ceremony filled with family, friends
and colleagues, V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D., became
of supplements, cost coverage options and screening guidelines.
The Elizabeth Weitzenhoffer Blass Lecture in Cancer
inaugural recipient of the Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair in Breast
Genetics was
Surgical Oncology at UAMS.
held April 28 on
Klimberg is chief of the Division of Breast Surgical
the topic “Mining
Oncology at UAMS and director of the Breast Cancer Program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.
and Modeling Cancer Genomes.”
The endowed chair is the result of a gift from the
Featured speaker was Ronald A.
Tenenbaum Foundation and is named in honor of Muriel
DePinho, M.D., director of
Balsam Kohn, mother of Judy Tenenbaum, who died of
the Center for Applied Cancer
breast cancer in 1993.
Science at the Dana-Farber
Klimberg is well recognized for her breast cancer
Cancer Institute and professor of
research initiatives, including a study funded by
medicine and genetics at Harvard
the Tenenbaum Breast Cancer Research
Medical School.
Foundation of breast cancer patients at risk for developing lymphedema.
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Giving for the Future
The Cancer Institute and two other Arkansas
organizations will benefit from a $13 million planned gift of Don and Ellen Edmondson of Forrest City, Ark.
The gift designates $1.5 million to the Cancer
Institute, $1.5 million to Arkansas Children’s Hospital and $10 million to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture in Fayetteville.
Don Edmondson has served on the
foundation fund board of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute for 18 years.
Up to the Challenge
More than 100 physicians,
fellows and nurses from Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma turned out in February for the 2008 Breast Cancer Challenge conference sponsored by the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.
“Treating Breast Cancer Takes More Than
Treatment” was the theme for the two-day conference held in Ridgedale, Mo., near Branson. V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D., director of the UAMS Breast Program, was chairperson of
Chancellor’s Circle UAMS Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson, M.D., announced at the January Chancellor’s Circle Annual Achievement Celebration that all donations to the Chancellor’s Circle in 2008 will be directed to the Cancer Institute and be eligible for matching funds from the state. The Chancellor’s Circle is an organization that recognizes major donors who support
the conference.
programs at UAMS through annual unrestricted
The 2008 conference was the third annual
contributions. Membership in the Chancellor’s
Breast Cancer Challenge and was established
Circle is open to individuals, couples, corporations
to provide a multidisciplinary overview of the diagnosis and treatment of all stages of breast cancer. Speakers included experts in the fields
and foundations and offers several categories of giving from $1,000 to $100,000.
of surgery, oncology, pathology, radiology and
radiation oncology. Other conference topics
call Sue S. Williamson, senior director of donor
included hereditary breast cancer, the role of
development programs, at (501) 686-5675.
Vitamin D and breast cancer, Axillary Reverse
For information about the Chancellor’s Circle,
Mapping (ARM), metastatic breast cancer and breast cancer screening.
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A Touch of
Greene
First an artist and now a surgeon, Graham Greene brings creative energy to all his endeavors. By David Robinson
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The first seed for Graham Greene’s surgical career was planted during his childhood in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, after he won a regional art contest. His 12th grade biology teacher, aware of Greene’s artistic talent and aptitude for science, told him, “Maybe someday you’ll be a surgeon.” “I remember those words as if he spoke them yesterday,” Greene recalled. “That planted a seed.” His path from inspired student to surgeon and from Canada to Arkansas, he said, was a blessing. “I have a lot of faith that God leads your path. There were key people all along the way who touched my life and motivated me and continued to put that goal in a realistic perspective for me,” Greene said. Before joining UAMS in 1997, Greene served a three-year urologic oncology fellowship at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He was mentored there by Josh Fidler, a worldrenowned metastasis researcher, and by Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., an equally renowned urologic surgeon and oncologist. Eschenbach is now commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At the conclusion of his fellowship, which equipped him with an elite set of research, surgical and leadership skills, the world was Greene’s canvas as he considered his career options. During that time he was approached at a national conference by John Redman, M.D., then chairman of UAMS’ Department of Urology. Greene knew Redman to be a master surgeon and photographer, with the best collection of butterfly photographs he had ever seen. “Dr. Redman asked me, in his charismatic way, if I wanted to come to Arkansas.” Greene knew little about Arkansas except what he had seen of Little Rock during an Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
overnight stay when he drove from Canada to his fellowship at M.D. Anderson. “Arkansas was beautiful, and I remember thinking, ‘What a nice town,’” he said. He was sold on UAMS and the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute by its leaders, James Suen, M.D., and Kent Westbrook, M.D. They won Greene’s immediate trust and helped him see the opportunity to establish a urologic oncology section within the Urology Department. Arkansas was a perfect fit for Greene. Physicians across the state embraced him, and a group of his patients “There were key created and privately funded people all along the the Arkansas way who touched Prostate Cancer my life.” Foundation, which provides prostate cancer screenings across the state. The foundation also has received financial support from the Arkansas Legislature. Greene’s section now includes a second fellowship-trained urologic oncology surgeon, Rabii Madi, M.D. Greene’s vision includes expanding his section’s research so that treatments are based on each patient’s genetic profile, and he believes that will happen in the years to come as the Cancer Institute continues to integrate its resources. Now 12 years into his career, Greene says surgery keeps his artistic juices flowing, and he still enjoys painting and other creative projects, such as designing and building decks. “That creativity is all interlinked,” he said. “As a surgeon, studying the patient, deciding how to operate and then doing it is fulfilling, just as with art, when you visualize what you want and then you create it.” seek
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Symbols of
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Both cancer survivors, Sid and Rita Davis are giving back to the place where they found care and friendship. By David Robinson
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The Davis’ second gift will pay for a grand piano for the Cancer Institute’s main lobby.
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Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
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Anxiety should have been expected when Rita Davis walked into the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute with her husband, Sid, 11 years ago. The Fayetteville couple had come to the Cancer Institute after learning that Sid had an invasive melanoma — one of the deadliest cancers — that had spread to his lymph nodes. “We knew how serious everything was, but I felt a sense of hope when we walked into that building,” said Rita, who today is fighting her own battle with ovarian cancer.
“I felt a sense of hope when we walked into that building.” She and Sid say his survival and ability to continue practicing law are owed to the expertise of UAMS’ James Y. Suen, M.D. Suen removed the melanoma from his scalp in a five-hour surgery and worked with Davis’ northwest Arkansas doctors to provide aggressive radiation and chemotherapy. “It was a very effective team effort, and here I am,” Sid said. “There’s been no sign of recurrence.” During the course of his care, Sid and Suen became close friends. “I began to feel that I wanted to do something for the head and neck cancer program,” Sid said. “I think the world of Dr. Suen.” Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
Opportunities to Give Private donations to the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute expansion are being matched by the state dollar for dollar up to $36 million, with the possibility of another $10 million in state matching funds. So far, about $25 million in matchable donations has been contributed to the 300,000-square-foot Cancer Institute expansion. Naming opportunities abound for contributions of $10,000 and above. Education, research and clinical rooms are available for naming. Balconies in the 12-story building are $250,000, and the atrium will be named with a $5 million contribution. For information on naming opportunities, call Rachelle Sanders, director of development for cancer initiatives, at (501) 296-1504, Ext. 1642.
The couple first considered including the cancer program in their will, but as time went on they decided, why wait? Their initial donation was $100,000 toward construction of the new Cancer Institute addition, which will open in 2010. While they both have enjoyed Sid’s extended remission, Rita was diagnosed in December 2006 with ovarian cancer. They immediately called on Suen, who strongly recommended that she see UAMS’ Alexander “Sandy” Burnett, M.D., whose specialty is gynecologic oncology. Rita had surgery and is continuing chemotherapy with her Fayetteville oncologist in coordination with Burnett. “We’ve been extremely pleased with Dr. Burnett,” Rita said. “Sid and I both have had good experiences at UAMS, considering the circumstances.”
Sid said the care provided by Burnett helped inspire another $100,000 donation to the Cancer Institute. The couple’s gratitude for UAMS extends beyond the personal; they also appreciate its service to all Arkansans. “Regardless of a person’s financial circumstances, anyone can be treated at UAMS and get the best care in the world,” Rita said. “I think that’s a big reason that people want to contribute; any support you can provide is going to help someone.” Her ongoing treatments have brought Rita back to the Cancer Institute many times, where her feeling of hope endures, and she’s looking forward to completion of the Cancer Institute expansion. “Once we have our new building, it’s going to be even more of a symbol of hope,” she said. seek
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Herren Hickingbotham was still a child when his father, Frank, began teaching him his secrets to success. But those weren’t the only lessons Herren was absorbing. At TCBY, founded in 1981 by Frank Hickingbotham and sold in 2000, the corporate philosophy was, “Because we care, we share.” “We were always very mindful that our success started here in central Arkansas with TCBY, and we always wanted to be involved in the community and return a portion of the blessings to the community,” Herren said. Today, Herren is a partner in Hickingbotham Investments, which includes eight Harley Davidson motorcycle dealerships and three luxury car dealerships. Beneficiaries of their philanthropy include Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and UAMS’ Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, among others. The elder Hickingbotham is a founding member of the Cancer Institute Foundation Fund Board, and when he retired in 2004, Herren stepped in. This year, Herren, with his wife, Susan, is co-chairing the seminal fundraising event for the Cancer Institute — the Gala for Life. The past 12 Galas have been special occasions for the Hickingbothams, but this year’s is particularly inspiring. For one, the Cancer Institute is now named in memory of Herren’s good friend, Winthrop P. Rockefeller. Another is the public dollars now available from the state to match private donations to help build the new Cancer Institute building. Private donations to the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute expansion are being matched by the state dollar for dollar. “If we’re lucky enough to raise $1 million, this event generates $2 million for the Cancer Institute; that’s a unique opportunity,” Herren said.
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Herren also is excited that for the first time the Gala will honor the three former Cancer Institute executive directors: Bart Barlogie, M.D., Ph.D.; James Y. Suen, M.D.; and Kent Westbrook, M.D. When he and Susan learned that the doctors were going to be recognized, they saw a way to establish the theme for the Gala, Leadership and Legacy, and use it as a fundraising opportunity. The theme also gave Herren the idea for the Leadership and Legacy Campaign. As part of the campaign, patients and friends can recognize the three doctors with contributions to the Cancer Institute. Donors at a certain level will be permanently recognized in the institute’s new 12-story tower. “I felt that that was a unique part of this year’s Gala, kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to not only honor, but say thank you to these incredible doctors,” Herren said. Thanks to the Hickingbothams’ friendship with its general manager and executive chef, Galatoire's Restaurant, a national award winning New Orleans restaurant, will cater a four-course dinner for the 900 or so Gala attendees. Entertainment will be provided by the Commodores. “They’ll perform their fantastic hits, and they’re bringing an exceptional stage and light show,” Herren said. “It’s going to be the most elegant and fun Gala that we’ve ever had,” Susan said.
13th Annual Gala for Life Statehouse Convention Center Little Rock 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5, 2008
Tables are available for $5,000, and sponsorships range from $10,000 to $35,000. For information, call (501) 526-2277.
Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
A Great Match Gala for Life proceeds will be matched by the state — a BIG reason that Herren and Susan Hickingbotham are this year’s event co-chairs. By David Robinson
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
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Foundation Get Togethers Who: Barbara and Pete Hoover; Peter Emanuel, M.D.; and friends of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute What: A reception for Cancer Institute supporters included an update on the Cancer Institute’s fundraising campaign and construction, as well as progress in the recruitment of top doctors and scientists from across the nation. When: Feb. 11, 2008 Where: The Little Rock home of Barbara and Pete Hoover
Peter Emanuel, M.D.; Carla Emanuel; and Pete Hoover
Why: Barbara Hoover is a member of the Cancer Institute Foundation Fund Board and former chairperson of the UAMS Chancellor’s Circle. Pete Hoover is a member of the UAMS Foundation Fund Board. They graciously hosted this event to encourage additional support of the Cancer Institute.
Vicki Saviers, Chucki Bradbury, Ann Lewis and Carol Hodges
Barnett Grace, Tom Hodges and Gene Lewis
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Greer Grace and Becky Scott
Looking Beyond Cancer’s Limits
spotlight
Who: Bill and Jerre Roberts; Peter Emanuel, M.D.; Laura Hutchins, M.D.; and friends of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute What: A crowd of new and old friends joined to hear news of how the Cancer Institute’s expansion project will increase its research and treatment capabilities. When: Jan. 24, 2008 Where: The Texarkana home of Jerre and Bill Roberts Bill and Jerre Roberts; and Laura Hutchins, M.D.
Why: Bill Roberts has long served on the Cancer Institute Foundation Fund Board, and both he and Jerre are active members of the Texarkana community. They hosted this reception to share the news about growth at the Cancer Institute.
Sean and Jamie Rommel
Cindy and Mike Sandefur
Jerry Sparks, Marietta Stroud, Debbie Haak and John Stroud
Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
Margaret Bruce and Lucille Cook
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