PHILADELPHIA (October 25, 2010) – Fox Chase Cancer Center will host the Jane Pepper Women’s Cancer Symposium on November 6, 2010, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on their main Campus (333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia). The symposium will convene oncologists, cancer survivors and their families, authors, and interested members of the community to discuss issues surrounding women’s cancers and to celebrate survivorship. The series was named in honor of Jane Pepper, past President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and her late husband G. Willing “Wing” Pepper, former president of Scott Paper Company, both longtime members of Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Board of Directors.
“Jane and Wing Pepper’s generous contributions of time and support over the years have played an important role in the development of key initiatives at Fox Chase including the Women’s Cancer Center,” says Dr. Michael V. Seiden, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center. “We are delighted to establish this new educational symposium in Jane’s name to honor her dedication to the cancer community.”
At the symposium, Mary Daly, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Clinical Genetics, will moderate a panel discussion featuring local attorney and ovarian cancer survivor Emily Beck, and authors and breast cancer survivors Cathy Bueti and Kerri Conner. Bueti published her book, Breastless in the City, in May 2009, while Conner released the memoir My Mommy Has Breast Cancer but She is OK! this past February.
"We established this symposium as a way to bring researchers, providers, and survivors together to learn from each other and discuss issues that affect all of us," says Daly. “We are excited to feature survivors who have such strong voices, and who have reached out to share their experiences living with cancer. We understand that women face unique issues both during and after formal treatment, and we want the community to know that we offer support throughout the continuum.”
The panel will be followed by a reception and tour of Fox Chase’s Women’s Cancer Center, including the art installation and resource library. A representative from the Joseph Fox Bookshop will also be on-site to facilitate book sales and signings by authors Cathy Bueti and Kerri Conner. Prior to the symposium, Fox Chase will hold a short dedication ceremony to plant a special Stewartia tree in honor of the Peppers’ outstanding service to Fox Chase.
There is no fee to attend, but interested guests are encouraged to RSVP by November 1 by contacting Wanda Ford at 215-728-3163 or [email protected].
About Jane Pepper
Jane Pepper served as President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society from 1981 until July 2010. During her tenure, the renowned Philadelphia Flower Show achieved international stature and is now known as the largest and most prestigious indoor flower show in the world. In 1999, she led the effort to establish the G. Willing Pepper Chair in Cancer Research, now held by Robert G. Uzzo, MD, FACS, chair of the Department of Surgery at Fox Chase. The chair was established to acknowledge and support an outstanding leader in the field of cancer research who represents the highest standards of excellence.
About the Panelists
Emily Beck
Emily Beck, 38, is a three-year survivor of Stage IIIA ovarian cancer and an active member of the young adult cancer community. She maintains a blog, See Emily Play (seeemilyplay.mpomy.com), in which she chronicles the challenges and triumphs of life after cancer, and also serves as the Blogger-in-Chief for First Descents (www.firstdescents.org), a non-profit that provides free outdoor adventures such as kayaking and rock-climbing to young adult cancer patients and survivors. She also volunteers with Imerman Angels (imermanangels.org), providing one-on-one support to young adults currently undergoing cancer treatment. In addition to her young adult cancer advocacy, Beck works as a child advocate attorney at the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
Cathy Bueti
Cathy Bueti is a 9-year breast cancer survivor, blogger, and the author of Breastless in the City, a memoir in which she shares her experience as a young widow dating through cancer treatment. She is active in the young adult cancer community and has been a panel participant at various cancer conferences as well as a keynote speaker for such events as Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Survivorship Day. Her story has been featured on CNN, LifetimeTV.com, USA Today, and Women’s World. An occupational therapist for almost 20 years, Bueti lives in Brewster, NY, with her husband and their pug. For more about Bueti’s inspirational story, visit her website, cathybueti.com, and her blog, cathybueti.blogspot.com.
Kerri Conner
Kerri Conner was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer at 33. Her daughter was only two at the time. Although Kerri is the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, she based My Mommy Has Breast Cancer but She is OK! on her own battle with breast cancer. She hopes this book will inspire women with breast cancer and other adults to have conversations with young children about the journey to recovery. An Abington, PA native, Conner is a certified public accountant and operates a CPA firm in partnership with her mother. She co-founded the George E. Thorne Development Center, which operates "Praise Is The Cure,” a program designed to educate and encourage underserved and uninsured women get breast health screenings and treatment. In 2009, Conner received the Susan G. Komen (Philadelphia affiliate) "Breast Cancer Survivor of the Year" award in recognition of her community efforts.