Apr 27, 2006 3:02 pm US/Eastern
Important Cancer Foundations Discuss Centers
by Susan Barnett
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Cancer Treatment Centers of America dedicated its Eastern Regional Medical Center in Philadelphia Thursday.
It's one of four facilities in the country to provide traditional, holistic and alternative cancer therapies all under one roof.
Richard Stephenson created the centers after his mother died from cancer.
"My mother wasn't given these options, she wasn't give the warmth and compassion, she wasn't heard," he said.
Hundreds attended the ceremony, including keynote speaker Nancy Brinker, founder of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
CBS 3 Anchor Susan Barnett spoke with Brinker about her mission and the upcoming race for the cure.
She was a mother, wife, very committed person in her community, and loved in her circle.
That is how Nancy Brinker describes her late sister Suzy, who died in 1980 of breast cancer at the age of 36.
"At the time she was diagnosed with breast cancer there was a cloud of secrecy over everything. You couldn't say the words out loud and she so much wanted people to never labor under that again and asked me to do something to make sure that breast cancer was eradicated sometime in my lifetime," Brinker said.
She began her mission by creating the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a name that's become synonymous with early detection, mammography and finding a cure for the deadly disease.
"Changing a culture, I was always told, takes almost a generation and it has," said Brinker.
Each year, the Komen Foundation moves closer to their goal of eradicating breast cancer with the Race for the Cure. The 5k run is held in Philadelphia every Mother's Day and in other cities all across the country.
"You don't have to walk, you don't have to race, you just have to be there with us and making your contribution," Brinker said. "If all the time you have on race day is those few hours, then please come and thank you very much."
Consider yourself invited and come on out and join the women of CBS 3 on May 14th. Every step moves us a step closer to finding a cure for cancer.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
