A Whirlwind, Yet Wonderful Weekend!

As I sat watching the Red Wings play yesterday afternoon, during a beautiful day at Frontier Field, I thought about how much had transpired over the past few days and what a whirlwind of a weekend it had been, but a wonderful weekend filled with great people all helping to create some good days and special times!

I started the weekend early, as I left the Camp Good Days’ Headquarters on Friday afternoon and headed over to Lakeshore Country Club for the Rich Funke, Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament. It was so nice to be able to spend some time with Rich and Pat, and to see some of Rich Jr.’s friends from school, who continue to come out each year to play in and support this special event. It was also nice to see Molly Dillon, whose brother, Mark, was one of the original campers at Camp Good Days. Wendy also had the chance to see some people she hasn’t seen since high school, and overall, it was a great day of golf and friends!

On Saturday morning, I got up early and headed down to the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility, where the Young Adult Program was taking place, for those young men and women, ages 18-39 who are dealing with any form of cancer. What an extraordinary group of individuals! All of the young men and women were having a great time, in a beautiful environment, and sharing their experience with probably the only people in the world who can understand what they are going through – other young adults dealing with cancer. I am so pleased that we are able to provide this program for these young people, and that we are able to do so at no cost to the participants, as is the case with all of our programs.

In order for us to be able to provide our programs free of charge for the participants, we rely on the support and generosity of so many and the success of our special fundraising events. So, on Saturday afternoon, I left the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility and headed to Buffalo for the Camp Good Days’ Creative Black Tie Gala…Campers in Wonderland…which was a fantastic event coordinated by Lisa Donato in our Buffalo Office and her amazing team of volunteers and supporters. From the theme, to the decorations, the volunteers, campers, and guests, it was truly an evening in WONDERLAND!

In addition to raising some of the funds to support our programs and services it also provided the opportunity to spend an evening with some friends including Buffalo Sabres’ Head Coach, Lindy Ruff; Honorary Chairman, Paul Gaustad; outstanding supporters, Lorraine & Hormoz Mansouri; United States Attorney, William Hochul and his wife, Kathy; former United States Attorney, Denise O’Donnell and her husband, John; United States Congresswoman, Louise Slaughter and her husband, Bob; as well as longtime volunteers, Mike & Linda Spino, Larry Sicurella, Dick Esthimer, and so many more!

On behalf of all the children and families at Camp Good Days, I would like to thank all those who volunteered their time to make the Buffalo Creative Black Tie gala another wonderful success, and many thanks to all those who attended and generously supported the event!

As we begin a new week, during which we are all preparing for the start of the residential camping programs, I am looking forward to the week ahead and another whirlwind weekend, during which we will host the seventh of our Project T.I.P.S. (Trust, Information, Programs & Services) events, where we will join with local law enforcement and community agency partners to work in the Ontario & Scio Street neighborhood to help combat the crime and violence the residents there have dealt with; and to Saturday morning, as I have been invited to provide the Commencement Address at Gananda High School, where my granddaughter, Ryan, will graduate!

It is a busy time for sure, but as I reflect on the weekend past and think of what is coming this week, I feel blessed and honored to have such wonderful people and dear friends who all come together, in big ways and small, to help create some good days and special times that we all share!

Creating Memories

When my daughter, Teddi, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1979, it quickly became apparent to me that it was not the surgery, radiation or chemotherapy that was causing her the most pain, it was the loneliness and the fact that her battle with cancer was robbing her of her childhood. Therefore, one of my main objectives when starting Camp Good Days and Special Times 31 years ago, was to be able to provide an opportunity for children with cancer to regain some of that lost childhood, and have the chance to just be kids, with the only others in the world who could truly understand what they were going through – other children with cancer.

I also wanted Camp Good Days to be a place where children and families could create some wonderful memories and I chose the name because I wanted it to be GOOD DAYS when the children were at Camp Good Days, and the memories of the SPECIAL TIMES they had, would carry them through the difficult times. I hope that we here at Camp Good Days have been able to fulfill that commitment of creating memories, through the residential camping experiences and year-round events and activities. Sometimes, we are able to help make memories, through the support of those in our community, who offer the opportunity for some of our campers to be a part of something extraordinary.

This past Wednesday evening, I sat in the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, with some of our staff members, and watched with excitement as one of our campers, Matt Elkins, served as the Honorary Chairman for the Rochester Press Radio Club’s Day of Champion’s Dinner, alongside, Coca-Cola Sports Personality of Year Award Recipient, Super Bowl MVP, Drew Brees. Throughout the entire evening, Matt’s grin went from ear to ear, as he sat next to Drew Brees, in front of some 1200 attendees.

Matt is an eighth-grade student and has been a camper for the past six years, here at Camp Good Days, having battled cancer. In addition to attending Camp Good Days, Matt served as an Honorary Coach with the St. John Fisher College Cardinals for the Inaugural Courage Bowl, the annual football game between the St. John Fisher College Cardinals and the University of Rochester Yellowjackets, to benefit Camp Good Days.

Thanks to the Rochester Press Radio Club, we were able to provide an opportunity for Matt and his family to create some very special memories on Wednesday night. Despite the dais being two-tiered with award recipients and honorees, Drew Brees took a few moments to recognize Matt and to thank him for helping him out. I can only imagine how exciting that was for Matt, to have one of the most popular and successful NFL players take the time to not only take photos and sign autographs but to recognize him in front of all the other honorees and attendees.

It is opportunities and experiences, such as the one we were able to share with Matt on Wednesday, that truly exemplifies what Camp Good Days is all about and why we do all that we do for children and their families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life threatening challenges, and it is the memories carried away that are the “good days and special times”.

PHOTO: Matt Elkins served as one of the Honorary Coaches with the St. John Fisher College Cardinals, for the Inaugural Camp Good Days Courage Bowl in September 2005.

A Night of Gratitude!

There are few places in which you can bring together a group of people, of varying age, race, gender, and life experience, and have them all be there for the same reason – to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. I have been so blessed over the past 30 years that Camp Good Days is one of those rare places. We have had thousands and thousands of volunteers and supporters over the years that have all come to Camp Good Days with one common goal – to improve the quality of life for children and their families whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Each year, we honor some of these men and women who have truly gone above and beyond in helping us to fulfill our mission. We have traditionally presented the Teddi Awards and the Ring of Honor inductees at our Annual Holiday Party, but we felt that these special people deserved a special night of their own, where we could take the time to really recognize and honor their endless hours of dedication, time and love to the children and families we serve.

This past Friday evening we held our first Annual Night of Gratitude and by all accounts it was a wonderful success! Some 200 guests including our honorees, their families, friends, and other volunteers and supporters of Camp Good Days gathered together at the Rochester Plaza in downtown Rochester.

During A Night of Gratitude, we recognized those individuals selected as recipients of the Teddi Award, named in memory of my daughter, Teddi, the inspiration behind Camp Good Days, who are all people who throughout the course of 2009 gave above and beyond to the children and families at Camp Good Days.

Some, like Frank Towner, Dave O’Brien, John Brown, Canandaigua National Bank and the Rochester Red Wings, stepped up in the past year to help us celebrate our 30th Anniversary Year; while others such as Stacey & Chris Ruisi, Lynne & Randy Stiefler, Tony Gasparre, Judy & Merrill Greenstein, Scott Vallow, Key Bank in Buffalo, and the managers and employees at JC Penney stores in the Rochester area, helped to ensure that our many special fundraising events were successful, enabling us to raise the funds necessary to continue providing all of our programs free of charge for the participants. The recipients like Tom Kelly, Bell Steffen, Lenny Craft, and Dawn Hezel are all volunteers who are there for us every time we ask, helping us to provide our campers with safe, fun and unique residential camping programs and year-round recreational and support activities.

THANK YOU to all of our Teddi Award recipients for all they did to help Camp Good Days and CONGRATULATIONS on your Teddi Award!

We also recognized those selected for induction into the Camp Good Days’ Ring of Honor. The Ring of Honor was established as part of Camp Good Days’ 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2004 and includes those who are selected for their outstanding dedication, commitment and support of the thousands of children and families served over the years. In addition to their award, inductee’s names will be included in the permanent Ring of Honor display, which is located at the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility, in Branchport, NY, for all to see.

The Ring of Honor Inductees are: Lyle Corey, Eric Foster, The Gayden / Pettway Family, David Korones, MD, The Lederman Family, Sande Macaluso, Lorraine & Hormoz Mansouri, Sue Powers,
Carmen Ramos, and TOPS Markets. Words are not enough to express the years of volunteer service and astounding financial support these inductees have given to the children and families at Camp Good Days…some for more than 10 years and some who have been with us since the very beginning in 1979!

In addition to the Ring of Honor Inductees noted above, we inducted Shannon Grieve, our former Camp Director / Volunteer Coordinator, who had been with Camp Good Days for more than eight years. Shannon has recently moved on to a new position with ABVI-Goodwill and hers will be big shoes to fill!

CONGRATULATIONS to all of our Ring of Honor Inductees and THANK YOU for everything you have done and continue to do to help Camp Good Days!

Over the past 30 years, Camp Good Days has served more than 42,000 campers from 22 states and 25 foreign countries! We have received the coveted Four-Star Rating from CharityNavigator.org and we have been inducted into the Safety 1st Hall of Fame by Markel Insurance Companies. The only reason we have been able to do this and that we are able to continue all that we do is because of the support we receive from so many, like all those selected as Teddi Award recipients and inductees into the Ring of Honor.

It has been said that the two greatest gifts we as human beings can give to one another is our time and our love…all of those we recognized and honored at A Night of Gratitude have given so much of both and they are truly so very much appreciated!

Reflections on the Annual Florida Trip

A group of campers and volunteers from Camp Good Days just returned from the Annual Trip to Central Florida and as they boarded the plane to return to Upstate New York I had a chance to reflect on the past few days we all spent together. The group consisted of campers from a number of our programs and included children with cancer or sickle cell anemia, young adults dealing with cancer and women from our Women’s Oncology Program and it was wonderful to see them, along with the volunteers, all interact and enjoy this magical experience together. They had the opportunity to visit St. Pete Beach and Tampa, as well as enjoy visits to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center, and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Since the beginning of Camp Good Days, more than 30 years ago, we have been blessed to have so many special friends, who always go above and beyond to help us continue providing good days and special times to all those we serve. This trip was no exception. John & Linda Mongoven, along with their friends and neighbors at Hunter’s Creek in Orlando welcomed the group to Orlando, providing dinner, activities and an exciting Snake Education Show with Chief Rowley, all on the evening the group arrived. The next day everyone traveled to St. Pete’s Beach where they had the chance to spend the afternoon at the ocean, playing on the beach and the giant waterslide, courtesy of Tradewinds Resort and great friends, Steve & Patti DiGennaro, who also cooked dinner for everyone, inviting us all into their home. The group got to meet and spend some time with Kelly and Steve Christie, which was very exciting for some of the Buffalo Bills’ fans and those who have never had the chance to meet a former NFL player before. Thanks to the generosity of Mark Sofia and the Tampa Bay Lightening, the group got to attend the Lightening Hockey Game, watching them take on the Florida Panthers, with special Tampa Bay Lightening hats and souvenirs. Again, there were a number of participants for whom this was their first time attending a NHL game.

The rest of the trip was spent at the theme parks, riding the rides and taking in all the excitement of each park, from seeing their favorite characters, the Illuminations Show at Epcot and the Celebration Parade at Magic Kingdom. To hear the cheers of everyone on the bus as we pulled into the Walt Disney World and to see everyone’s faces light up, both the children and adults, as we took the ferry boat over to Magic Kingdom and Cinderella’s castle came into view, is truly beyond description. We also had plenty of time in the hotel pool and time to just relax with everyone. Overall, it was a fantastic trip during which everyone bonded and had a great time.

It amazes me that no matter where we go with the campers and volunteers, the concept of this being a small world is always reaffirmed. At the various parks and attractions we visited in Central Florida, we were approached by people who had either been a part of Camp Good Days themselves or had a family member or friend who was a part of Camp Good Days and took the time to stop and chat and share how much Camp Good Days meant to those who have been a part of our family. We also were stopped by complete strangers, who seeing our Camp Good Days’ shirts and flag, wanted to just share that they had heard about Camp Good Days and to say that they had heard wonderful things about our organization. It is so nice and I am so proud that Camp Good Days has grown to become such a meaningful and important organization with a reputation and image that knows no boundaries.

This trip requires much planning and preparation and many resources. Again, we have been so blessed over the years to have supporters who help to make this trip a reality each and every year. The students at St. John Fisher College who are part of the Teddi Committee and who participate in the Annual Dance for Love, a 24-hour dance marathon, raise funds that directly support this trip for the children with cancer. The 28th Annual Dance for Love will be held this February 12-13, 2010. In addition, the Gary Amendola Fun Fund also helps to make this trip possible. This fund was established in memory of Gary Amendola, who was a good friend, supporter and member of the Camp Good Days’ Board of Directors and lost his own battle with cancer, and provides the funding for special trips and activities throughout the year. The Sugarman Smiles Fund was established at Camp Good Days by local businessman, Gary Sugarman, and helps to provide the funding for special trips and activities for adults dealing with cancer. And last, but certainly not least, this trip would never have been possible without the unwavering support of Wayne Meisenzahl who was completing his own treatment for cancer years ago and wanted to give children touched by cancer the opportunity to experience firsthand, the magic of Central Florida. The Annual Florida Trip has continued because of the generosity of Ms. Germaine K. Hess, one of Meisenzahl’s clients, who left a bequest to Camp Good Days, through an estate, specifically to ensure that Camp Good Days will be able to continue providing the Annual Florida Trip.

To see the photos from this very special trip, check out the Photo Gallery on our website, http://www.campgooddays.org/ and don’t miss the 28th Annual Dance for Love at the Student Life Center at St. John Fisher College, from 8PM – 8PM, Friday & Saturday, February 12-13, 2010!

Looking Forward to 2010!

This past year at Camp Good Days has been a great success, filled with many special memories, as we celebrated our 30th Anniversary Year. As we now enter and celebrate the Holiday Season, we are trying to plan for the upcoming year, facing some uncertainty and challenges for sure, but completely committed to continuing to be the best system of support for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by this horrible disease – cancer.

Our 30th Anniversary Year celebration will culminate with a beautiful and poignant television show, produced by Frank Contestabile and John Brown at Frontline Advertising, and narrated by longtime friend to the children of Camp Good Days, Candice Bergen. 30 Years of Courage will air in the Rochester area on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 7:00 PM on NEWS10NBC, 13WHAM TV and WROC TV-8, and at 7:30 PM on FOX Rochester. The show will also be available On Demand from YNN Time Warner Cable. We are also in the process of making some updates and changes to our website (www.campgooddays.org) with enhanced capabilities for video so we hope to be able to have all or portions of the show available on the site in 2010.

Like others, Camp Good Days must continue to change with the times. When I started Camp Good Days in 1979, and a child was diagnosed with cancer, the best a family could hope for was that the doctors and nurses would be able to keep their child free from pain and help them to prepare for what was almost inevitable…the death of their child. Things are much different today, as we have a better understanding of cancer and when a child is diagnosed now, we throw everything at them, in terms of treatment, including the kitchen sink. These children are living longer and some beat their cancer, going on to live hopefully cancer free and what will be long and prosperous lives.

Some, unfortunately, pay a horrific price for their survival and can never put their battle with cancer behind them. The evidence of their battle is prominent and oftentimes because of their battle and the treatments, they are not able to keep up with their peers, are unable to obtain driver’s licenses, or career paths that many of us take for granted. Camp Good Days has become a key part of the long term survivor’s social life and we are dedicated to meeting the needs of this ever-growing population.

There are also those that still lose their battle with cancer and Camp Good Days will continue to be there to meet the needs of the parents and siblings, helping them through this terrible time.

With the wide variety of programs and services available at Camp Good Days, we will continue to be there for the many populations we serve and who need us. But, we need help. The lifeline of Camp Good Days has always been and continues to be the hundreds of volunteers who give so much of their time and their love and the generous contributions we receive to help fund our many programs. In order to keep the two promises I made 30 years ago – that Camp Good Days would not be a bureaucracy, but would be an organization that truly made a difference, and that all of the programs and services would be provided free of charge for the participants – we have to do the best job that we can to secure both the monetary donations and service of volunteers to support our programs.

I am excited that during 2010 we will continue working to find some of the answers that have been eluding us, in the war on cancer. More than 564,000 Americans will lose their battle to cancer this year and I hope that once Congress gets through the Health Care Reform and finds a way to somehow resolve the two major military conflicts we are involved in, that we will be able to pick up where we left off this past June with the 29th Congressional District Cancer Summit. Our goal is to help the current administration follow-up on ways to defeat this devastating disease. While we made some significant findings at the Cancer Summit, we also realized just how much is still to be done, but I am confident and committed to finding those answers!

I am pleased to report that as we end our 30th Anniversary Year and head into a new year, Camp Good Days is still a very strong and viable organization. This past October, Camp Good Days was once again awarded with the coveted Four-Star Rating from CharityNavigator.org for sound fiscal management. We are committed to our ability to adapt and adjust our programs and services to best meet the needs of the many populations we serve and to improve the quality of life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Wishing all of you a joyous Holiday Season and a New Year filled with good health, peace, happiness and much love!

CANCER SUMMIT UPDATE

There has been much confusion and debate recently regarding healthcare reform, but the one thing that is obvious is that cancer is quickly becoming the NUMBER ONE KILLER in this country and the world! Right now, if you are 85 years old or younger, cancer is the leading cause of death. More than 564,000 Americans will lose their battle to cancer this year and over the course of the next 14 months, more Americans will die from cancer than were lost in all of the military conflicts of the 20th Century. It is as if one of the twin towers is falling every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. In fact, one of every three women and one of every two men will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Those who are battling cancer and losing that battle do not live in a vacuum, they are our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, grandparents, and as in my case, our children.

They say that timing is everything. Earlier this year, President Obama became the first President since Richard Nixon in 1971, to state that cancer is a disease that touches all of us and WE CAN DEFEAT IT IN OUR LIFETIME! Following his speech, I contacted my Congressman, Eric J.J. Massa, of the 29th Congressional District, and shared with him that now was the time, as the President had opened the door. I am so pleased that on Monday, June 22, 2009, we held the first CANCER SUMMIT at the Camp Good Days and Special Times’ Recreational Facility, where we brought together some of the best doctors, nurses, support service representatives, and cancer patients from the 29th Congressional District. Our special guest was Dr. Brian Monahan, Attending Physician for the United States Congress and United States Supreme Court. Dr. Monahan holds the rank of Rear Admiral and was formerly Director of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the National Naval Medical Center. Everyone left the Cancer Summit feeling good and committed to moving forward with new ideas. We are now in the process of developing the model for other Congressional Districts to use in holding similar Cancer Summits.
This effort requires all of us to help and the one thing that each person can do is stand up and say that we do not want our loved ones taken any longer by this devastating disease - a disease that not only takes so many lives, but seems to humiliate those suffering in the process. When they look back at how we treated cancer, it will be seen as nothing short of barbaric. The options are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, which is nothing more than poison. It is time that all of us reach out to our network of family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers, and as Americans, contact our representatives with the message that although there is much to be done, we want them to take some of the money (our money) and use it on something that will have an impact now, and in the future will actually save some lives.

I have always believed that government should be there to do the things that people can’t do for themselves. I can’t find the cure for cancer – I need the government’s help. The government should be the funder for research. In this new effort to find the answers, we should look at what has proven successful in the past, with research on some childhood cancers. For example, in the 1950s and 1960s, some forms of childhood leukemia were nearly 100% fatal, but today, those diagnosed with certain forms of childhood leukemia are given an 80% chance of becoming a long-term survivor, and will hopefully go on to live a long and prosperous life. As long-term survival of some childhood cancers is a new phenomenon, we need to follow these success stories for the rest of their lives.

More than 60% of pediatric cancer patients are involved in clinical trials – and that is where the answers are found. It is estimated that only 3 % of adults dealing with cancer are involved in clinical trials. The government should be providing more research opportunities and better educational resources for doctors, as well as sharing information about clinical trials with adult patients.

Currently, the largest amount of research funding is coming from the large pharmaceutical companies and information and results are highly confidential because if research proves to be successful it provides substantial benefit to the stockholders, but should the results prove unsuccessful and word gets out, this will have a negative impact on the company’s stock. However, research that is unsuccessful can be just as important as that which succeeds because it provides additional knowledge and learning.

The laws need to be changed! We need to eliminate the obstacle of patients losing their health insurance coverage because of their participation in clinical trials. In addition, if the government funds the war on cancer, the information will be public and the results will be available to all. We, the taxpayers, will then be the direct beneficiaries of the research investments, efforts and results.

There is still much to be done and it starts with each of us committing to become a soldier in this war on cancer. Please take a few moments to write to your representatives and tell them to take the President at his word and to take the steps to secure the funds necessary to create a Manhattan Project to look at cancer and to finally appoint a much-needed Cancer Czar to help coordinate this effort so that finally the right hand will know what the left hand is doing.

For a copy of the 29th Congressional District Cancer Summit Special Report, please contact Camp Good Days at 585-624-5555 or via email, losborn@campgooddays.org.

CANCER SUMMIT A SUCCESS!

As most of you know, we are celebrating our 30th Anniversary Year, here at Camp Good Days, and I have spent much time reflecting on the past 30 years, during which we have served more than 41,000 campers from 22 states and 25 foreign countries. In addition, many of the programs and services started right here have been used as models for other cancer treatment centers and organizations around the world. Everything that we have done and continue to do, here at Camp Good Days, is about improving the quality of life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life threatening challenges.

One of my biggest frustrations has been that I still have to attend funerals for campers…funerals that go against the laws of nature, where parents are burying their children, as I did, instead of it being the way that it should be, where children are burying their parents after a long and prosperous life. Just this month, I attended the funeral services for one of my heroes, Bobby Benedict. Bobby was a camper for many years, worked as part of our summer staff at our Recreational Facility, and was someone who truly served as an inspiration for all of the campers he came into contact with. Bobby was a graduate of SUNY Brockport and went on to work with the YMCA in the Boston area. He was only 37 years old when he lost his life as a result of this horrible disease and the subsequent treatments.

This past Monday, June 22, 2009 was a truly special day at the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility on Keuka Lake. In his address to Congress this past February, President Obama provided the opening, when for the first time since President Nixon in 1971, he stated that cancer is a disease that touches all of us and we can defeat it in our lifetime. Following the President’s address, I contacted my Congressman, Eric J.J. Massa, who asked me to lead a CANCER SUMMIT, which we did on Monday, for medical practitioners; those who provide support and educational services to cancer patients and their families; those who are battling cancer; and those who have survived their battle.

For me personally, this CANCER SUMMIT is a dream come true and something I have been waiting for, for a very long time. I have long been frustrated that we as a country have not done more to defeat this disease that this year will kill more than 560,000 of our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, grandparents, and children. In the next 14 months, more Americans will die from cancer than died in every military conflict of the 20th Century, combined. Cancer is an equal-opportunity disease that knows no race, gender, nationality or age.

Attendees at the CANCER SUMMIT represented a large cross section of the cancer community, including: American Cancer Society, AROCC, Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, Camp Good Days, CURE Childhood Cancer, Finger Lakes Radiation Oncology Center, Hematology Oncology Associates of Central New York, I’m Too Young For This, Interlakes Hematology & Oncology, James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, Lakeside Memorial Hospital, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Lipson Cancer Center, Melissa’s Living Legacy, Monroe County Department of Public Health, Rochester General Hospital, Thompson Health, University Hospital, and University of Rochester Medical Center; as well as those personally dealing with cancer.

Working under the philosophy I first saw hanging on the wall at the Fred Hutchinson Bone Marrow Transplant Center, and now hangs on the wall at Camp Good Days, “There is no limit to what we can accomplish, as long as it doesn’t matter who gets the credit,” the goal of the CANCER SUMMIT was to provide the venue in which everyone can come together and discuss ways in which to develop a grassroots effort for our country’s commitment to bringing the war on cancer to the forefront of the public’s attention and the government’s agenda, as well as map out the steps necessary to defeat this disease and to provide the model for other Congressional Districts across the country.

The CANCER SUMMIT kicked off with a welcome and outline of the day’s goals and objectives by me followed by comments from Congressman Massa, who also shared his commitment with attendees that defeating cancer in our lifetime is a priority. The attendees were all captivated and motivated by the comments and remarks from guest speaker, Dr. Brian Monahan. Dr. Monahan currently serves as the Attending Physician of the United States Congress. He is responsible for the 535 members of the House and Senate, as well as the nine justices of the Supreme Court. He holds the rank of Rear Admiral and was formerly Director of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the National Naval Medical Center.

The attendees were treated to a cookout lunch at the waterfront, and then split into three subcommittees for afternoon sessions. The subcommittee of those who are dealing with cancer was led by Congressman Massa; the attending Physicians met with Dr. Monahan; and the community service agency representatives also met as a subcommittee. The entire group came back together and reports from each subcommittee were provided by Congressman Massa; Dr. Richard Constantino; and Mark Cronin, who is the Division Director, Strategic Health Initiatives, Upstate New York for the American Cancer Society.

The CANCER SUMMIT closed with final remarks from Congressman Massa and I, and although we have much to do, attendees left with a sense of renewed hope and success in having taken the first steps in the right direction.