Cancer Survivor Symposium Features National, Local Newswomen

Empowering women to take charge of their physical health as well as offering them the latest news in female-specific cancers, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is hosting the Healthy Woman’s Symposium and Luncheon 2003.

The fund-raiser and educational symposium will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 24 at the new Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby. Honorary event chairs are Barbara Hurwitz, Debbie Hurwitz and Randa Duncan Williams.

Keynoting the event will be ABC News chief congressional analyst and breast cancer survivor Cokie Roberts. An award-winning journalist, Roberts covers politics and public policy for “World News Tonight” as well as other network broadcasts. In addition to her television work, Roberts serves as senior news analyst for National Public Radio and is the author of the national best seller, “We Are Our Mother’s Daughters.”

Local ABC anchor and fellow cancer survivor Shara Fryer will moderate Roberts’ keynote address. Houstonians know Fryer as an award-winning journalist who has been with KTRK-TV as both a reporter and anchor since 1980. Last year Fryer was treated at M.D. Anderson for colorectal cancer.

Another symposium highlight will be the panel discussion, “When There’s Cancer in the Family: Mothers and Daughters Tell Their Stories.” M.D. Anderson’s Eva Singletary, M.D., professor of surgery and co-author of “What We Have, What We Share,” a book about how breast cancer affects both mothers and daughters, will discuss the genetic implications of a cancer diagnosis and moderate this portion of the program.

Also featured at the symposium will be sessions regarding the latest news and information in female-specific cancers. Karen Lu, M.D., assistant professor of gynecologic oncology, will lead “Gynecologic Cancers – Diagnostic and Treatment Advances Offer New Hope.” Banu Arun, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, will present “Breast Cancer: Making the Most of What We Know.”

M.D. Anderson’s Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program, the Nellie B. Connally Breast Cancer Fund and outreach public education office programs will benef from the event. Tickets start at $100. To register or to receive information about the Healthy Woman’s Symposium, call (713) 792-6730 or visit www.mdanderson.org/healthywoman.

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/04_01_03/page_27.html