In the News Archive

More than 500 people gathered to raise over $1.6 million at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation’s “illumination10” gala on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the Chase Park Plaza. All proceeds will benefit the Cancer Frontier Fund at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center.

The NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer, Hall of Famer and cancer survivor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took time during a trip to St. Louis to visit with cancer patients at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.

Success really does bring more success. For 15 years, David Mutch, MD, a Washington University gynecologic oncologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Paul Goodfellow*, PhD, a Washington University geneticist, have collaborated on endometrial and ovarian cancer research.

Soon after Mario Schootman, PhD, an epidemiologist, came to Washington University in 1999, he reviewed data from the Missouri Cancer Registry and noticed a disturbing trend among patients with breast cancer:  from 1996 to 1998, women who were 50 and older were twice as likely to have late-stage breast cancer if they lived in certain ZIP codes in the northeastern part of St. Louis.

Bev Sodemann, 58, is living proof of how research brings hope to so many lives.

Pancreatic cancer was pushed to the forefront of the news last year when actor Patrick Swayze died from it. More than 35,000 other people in the United States also died from pancreatic cancer in 2009. 

On may 15, hundreds of generous ST. Louisans will “get their heads in the game” by joining host Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the Barnes-Jewish hospital foundation’s illumination10 gala to benefit the Alvin J. Siteman cancer center at Barnes-Jewish hospital and Washington university school of medicine.

"Giving Back"
By Bill Koman, Director,
Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation Board

Will You Join Us at the Next Frontier in Cancer Care and Cure?

A Family Makes a Generous Choice When Help is Needed More than Ever

*Editor’s note: The donors featured in this article have requested anonymity.

They were a typical family, enjoying the fruits of life and their love for each other, when cancer struck.  

Six years ago at age 32, Becky Lorts found a lump in her left breast. She opted to fight her cancer with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to remove both breasts, and she came out clear.