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The allure of good ol’ Lady Luck and the excitement, glitz and glamour of an Ocean’s 14 casino-themed fundraiser benefiting the Breast Cancer Resource Center attracted an enthusiastic crowd of more than 200 supporters to the Coral Casino Beach & Cabana Club at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara.
BCRC executive director Silvana Kelly welcomed and smiled warmly at guests adorned in glittering jewels, shimmering floor-length gowns, sharp tuxedos and fedora hats for the “Vintage Vegas” charity gala.
“Tonight we gather together for an important cause to raise funds to support the Breast Cancer Resource Center,” Kelly said. “The funds will enable the center to continue to provide free support services and educational resources for women dealing with breast cancer diagnoses.”
The fundraiser, now in its 16th year, has raised millions of dollars to support various outreach programs, including patient navigation services and integrative therapies designed to ease the stress of women diagnosed with breast cancer.
One out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes, the second leading cause of death in women. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an estimated 220,000 women in the Untied States will be diagnosed with breast cancer — and more than 40,000 women will die from the disease.
The BCRC mission is to raise awareness in an ongoing effort to save lives to provide vital resources and educate women at risk or those who have been diagnosed in Santa Barbara County.
Kelly explained that the BCRC services function as a nonmedical complement to a physician-led cancer treatment plan. Meanwhile, the educational outreach programs offered at the clinic aim to promote early detection through monogram screening and self-examination.
“We aim to foster healing, encourage hope and survivorship,” she told Noozhawk.
The purpose of the BCRC was further exemplified during the program presentation as special guest speaker Dr. Gary Schlegel shared the heart-warming story about his courageous wife, Roberta, a breast cancer survivor and mother of five children.
“Even with a doctor in the household, our world was turned upside down with questions and concerns,” he recalled. “How and what do we tell all the children? How long would treatment take? Where do we go for the best treatment? Do we stay local or go regional? Do we need a second opinion?
“And, of course, the answer to the one question my wife, Roberta, had foremost in her mind: Am I going to lose all my hair?”
As the questions swirled in their minds and the concern grew, it was the BCRC that was a stable influence and resource for the family.
“And this is where the Breast Cancer Resource Center can help to answer those and many more questions, as well as help guide patients through what is going to be a fairly long journey,” Schlegel said.”
The Santa Barbara community has a long history of philanthropy to support the important work of nonprofit organizations like BCRC, and Schlegel was an enthusiastic voice for the services that are offered as a result.
“Because of that spirit of philanthropy, we are fortunate to have diagnostic and treatment facilities as well as this fabulous resource center, which are all every bit as advanced as a city much, much larger,” he said.
Click here for more information about the Breast Cancer Resource Center, or for details on the BCRC’s next event, the Dec. 7 Holiday Tea and Fashion Show. Click here to make an online donation.
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz
