news.Our MissionTo ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empow-ered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.

upcoming:

HOPS FOR HEALTHThurs., Sept. 16,2010Raising a glass to prostate awareness at San Pedro Brewing Company

GIRLS NIGHT OUTTues., Wed., Thurs.October 5,6 & 7,2010Comedy & Magic Club, Hermosa Beach

For information on these events call Kristin at 310/376-3550, ext. 26

2010

Raylene ProutSURVIVOR STORY

Two words I never wanted to hearTRANSITION GROUP

Twelve years ago our Wellness Community (aka the Cancer Support Commuity) did not offer a transition group. I think you understand why you do not want to be asked if you’d like to attend; that means your loved one has lost his or her battle with cancer.

For a lot of us that transition is a necessary form of therapy so 12 years ago we started our own

group. We met at Scotty’s on the bike path in Hermosa Beach on Wednesday early mornings when we could make it. Our group would average between 3, up to 6 attendees depending on when people felt the need to talk. We were there to learn and comfort each other. No one was a leader...we just talked about the past and the future. It was a time we let

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See page 4

L.J. Stogsdill

CANCER – a word that I never knew would have such a profound impact on my life. Having seen my father through a bout with lung cancer, and losing my mother to bone cancer, I thought I understood pretty well what cancer was all about. I understood it well, that is, until the bottom fell out from under me in July of 2008. “You have breast cancer”, said the radiologist who had called me back to the breast center because of a suspicious shadow on my most recent mam-mogram. She looked at me with sorrow and (dare I say) pity, but her words came as smoothly as if she were talking about the weather. Her delivery made me suspect that the diagnosis was incorrect. I was, afterall a healthy 38-year old athletic woman who had never even so much as had my tonsils out. The diagnosis was unfortunately cor-rect. What came next felt like a mountain of information, doctor visits and lab tests - finally resulting in a lumpectomy to remove

New Staff at The Wellness CommunityThere’s a certain “newness” to our little Wellness Community these days. Perhaps you’ve noticed that we have 3 new staff mem-bers on board. In November of 2009, Raylene Prout took over as Development Director for the retiring Lyla Knudson. Raylene brings to TWC more than a decade spent working in

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Raylene Prout with friend Greg

The Wellness Community would like to thank our Circle of Support partners,

who have each pledged $25,000 or more per year to our programs

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that Harriet Benjamin, who with her husband Harold, opened the first Wellness Community in 1982 passed away in April 2010. What an inspiration this remarkable woman has been to many. Having been diagnosed with cancer herself 32 years ago, it was her experience during her cancer treatment that inspired them to want to have a place like the Wellness Community for cancer patients and their loved ones. We all have been touched by Harriet’s love and generosity in a special way and we will miss her dearly.

We are all so inspired by our energetic and new staff members, Raylene, Theresa, and Scott. They are such a wonderful addition to our dedicated and hard working administrative and clinical staff. Also, we are thrilled that Dr. Wade Nishimoto has joined our Board of Directors in January of the year. Welcome to all of you and we are thrilled you are part of such and incredible team of devoted supporters.

The real inspiration comes from our participants. As I am approaching my 20th year of being cancer free and reflecting on my participation at TWC in 1990, I still am amazed at the incredible work we do to help people get through their tough cancer journey. As I have said many times, it changed my life and I hear so many say the same and that we could not have done it without our incredible services. We are now providing over 100 programs per month at no cost whatsoever to patients and their families!

We are so grateful for our ongoing and new donors this past year. As we all continue to rise out of a tough economy, we continue to receive financial sup-port from people who are inspired by what we do and how important we are to this community. We thank you so much. You are a true inspiration.

Warmly,Judith

PAGE 2 - Wellness News 2010

Message from Judith Opdahl, Executive Director/CEO

Inspiration

Judith Opdahl, CEO

our emotions out because we were with friends who understood. Eventually as time went on and a few newcomers showed up we would slowly move on with our lives and say our goodbyes. I still touch base once a year with one man that was in that group just to see how he is doing. We do this even after 12 years.

Today I volunteer to attend that group. As a member of the board I think back to those days, weeks and months after I lost my wife of 35 years. The best therapy is time, but during those early months you want to hear your loved one’s name come up in a conversa-tion. It keeps them in the present in your mind. In fact, when I offered to write this article it made me think that even after 12 years, I can bring her to the present with me again. Sheila was her name and after more than 35 years of marriage, she told me she wanted me to fall in love again and get mar-ried… something of course I did not want to hear at that time. She was very wise and her unselfish gift allowed me to fall in love again 5 years later, get married and be happy. I met my new wife, Mindy and I am very lucky as she has no problem hearing about Sheila and our past life together.

I hope and pray that you are never asked to the “Transition Group” (Wellness has one now) but if you are, I can truly say that the leader of that group, Steve Lottenberg, PsyD, MD leads it in such a way that allows you to feel you can gradually go back to some way of life knowing you are not alone in your grief.

Who knows…I might be there that night, as I drop in now and then, to offer you a delicious chocolate gra-ham cracker- my calling card at The Wellness Community. I t would be my pleasure to offer you any support I can to help you through the process of grief, transitioning to your new chap-ter in life.

L.J. Stogsdill, Board Chair

Board chairman’s messageContinued from page 1

Celebrando la Vida es un grupo en español para personas con cáncer y para sus familiares. Durante los grupos los participantes comparten sus preocupaciones, sus miedos y comprenden que ellos no están solos, que otras personas pasan por lo mismo y que pueden pasar juntos por este desafío. Los partici-pantes aprenden a ser activos en su proceso de curación. Ellos apren-den a integrar la mente con el cuer-po. Reconocen las emociones que podrían afectar al sistema inmuni-tario como por ejemplo el miedo o el enojo y aquellas emociones que

pueden definitivamente elevar las defensas del cuerpo como el amor, la empatia, la alegría y el gozo. Durante las dos horas que dura el grupo los participantes comparten activamente sus experiencias, aprenden lo importante que es vivir el momento y estar concientes de que hay una correlación directa entre sus pensamientos, emociones y comportamientos. Ellos se dan cuenta que al enfocarse en lo que ellos desean en sus vidas, aun estando en situaciones desafiantes, pueden experimentar emociones saludables. —Maria Gallo, M.A.

CELEBRANDO LA VIDA

Wellness News 2010 - PAGE 3

Message from Tom May, LCSW, Program Director

Help starts here: Welcome to WellnessIf you or someone you know is diagnosed with cancer, you don’t have to wait for them to ask for help or wait until you are distressed or crying to come to or refer them to The Wellness Community (TWC). Everyone needs to know about The Wellness Community (TWC), so THEY can decide for themselves if the program is right for them.

How often do we hear that some-one we know is affected by cancer?

The easiest and most immediate way to help them is by referring them to a Welcome to Wellness meeting. Offered every Monday evening at 6:30 pm and every Friday at 11 am, Welcome to Wellness is the place where most people have their first contact with TWC. People can change before your eyes. They learn hope that they are not alone and that they can take back control in their fight for recovery.

The Welcome Meeting is usually facilitated by a cancer survivor who has attended some of the Wellness programs. Harold & Harriet Benjamin, founders of TWC, recognized that having a cancer survivor facilitate the Welcome or

Orientation Meetings would have the immediate impact of instilling hope to the newcomers attending. The diagnosis of cancer is not a death sentence. Through the discus-sion about the program and activities, people at Welcome become aware that life still has room for hope, joy, involve-ment and optimism and that people have power over the quality of their lives. Life does not end with the diagnosis. Those at Welcome could begin to eliminate feelings of guilt, shame or inadequacy. Such feelings are often the result of being told that “you are to blame for getting cancer” or “you have to have a positive attitude all the time or you won’t recover.”

Utilizing the Patient Active© concept, people learn they can be participants in the fight for recovery and that their participation may have a positive effect on the course of their illness. TWC wants to improve the quality of life for all people with cancer and their families who come to us and to work hand in hand with them to enhance the possibility of recovery.

Harold often said “Whatever you decide to do about coming to Wellness or regarding treatment, I know you will make the best decision for yourself.” They might have been helped tremendously just by coming to a Welcome Meeting and seeing that there is indeed life after cancer.

An integral part of our Wellness Community (TWC) in the South Bay has been to both inform and educate professionals, students and volunteers about the Wellness Community. As one of a handful of designated training facilities for Cancer Support Community (CSC) around the globe, we are asked to train newly hired CSC professionals as they begin working for their local Communities. This training follows Wellness philosophy and guidelines about program, administration and fundraising.

We also invite professionals, students and volunteers from the South Bay to attend a Welcome to Wellness Meeting or attend one of the program workshops as our guest. These community people can better understand and promote Wellness. We also invite professionals to

speak about their areas of expertise at our Community as part of our program calendar, especially medical professionals. Through this process, we are able to widen the range of referral sources to our Community so we aren’t “the best kept secret.”

Besides helping inform others about Wellness, we are asked to be part of a student’s educational requirements, from grade school through post-graduate work. These requests can vary from a grade school or high school student wanting to complete community service hours to someone seeking master or doctorate degree hours and experience.

Community members tell us that they enjoy being part of this teaching process and love the chance to help and tell others about themselves and their fight for recovery.

Teaching others aboutThe Wellness Community

Tom May, LCSW

We are changing our name! This

name change is the result of The

Wellness Community merging with

Gilda’s Club, and we hope to have

it completed by the 4th quarter

of 2010. We believe that our new

name better reflects what we do.

Nothing else is changing. We will

still offer the same wide range of

support services we have always

offered, and they will continue to

be provided free of charge to can-

cer patients and their families.

PAGE 4 - Wellness News 2010

Survivor story Continued from page 1

New staff Continued from page 1

the offending tumor (small as it was at 5mm). That should have been the end of it, but when the operation was over, I had a stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma that had invaded the near-est lymph node. I also had a precan-cerous condition called DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) involving most of the rest of my breast. Finally, I tested positive for the BRCA2 genetic muta-tion, which substantially elevates the occurrence (or recurrence) of both breast and ovarian cancer over women testing negative for BRCA. Along with my oncologists and sur-geons I embarked upon an aggressive treatment plan. In total, I completed 6 rounds of chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, 6 weeks of daily radia-tion, a partial hysterectomy and sev-eral reconstructive surgeries. What I couldn’t have known at the begin-ning of my journey is how much help I would need just sifting through all of the information about treatment options, side effects, and complica-tions that I would be facing after surgery – some I’ll be dealing with for many years to come.

I learned about The Wellness Community through a friend at work.

Though I didn’t consider myself a “group” therapy kind of person, I knew that I needed something more than the medical plan laid out by my doctors. The night I attended my first breast cancer support group facili-tated by Ruth Schreibman, MFT I felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted off my shoulders! Here was a room full of women who were going through exactly what I was. Most of us had different kinds of breast can-cer, didn’t even have the same treat-ment plan – but we had an instant fellowship – a community if you will – because we were all dealing with a disease that is scary and life-altering, to say the least. I will consider these ladies friends for the rest of my life.

As I went through chemotherapy, I attended nutrition lunches to learn how to combat the nausea and fatigue caused by the drug cocktail I was taking. I took advantage of the wealth of education seminars on every topic that pertained to me and my recovery. I firmly believe that it was what I learned here that allowed me to have an easier time with treat-ment than others in my predicament.

After each surgery, I attended yoga classes, and when I was strong enough – the strength training offered by our partner, End Results gym. These exercise classes helped me regain strength and mobility at a rate which surprised my surgeons. Wellness became a home away from home for me during my 15 months of treatment. All of the services were free of charge, which is so helpful to people having to pay for even a fraction of their cancer treatment. When my treatment was completed, I just knew I had to stay here, help-ing people as I had been helped. I began as Development Director in November of 2009 upon the retire-ment of the beloved Lyla Knudson. I am inspired when I look at Harold Benjamin’s portrait. His Patient Active philosophy is something I really took to heart during treatment, and believe fervently in still. Having the right attitude and educating your-self can make so much difference in your fight for recovery. Every day when I walk through these doors, I am thankful that Dr. Benjamin had the great foresight to create such an amazingly welcoming place for all of us who are touched by cancer.

the Business Development arena. Her main focus is on obtaining grants and sponsorships to fund the programs we offer. She also works closely with Executive Director Judith Opdahl and Operations Manager Kristin Conforti to execute the fundraising events held throughout the year. As Nancy Wise departed near the end of last year, two new part-time positions opened up. Scott Bonnel, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist began in January as our new Program Manager. Scott’s job entails helping Program Director Tom May develop new program mate-rial, as well as manage the more than 100 programs cur-rently featured in our monthly calendar. Theresa Plakos also came on board in January as Public Relations and Outreach Manager. Theresa focuses on creating buzz in the press and local community, making sure that The Wellness Community gets as much attention as possible. She also works with local doctors, and represents TWC at health fairs to ensure that information about the good work we do gets into the hands of cancer patients and their families who need our services. Raylene, Scott and

Theresa are very excited to be on staff. They look forward to working with the rest of our dedicated staff and vol-unteers in the continuance of 23 years of The Wellness Community’s work with cancer patients and their families here on Redondo Beach Pier. Stop in and say hello – they would love to meet you!

New Staff Members—L/R Theresa Plakos, Public Relations-Outreach Manager, Scott Bonnel LMFT, Program Manager, Raylene Prout, Develop-ment Director

Wellness News 2010 - PAGE 5

• Writing for Wellness with Barbara Abercrombie, a monthly program• Frankly Speaking About Advanced Breast Cancer, Tom Lowe, MD• Frankly Speaking about Cancer: Coping with Cost of Care• Traditional Chinese Medicine & Breast Cancer, Benj Sinskul, Medical Qi Gong Practitioner• Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life, Barry T. Levy, MFT• Holidays & Expectations & Creating a Sense of the Sacred, Michael Eselun• SoulCollage® Process, Lesly Van Sloten• Frankly Speaking About Lymphoma, Jenny X. Ru, MD• Cancer and the Law, Elise Meerkatz• Grief, Loss and Bereavement, Lynne Nettifee, Bereavement Manager• Frankly Speaking About New Discoveries in Cancer Treatment, Vanessa Dickey, MD and Mary Byrne, RN, MSN• Immunity to Stress, Bob Maurer, PhD• The New California Law for Avoiding Heroic Measures: Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST), Mary Hersh, RN, MSN, CHPN• Bio-immunotherapy for Brain Cancer: A New Hope, Surasak Puphenich, MD, FAAN• Ask the Expert About DNA Testing, Genetics and Privacy, Jeffrey Gulcher, MD, PhD• What’s New in Prostate Cancer, Joy Paul, MD and Tim Lesser, MD• Breast Cancer Treatment Options, Jay w. Granzow, MD, MPH, FACS presented in Spanish• XRAY/MRI/CT/PET Scans & Nuclear Medicine Studies: Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, & Follow-up/Monitoring, Garth Green, MD, Lalitha Ramanna, MD, Michael Stein, MD• Medical Marijuana, Bonnie Goldstein• Quality of Life: Post Treatment Prostate Cancer, Michael Hoyt, PhD• The Pillars of Happiness, Wendy Treynor, PhD (2 parts)• Developing Prostate Cancer Treatment Options including Surgery, Radiation, Cryo and HIFU, Barton Wachs, MD• The Road to Discovery – Emerging Therapies in Clinical Trials, Hugo Hool, MD• Frankly Speaking About New Discoveries in Cancer, Dr. Anthony El-Khoury, MD• Ask the Doctors: If Cure is Not an Option, Glen Kamatsu, MD• Breast Cancer Treatment Jay W. Granzow, MD, MPH, FACS• How to Cope with Chemobrain, Chronic Stress and How to be an Effective Caregiver, Arnold Bresky, MD• Life After Breast Cancer, Jim Waisman, MD

• Frankly Speaking About Colorectal Cancer, Andrew Horodner, MD• Making Peace with Your Body, Suzy Prudden.

The following drop-in stress reduction and mind-body activities are provided weekly:• Morning Yoga, improves balance inner calm, flexibility and strength; • Pilates: An Adaptive Formula, Cheryl Mansfield Relaxation & Visualization. Using well researched techniques; learn to relax the body and mind while increasing awareness and recognizing and developing visual healing images• Early Yoga. Relaxes and rejuvenates the body, mind and spirit• “Wellness Walkabout”, guide to healthful walking form, Nancy Coleman• Gentle Hatha Yoga. Unites the body mind and spirit, Joyce Gauss• Reiki Energy Circle, Jovita Trani and other South Bay Reiki Masters• Fit and Well Worth It at End Results (twice a week)• Introduction to Medical Qigong, Benj Sinskul, Medical Qi Gong Practitioner• Tai Chi/Chu Kung, at Nam Hoa Temple of Internal Arts• Kundalini Yoga, Ramey Ward (8 week series).

2009 NutritioN LuNch SpeakerSNutrition lunches are provided twice a month to give partici-pants a chance to learn about ways they can support their regular medical treatment through healthy eating. A local restaurant (The SPOT, Hermosa Beach) donates a wholesome lunch. Many speakers repeat throughout the year. • Waiting for the Other Shoe…, Sandra Winston, MFT, M.Ed• Healthy Cooking, Lori Walker, RD & Elisa Hunziker, Chef• Natural Support for the Immune System in Cancer Patients, Arlan Cage, ND, Lac• Healing Poetry & Lunch Talk, Janis Lukstein• Nutritional Support for Some of the Common Side Effects of Chemo Therapy, Patience Ikeme, PhD• Best of Nature: Vegetarian Cooking for Optimum Health Based on the China Study, Susan Jenson, RD• Chinese Herbs, Angela C. Lai, Lac, Dipl. OM (NCCAOM)• Where our Beliefs Meet Our Reality, Michael Eslu• The Cancer Project, Cobi Kim, Nutrition Educator (4 week series)

PARTICIPANT ACTIVITIES 2009

A cancer support group One of our popular yoga classes

PAGE 6 - Wellness News 2010

OUT & ABOUTwith The Wellness Community

17th Annual EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women’s CancersOn Saturday, May 8, 2010, more than 50,000 people participated in this traditional event sponsored by The Entertainment Industry Foundation and hosted by Marg Helgenberger, Carrie Ann Inaba, and James Denton at the LA Memorial Coliseum. For the 15th year, The Wellness Community’s Team 110 was one of the top partici-pant teams.

Wrapsody In Pink Luncheon and Fashion ShowBreast cancer survivors from The Wellness Community South Bay Cities and staff members alike walked the catwalk in the fight against breast cancer on Sunday, May 02, 2010 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Redondo Beach. This event hosted by Wrapsody, a specialty store in the Riviera Village, featured fashions by Jonathon and proceeds benefitted The Wellness Community-South Bay Cities as well as The Barbara K. Robinson Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Old Boys RugbyTournament was held on Catalina Island May 1, 2010. For the past 16 years, this gener-ous group of “ruggers” has donated more than $15,000 from this event.

View the game results and pictures on their website www.catalinarugby.org.

Fido & Friends WalkOver 150 dogs and their owners joined the 2010 Fido & Friends Walk to support cancer patients and their loved ones on Saturday, April 17th at Veterans Park, Redondo Beach. This year, actress/producer Laura Nativo and her celebrity Pomeranian “Preston Casanova” were on hand to showcase Preston’s skateboarding talents. A huge “thank you” to top sponsor Providence Little Company of Mary Hospital Torrance. Festivities included a K-9 demonstration, animal rescue groups, Kathy’s Critters Petting Zoo, Proceeds of more than $10,000 were directed to the free group sup-port programs for cancer patients and their loved ones at The Wellness Community-South Bay Cities.

Lee National Denim Day The Cancer Support Community (CSC) is a 2010 community partner of the 15th annual Lee National Denim Day, a fundraising event taking place on October 8, 2010. It’s a day when companies and organizations across the country offer their staff or members a chance to wear blue jeans in exchange for a $5 donation

to fight breast cancer. The Wellness Community-South Bay Cities has the opportunity to receive significant funding as a result of contributions made during this year’s Denim Day. To register your company, neighbor-hood, school or any other group or organization for this event, please call (310) 376-3550 or visit http://www.denimday.com/participate.aspx.

PV Peninsula Panthers “Walk for Life” Supports The Wellness CommunityFor the 2nd year, The Wellness Community-South Bay Cities (TWC-SBC) was honored to be chosen as beneficiary of the proceeds for Palos Verdes Peninsula High School’s Walk for Life. More than 1,400 stu-dents, faculty, family and friends participated in the walk on March 5th. Proceeds of $59,000 were divided between The Wellness Community and Duarte-based City of Hope. Judith Opdahl, Executive Director of TWC and staff members were speechless when Season Pollock, Activities Director at PV Peninsula High School handed Judith a check for $29,500. Opdahl expressed pro-found gratitude for their hard work and this very generous donation.

Paws-itively happy...L/R Deborah Fehn, Director of Business Develop-ment, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, Judith Opdahl, Executive Director/CEO TWC –holding Madison, Theresa Plakos, Public Relations-Outreach Manager TWC, Laura Nativo, Actress/Producer with Preston Casanova and Penelope at Fido & Friends

Attending Celebrate Wellness...a Food & Wine Tasting Event are L/R Chad Nammack, Rachael Nammack - Novartis, Dan Hovenstine, MD, Wade Nishimoto, MD

Wellness News 2010 - PAGE 7

Brought back for the first time in 10 years, this extraordinary event was a resounding success as The Well-ness Community-South Bay Cities partnered with Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes on Sun-day, February 21, 2010. Twenty-two amateur chefs spent the day slicing and dicing a 3-course dinner for their family, friends, and over 250 guests under the tutelage of Trump Executive Chef, Jean Pierre Vincent. The evening included a live and silent auction and generated over $30,000 in what promises to become an annual event. Thank you to our Circle of Hope Sponsor Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, Malaga Bank and Excel Bank for their generous support.

facilitator’s cornerELEVEN YEARS AGO, I was looking for an internship and chose The Wellness Community. People asked me why I would want to work with cancer patients. I said I wasn’t sure but had a calling to be there. The truth was that cancer is so prevalent in my family and I suspected that at some point I might also get the same diagnosis.

A year later, almost to the day, my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. By being at TWC, I gained knowledge about the disease but most importantly, I was given support from the community and didn’t feel alone while going through the process.

What I have learned during the past eleven years is the power of group and how the group members understand each other better than anyone else.

We are a special environment located in a beautiful venue. My nickname for the Community is our “Jewel of the South Bay”. I feel so blessed to be a facilitator at TWC and to be associated with wonderful participants and their families.

Ruth Schriebman, MFT, CT

TO FACILITATE MEANS “making a process easier”. For years, I have been inspired by facilitating groups of courageous people whose lives are changing every day as they deal with cancer. I help guide cancer participants to share their journey with others as they build friendships (community) and realize that they are not alone and isolated with the dis-ease. Processing one’s distress is an essential form of treatment and has been proven to increase the strength of the immune system by developing the ability to cope, expand optimism and build hope into their lives. What do they process and share with each other? The part of them that wants to live. The part that wants to give up. The part overwhelmed by fears of recurrence or death. The fighter part that will do whatever it can to participate in the fight to recover (there are many ways of recovering) – and, most important, the part that contains the wisdom of one’s own inner healer! There is only a small part of a person’s life that has cancer, the rest is whole and growing. It has been a privilege and I am grateful to be a part of our amazing staff, serving our community. Christine Winkler, Ph.D., MFT

EVERY TIME I walk through the front door of The Wellness Community I feel like Dorothy when she got back to Kansas and said, “There’s no place like home. “ There is no wizard here, but there are people who care, and the atmosphere is as welcoming and loving as a good home.

The cancer patients and their families who come here for the support and camaraderie often leave saying, “ You’ve saved my life!” because no one understands what they are going through as well as the people in their groups. Really, they’ve saved themselves by coming here, where they can talk about their fear and feel understood and where they can give and receive the gifts of support and love.

That’s what community is about. I am grateful to be able to facilitate groups here, because working at The Wellness Community has been and continues to be a unique and ineffable experience for me.

Linda Neal, MFT

After slicing and dicing, a toast to a great day!

Undiscovered Chefs Dinner

109 West Torrance Blvd.Redondo Beach, CA 90277

ADDRESS CHANGE REQUESTED

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDREDONDO BEACH

CA 90277PERMIT NO. 28

ADmINISTRATIVE STAFF Judith Opdahl, Executive Director/CEORaylene Prout, Development DirectorTom May, LCSW, Program DirectorKristin Conforti, Operations Manager Denise Harkins, Accounting CoordinatorNida Padilla, Office Coordinator Mary Wadman, Graphics CoordinatorScott Bonnel, LMFT, Program ManagerTheresa Plakos, Public Relations/Outreach Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORSL.J. Stogsdill, President/ChairpersonKyle Kazan, Sr. Vice PresidentChristine Campisi, Vice President/SecretaryJames Packard, CPA, Vice President/FinanceMatthew AccardoKerry Brentlinger Wade Nishimoto, MDDon Mehlig David MilamMichael Fiore Donna MoritaDaniel Hovenstine, MD Jane J. Netherton Laura Kauls, CPA Patricia Sacks, MD Robert McCaman Rebecca Weintraub, Ph.DEd McKenna, Sr.

Facilitating StaffRita Aaron, MFTAnne Clary, MFTStephen Lottenberg, PsyD, MDLinda Neal, MFTRuth Schriebman, MFT

Pamela Stephan, MFTChristine Winkler, PhD, MFTMaria Gallo, MA, Spanish Facilitator

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY BOARDDaniel Hovenstine, MD, Chairperson Fikret Atamdede, MD, Paula Bauer, RN, MSN Mary Byrne, RN, MSNKathleen Calderon Lacey, RN, MSN, MFTDavid Chan, MDLisa Fisher, MDMelanie Friedlander, MDSusan Goodlerner, MD Garth Green, MDJohn Link, MDEric N. Milefchik, MDJames MollenkampPaul Murata, MDWade Nishimoto, MDRichard C. Palmer, MDJoy G. Paul, MDChristine A. Petti, MDJenny Xiuqing Ru, MDMarianne Ryan, M.D.Patricia Sacks, MDGerald I. Schiff, MDThomas G. Simko, MDJoost van Adelsberg, MDJames Waisman, MDFredrick Wolk, MD

Our missionTo ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by

knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.

Save the date!Girls Night Out 2010 will be held Tues-day-Thursday, October 5, 6, 7 and promises to be even more exciting than last year, with three nights of comedy, survivors and ter-rific shopping at our silent auctions! This event honors all women who have been touched by cancer. Contact us to donate an auction item or become a sponsor. The Comedy & Magic Club generously donates tickets to Wellness Community cancer pa-tients and care givers on an ongoing basis. A big thank you to owner Mike Lacey for his support through the years.

Hops For Health 2010 will be held Sep-tember 16, 2010 – just in time for prostate awareness month. This is a new event for the men in our community, in partnership with the San Pedro Brewing Company. Beer and prostate cancer? A new study from Or-egon State University suggests that a com-pound in hops - the main ingredient in beer - has shown promise in slowing down the growth of prostate cancer cells. The evening will feature dinner, a signature pint glass, comedians, hole-in-one putting contest, tour of the brewery, live and silent auction. Bottoms up, fellas-we hope to see you at this exciting night—just for men!