Summer 2006 - Karmanos Cancer Institute

HOPESUMMER 2006
A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E B A R B A R A A N N K A R M A N O S C A N C E R I N S T I T U T E
INSIDE:
SURPRISED BY LIFE
A Story Like No Other –
with a Remarkable Ending
A CANCER-FREE FUTURE
$125 Million Fundraising
Campaign Promises to
Transform the Institute
BUILDING A
HOME TO HOPE
Looking Toward the Future

PRESIDENT’S LETTER
I
am proud to share with you this issue of HOPE Magazine, which
outlines our plans for the future – and how you can help in our quest
to become one of the best cancer institutes in the country. You’ll read
about the recent kick-off of our $125 million Building a Cancer Free Future
fundraising campaign, and the generous $25 million gift given by Peter
Karmanos and his family. You’ll also learn how local business leaders
have stepped up and pledged their support to the campaign, furthering
our commitment to cancer patients here and around the world.
The Karmanos Cancer Institute would not exist, and our stories of
hope would not be possible without support from our community
and people like you. I hope you enjoy this issue of HOPE Magazine.
Sincerely,
John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D.
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
BARBARA ANN KARMANOS CANCER INSTITUTE
ON THE COVER
John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D.
When 28 year-old Sheronza Scott found a
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER lump in her breast two years ago, doctors at
BARBARA ANN KARMANOS CANCER INSTITUTEanother
hospital told her she was too young
to have breast cancer. But Sheronza knew
something “wasn’t right” and turned to the
Karmanos Cancer Institute for help. Not only
were Karmanos physicians able to remove her
cancer and save her breast, but Sheronza was
surprised by another miracle – her daughter.
Cover images by Steven Lengnick, Plum Street Studios
(Read more on pages 20-21)
...................................................
SUMMER 2006
VOLUME 2 | NUMBER 2
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
is one of only 39 National Cancer
Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer
Centers in the United States. Federal designation
as a Comprehensive Cancer Center is the
pinnacle of translational oncology research.
...................................................
EXECUTIVE STAFF
JOHN C. RUCKDESCHEL, M.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
WILLIAM BENNETT
Chief Financial Officer
NICK KARMANOS
Vice President, Development
...................................................
KARMANOS CANCER CENTER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jonathan S. Aaron
Randolph J. Agley (ex officio)
Thomas V. Angott, Sr.
Charles E. Becker, chair
Leslie C. Bowman
Paul L. Broughton
Armando Cavazos
Kenneth Eisenberg
Jeremiah E. Farrell
C. Michael Kojaian
Randolph J. Agley, chair
Thomas V. Angott, Sr.
Eugene Applebaum
Nancy Barrett, Ph.D. (ex officio)
Charles E. Becker, vice chair
Gregory Bontrager
Paul Borman
Paul L. Broughton
Joseph J. Buttigieg, III
John T. Caldwell, Jr.
Armando Cavazos
John D. Crissman, M.D.
Deborah I. Dingell, vice chair
Lillian Erdeljan
Jeremiah E. Farrell
Samuel Frankel, vice chair
Myron Frasier
Richard M. Gabrys, vice chair
Bruce A. Gershenson
Stephen Grand
Adnan Hammad, Ph.D.
Elaine Hartman
Patricia Hartmann
Melvin A. Lester, M.D.
Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., M.D. (ex officio)
Timothy Monahan, Vice Chair
J. Edson Pontes, M.D.
John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D. (ex officio)
Anthony J. Rusciano
Wael Sakr, M.D. (ex officio)
Nettie Seabrooks
Jane R. Thomas, Ph.D.
Manuel Valdivieso, M.D. (ex officio)
KARMANOS CANCER INSTITUTE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Eleanor M. Josaitis
Peter Karmanos, Jr.
Melvin A. Lester, M.D.
Edward C. Levy, Jr.
Mervyn H. Manning
Mary Matuja
Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., M.D. (ex officio)
Timothy Monahan
Paul L. Nine
Charles O’Brien (ex officio)
Fred D. Olson
J. Edson Pontes, M.D.
James Prowse
Eunice Ring
Richard F. Roth
John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D. (ex officio)
Alan S. Schwartz, vice chair
Cynthia K. Sikina
Lila Silverman
Todd P. Smith
Robert A. Stone
Thomas M. Storen, D.D.S.
Vainutis K. Vaitkevicius, M.D.

02
08
10
12
CONTENTS
02 FEATURES
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Karmanos researchers study physician
communication and patient decisions about
making the choice to participate in clinical trials
REASON TO HOPE
Gastrointestional Multidisciplinary
Team offers innovative treatments
WORTH THE DRIVE
Patients are traveling to the Karmanos
Cancer Institute to participate in early
trials of the newest cancer therapies
BUILDING A
08 CANCER-FREE FUTURE
$125 Million fundraising campaign, and a
$25 million Karmanos family gift, promise to transform the
Karmanos Cancer Institute and research efforts
BUILDING A HOME TO HOPE
A pioneer in cancer care and research,
Karmanos looks toward the future
12 UP CLOSE
GEORGE H. YOO, M.D. FACS
Raising the bar, improving the quality of cancer care
14 THE WINNING TEAM
15 WORKING FOR A CURE
16 ANNUAL DINNER
17 PLANNING AHEAD
18 AROUND TOWN
20 SURVIVOR STORY: Sheronza Scott

HOPE | FEATURE
SOME PATIENTS ARE EAGER TO PARTICIPATE IN CLINICAL
TRIALS OF NEW CANCER THERAPIES. OTHERS AREN’T.
What’s The Difference?
2 | HOPE
KARMANOS RESEARCHERS STUDY PHYSICIAN COMMUNICATION
AND PATIENT DECISIONS ABOUT CLINICAL TRIALS
JOHN C. RUCKDESCHEL, M.D. AND TERRANCE ALBRECHT, PH.D.

When Maxine Kotarski was diagnosed
with breast cancer in 2005, participating in a
clinical trial of a new cancer therapy was the last thing on
her mind. “When the doctor first told me it was cancer, I
felt like I was under water – everything was moving in slow
motion,” she says.
Her reaction is fairly common among newly diagnosed
cancer patients. But within a few weeks, Maxine – like
most cancer patients – had to decide whether or not to
participate in a clinical trial.
“I remember thinking, ‘No way. I’m not going to be a
guinea pig for anyone,’” Maxine says. “But then the doctor
explained the trial in simple, easy-to-understand terms and
I really felt like it might be my best option.”
While Maxine ultimately chose to participate in a trial,
many patients who are eligible do not – even though clinical
trials are vital to ongoing cancer research and often provide
the most aggressive treatment options.
With this in mind, researchers at the Karmanos Cancer
Institute recently set out to study the role of physician/
patient communication on cancer treatment decisions and
to determine how it influences clinical trial enrollment.
The National Cancer Institute is funding the research, which
is being conducted by Terrance Albrecht, Ph.D., program
leader for the Communication and Behavioral Oncology
Program at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, and John C.
Ruckdeschel, M.D., lung cancer specialist, president and
chief executive officer at the Karmanos Cancer Institute.
According to Drs. Albrecht and Ruckdeschel, researchers
have studied the process of informing and recruiting patients
into clinical trials, but minimal attention has been given to
the views of patients and their families feelings about being
recruited for clinical trials.
“The key to understanding patient decision-making lies in the
communication process that takes place prior to the patient
decision,” says Dr. Ruckdeschel.
Researchers hope gathering evidence-based information
on the decision-making process will help health care providers
communicate more effectively with patients and their family
members – often an important influence in treatment decisions.
“Physicians don’t always provide enough information to
allow patients to make informed decisions,” Dr. Albrecht
says. “Sometimes a clinical trial is a very reasonable course
of action for a particular patient.”
But lengthy legal documents describing the details of a
clinical trial aren’t necessarily the best way to help patients
make an informed decision. Beyond simply providing legal
and informational messages about a clinical trial, Drs.
Albrecht and Ruckdeschel believe physicians should
address specific concerns of patients and their family
members in a supportive way – helping them understand
the benefits and risks of participation.
As part of the study, researchers at the Institute are video
recording conversations between physicians, patients and
family members as they discuss enrollment in clinical trials.
More than 125 enrollment conversations have been recorded
since research began, with all participants agreeing to
be recorded. Since these enrollment conversations usually
take place in an examination room, a customized portable
videotaping system needed to be developed for the study.
“We knew we needed to develop the technology so it’s
unobtrusive – so physicians and patients will forget about it,”
Dr. Ruckdeschel says. “Unless you are observing the patient/
physician interactions unobtrusively, they won’t act naturally.”
Preliminary results of the study indicate the video recording
technology is only “minimally reactive,” meaning physicians
and patients usually do not change their behavior much
as a result of being recorded. By measuring non-verbal
communication – things like eye contact and body language
– as well as verbal messages, researchers hope to better
understand how patients and their family members make
important decisions about participation in clinical trials.
The study is still in the early stages, but the videotaped
conversations may someday be used to develop more effective
communication methods and materials that physicians
can use when discussing clinical trial options with patients.
The tapes may also be used to train oncologists who are
responsible for recruiting patients to clinical trials.
“Everyone has a right to informed decision making,”
says Dr. Albrecht. “Helping patients sort through all the
complications and implications of their choice is one of
the best things a physician can do for a patient.”
HOPE | 3

HOPE | FEATURE
Reason
TO HOPE
GASTROINTESTINAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY
TEAM OFFERS INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS
“I’d been to other cancer specialists, and they gave me little
or no hope – and about 18 months to live,” said David Segel,
D.P.M. “I was about to head to New York to see yet another
cancer doctor, when I discovered the Karmanos Cancer
Center right in my backyard.”
By the time David turned to the Karmanos Cancer Center for
treatment of his Stage 4 colon cancer, the disease
had spread to his liver and a few of his lymph nodes. The
previous cancer specialists he had seen wanted to put
him in the hospital immediately and perform surgery to
remove the tumors. But Anthony Shields, M.D., Ph.D. –
an internationally known medical oncologist and leader of
the Gastrointestinal (GI) Multidisciplinary Team at the
Karmanos Cancer Center – wanted to take another approach.
Based on the latest cancer research and knowledge, Dr.
Shields and other members of the GI team wanted to first
treat David’s colon and liver cancer with chemotherapy. Then,
if the chemotherapy was successful in shrinking the tumor,
they’d perform surgery and remove a portion of the colon,
liver and lymph nodes.
It turned out to be the right choice. Within three weeks of
starting chemotherapy, David noticed a reduction in pain. A
few weeks later, a CT scan revealed the number of cancerous
FOCUSED ON RESEARCH
lesions on his liver had dropped from 14 to just six. He
was ready for surgery – now with much better odds of
beating the cancer.
“This approach was absolutely the right choice for me,”
David says. “I really believe if I’d allowed those other guys
to do the surgery first, I wouldn’t be here today.”
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
The Gastrointestinal team at Karmanos Cancer Institute is at the forefront of
cancer research with many cancer studies currently underway, including clinical research
funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Currently, researchers at Karmanos Cancer Institute are studying treatments for a wide
variety of gastrointestinal malignancies, including:
• Colon cancer • Stomach cancer • Carcinoid tumors
• Pancreatic cancer • Liver cancer • GI stromal tumors
Researchers are also studying new imaging techniques to better detect gastrointestinal
tumors and measure their response to treatment. According to Dr. Shields, understanding
whether or not a particular treatment is working is becoming increasingly important as
more and more treatment options become available.
“Twenty or 30 years ago, when we had no therapy or only one therapy for a particular
disease, it wasn’t particularly important to determine if the treatment was working or
not. You just didn’t have a lot of choices,” he says. “But now that we have second- and
often third-line therapies, it’s much more important to understand early on if a therapy is
working. If it’s not, we want to know right away so we can move on to the next one.”
So why did Dr. Shields and other members of the GI
team at Karmanos recommend one treatment option while
other cancer specialists in the area insisted on another?
“A lot of the community physicians are well trained, but they
don’t spend all their time sitting around thinking about how
to treat specific types of cancer, like pancreatic cancer or colon
cancer,” Dr. Shields says. “You can have very subtle differences
in treatment plans and you have to recognize that those subtleties
sometimes make an enormous difference in the outcome.”
As an example, many of the newest therapies for GI cancers
involve combining traditional chemotherapy drugs with new,
biologic agents that attack the blood supply or growth factors
of tumors. But the way in which these drugs are combined is
extremely important. Dr. Shields says giving a patient Drug A
ANTHONY SHIELDS, M.D., PH.D.

efore Drug B, may “prime” a tumor to be killed by the
second drug, but doing it the other way around may actually
protect the tumor from harm.
In the same way, shrinking an aggressive cancer like
David’s with chemotherapy before surgery, sometimes
gives the patient a better chance of survival.
“In David’s case, he is now free of disease and it’s about
4 years later,” Dr. Shields says. “I really don’t think he was
expecting to be free of disease at this point.”
MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE
In addition to the GI team, the Karmanos Cancer Center
provides multidisciplinary patient care through 13 other teams
of cancer specialists. Each team focuses on a specific form of
cancer and is supported by an extensive research program.
Members of the GI team include representatives from medical
oncology, surgery, radiation oncology, gastroenterology,
radiology, pathology, nursing, and social work.
When a patient is referred to Karmanos, the appropriate
multidisciplinary team reviews existing diagnostic information
and, if necessary, makes arrangements for additional tests –
often on the same day. The entire team then reviews the diagnostic
information and collaboratively develops a recommended
treatment plan based on the latest thinking in cancer care.
“This approach was
absolutely the right
choice for me.”
– DAVID SEGEL, D.P.M.
COLON CANCER SURVIVOR
About 50 percent of the patients seen by the GI multidisciplinary
team have colorectal cancer, but the team diagnoses
and treats many other forms of the disease, including gastric,
pancreatic, liver, esophageal and small bowel cancer, as well as
GI stromal tumors and carcinoid tumors.
“The treatment of cancer has become much more complex
over the years. This makes the multidisciplinary approach even
more important,” Dr. Shields says. “Often we use what we call
‘multimodality therapy’; this may involve a combination in
some sequence of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. To try
to integrate those together in a seamless and safe way, you
really need to be talking to each other on a regular basis.”
And you need to be open to new ideas brought forth by your
colleagues. To illustrate this, Dr. Shields cites an example of a
patient who came to the Institute for a second opinion. He’d
been diagnosed elsewhere as having metastatic pancreatic
cancer and told he had only a few months to live.
“Our pathologist reviewed the patient’s slides and came back
with some really good news,” Dr. Shields says. While the
cancer may have originated in the patient’s pancreas, it was a
carcinoid tumor, not pancreatic cancer. Carcinoid tumors are
very slow growing; people can live with them for many years.
Dr. Shields was quick to call the patient at home with the
news. “He was quite pleased,” Dr. Shields says with a smile.
“I didn’t mind making that phone call at all.”
HOPE | 5

HOPE | FEATURE
Patients are traveling to the Karmanos Cancer Institute to participate
in early trials of the newest cancer therapies. For many, it’s...
WORTH THE DRIVE
Garry Heckman of West Branch, Mich. had gone nearly a
year without a recurrence of the malignant melanoma that
originally brought him to the Karmanos Cancer Center.
But his doctors – and Garry himself – knew a problem
might be right around the corner.
He was taking interferon, a biological therapy which is
often effective in preventing melanoma recurrence but
generally works for no longer than about 12 months. After
that, there was a good chance the cancer would return.
“Sure enough,” Garry said. “Near the end of 12 months
I started having recurrences.”
At that point, most physicians in the United States
had only one treatment option – surgically removing
the melanomas as they appeared – but physicians at the
Karmanos Cancer Center had another treatment
option for Garry.
As Michigan’s only Phase I clinical trials program, and one
of only 16 research institutes in the nation to participate in
the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation
Program (CTEP), Karmanos offers its patients access to new
cancer therapies before they are widely available.
These Phase I trials – the earliest tests of new drugs and
combinations of drugs in humans – are a vital part
of developing innovative cancer therapies. Since 2004, more
than 80 patients have participated in Phase I trials.
Currently, the Institute is seeking new patients for about
20 Phase I studies.
“We take drugs that have been identified in the lab as
having activity – drugs that have also been identified as
being safe – and we give them to patients,” said Patricia
LoRusso, D.O., director of the Karmanos Cancer Institute’s
Phase I Clinical Trials Program. “Then we try to identify
whether these drugs are going to be safe and if they have
any potential or suggestion of anti-cancer activity.”
6 | HOPE
Photo by: Gregg Hettel
According to the National Cancer Institute, Phase I
programs are designed to quickly test new anti-cancer
agents and move the most promising from early testing
(Phase I and II) into large randomized Phase III studies.
The best candidates to participate in Phase I trials are
cancer patients who have failed with conventional
treatments but are still in relatively good health and
have good organ function.
GARRY HECKMAN

For Garry, participating in the clinical trial of a new cancer therapy
seemed like a good idea. “The melanoma was recurring at a fairly
significant rate. My understanding was that I could go with the
traditional treatment, which was basically surgical removal of the
melanomas as they occurred, or I could try something new,” Garry
said. “The focus of the clinical trial was to get to the source of the
problem to prevent the recurrence and reduce the presence of the
disease. And that made a lot of sense to me.”
Garry started on a Phase I trial of a new cancer therapy in
February 2006. So far, he has not had any recurrences of cancer and
he has tolerated the medication well with only a few mild side effects.
“It’s still early, but I’m hopeful that this drug will prove to be beneficial
in preventing melanoma,” Garry said. “Of course, I want it to work
as a treatment for me, but I’m also hopeful that my participation will
help researchers find a treatment that will help other patients too.”
Participating in the trial takes a bit of effort on Garry’s part. He drives
to Karmanos from West Branch – about 165 miles each way – every
two weeks to pick up a new supply of the trial medication and meet
with researchers for exams and tests.
“Living in a rural area like West Branch, you sometimes feel like you
don’t have access to the best medical care,” Garry said. “But my entire
experience has been very smooth. From my primary care physician to
referrals from one specialist to another, all these different physicians
and researchers have really worked well together.”
WHAT ABOUT PLACEBOS?
Some patients don’t want to participate in clinical trials because they
fear getting a placebo. But researchers at Karmanos Cancer Institute
assure patients that none of the participants in Phase I trials get placebos.
Every patient gets treated with the trial drug – just at different doses.
“You might have some patients on the low dose and some on the
high dose, but they are both getting the same medication,” said
Elisabeth Heath, M.D., a member of the Phase I Clinical Trials Team
at Karmanos Cancer Center.
Dr. Heath said it’s important to understand a high dose of a drug is
not necessarily better than a low dose. “Especially with some of the
newer biological therapies, the dose doesn’t necessarily make a big
difference. I always tell patients that you don’t get better care or
worse care on a clinical trial. You just get excellent care.”
REFERRING
PHYSICIANS
IMPORTANT TO
PHASE I TRIALS
Four physician-scientists serve on
the Phase I Clinical Trials team at the
Karmanos Cancer Institute – Patricia
LoRusso, D.O., Elisabeth Heath, M.D., Ding
Wang, M.D., Ph.D., and Manuel Valdivieso,
M.D. – but dozens of other physicians in
Michigan and Ohio play important roles
furthering cancer research.
According to Dr. Heath, cooperation
between physicians in the community
and researchers is extremely important.
“Physicians in the community are such
an important part of the success of our
Phase I program,” Dr. Heath said. “When
conventional therapies fail but patients
are still feeling well and want to try
something else, it’s usually physicians in
the community who refer patients to us.”
Physicians from as far away as Traverse
City and northern Ohio have referred
patients for evaluation of Phase I trials at
Karmanos. “Referring physicians are such
an important part of our research team.
You just can’t overemphasize their
importance,” Dr. Heath said.
HOPE | 7

BUILDING A
Cancer Free FUTURE
Building a
Everyone wants a cancer-free future, but the Barbara Ann
Karmanos Cancer Institute is doing something about it.
On June 3, the Institute officially launched a $125 million
comprehensive campaign. Funds raised in the multi-year
effort will help construct world-class patient care facilities,
establish one of the nation’s leading prostate cancer pro-
grams and fully fund an endowment to advance promising
cancer research.
Already halfway to the fundraising goal, the Institute has
gathered pledges totaling more than $65 million – includ-
ing a $25 million gift from Peter Karmanos, Jr. and the
Karmanos family, as well as a number of $5 million gifts
from other local business leaders.
“We’re building a world-class cancer care and research
center, but we’re also building something much more
important – a cancer-free future,” said John C. Ruckdeschel,
M.D., president and chief executive officer of the Karmanos
Cancer Institute. “Our goal is to become one of the top-ten
cancer centers in the nation in the next five years and we
can’t do it without major contributions like these.”
The $125 million campaign will fund renovation and
construction efforts as well as groundbreaking cancer
research and innovative patient care programs. Here’s
how the funds will be used:
RENOVATION AND
CONSTRUCTION: $75 MILLION
Most of the campaign funds will support renovation and
construction efforts at the Institute, including $47 million
for the construction of a four-story cancer care facility in
Detroit. The new building will feature pleasant open spaces
8 | HOPE
Cancer-Free Future
$125 MILLION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN PROMISES
TO TRANSFORM THE KARMANOS CANCER INSTITUTE
and a glass atrium, as well as six state-of-the-art operating
rooms equipped for robotic and microsurgery, a diagnostic
imaging suite with the latest technology, and all private
patient rooms with enhanced nursing coverage.
An additional $28 million will fund upgrades to existing
facilities in Detroit and Farmington Hills, including
construction of a new Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic and
new in-clinic pharmacy services. The funds will also support
renovations to the Walt Comprehensive Breast Center as
well as new patient waiting areas and clinical care rooms.
CANCER RESEARCH
ENDOWMENT: $25 MILLION
The campaign will fund a $25 million endowment to
support ongoing cancer research at the Karmanos Cancer
Institute. Over the years, many important advances in cancer
care have been made at the Institute – and groundbreaking
discoveries are on the horizon. Cancer researchers at
the Institute are currently conducting more than 700
cancer-specific scientific studies and clinical trials.
PROSTATE CANCER PROGRAM:
$25 MILLION
With $25 million designated for a new prostate cancer
program, the Institute will be able to fund innovative
prostate cancer research and recruit top prostate cancer
researchers and physicians. The funding promises to make
the Karmanos Cancer Institute a nationwide leader in
prostate cancer research and a destination for men seeking
treatment for the disease.
If you would like to contribute to the Building a Cancer-Free
Future campaign, please call 313.576.8121.

KARMANOS FAMILY GIVES
$25 MILLION TO CAMPAIGN
As part of the Building a Cancer-Free Future campaign,
Peter Karmanos, Jr. and his family recently announced
they will give $25 million to the Karmanos Cancer
Institute over 10 years.
The generous gift is in addition to the $25 million
Mr. Karmanos has already given to the Institute. The
chairman and CEO of the Compuware Corporation
is the largest contributor to the Institute. His late wife,
Barbara Ann Karmanos, died of breast cancer in 1989.
The Institute was renamed in her memory in 1995.
“Certainly this gift is a continuing memorial to my
mother,” said Nick Karmanos, Vice President of
Development at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. “But
it’s also much more than that. My father and our whole
family believe in the importance of cancer research and
providing cancer patients with the best possible care.
We know groundbreaking work is being done right here
in Detroit and we feel compelled to support it.”
Local Business Leaders Give Millions
BUILDING A
Cancer Free FUTURE
Many local business leaders and families are joining the Karmanos family in supporting the Institute’s comprehensive
campaign. While we can’t list every contribution to the fundraising effort, the following major gifts are worth noting.
These generous contributions will help fund groundbreaking cancer research, state-of-the-art facilities and innovative
new programs at the Karmanos Cancer Institute.
• Charles Becker of Grosse Pointe, Mich. is making
a $5 million gift to the campaign. He is a principal
in Becker Ventures of Troy, Mich.
• Edward C. Levy, Jr. of Birmingham, Mich. has
pledged a $5 million gift to the campaign. He is
president of the Edward C. Levy Company in Detroit.
• Grand Sakwa Properties, LLC, of Farmington Hills,
Mich. is making a $5 million corporate gift to the
campaign. The real estate development firm is co-owned
by Stephen Grand of San Francisco, Calif. and Gary
Sakwa of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
• Joseph Dresner and family of Franklin, Michigan have
made a $5 million gift to the campaign.
PETER KARMANOS, JR.
HOPE | 9

BUILDING A
Cancer Free FUTURE
Building a Home to Hope
In the next five years, the
Karmanos Cancer Institute
will invest more than $100
million to expand its clinical
and research facilities.
10 | HOPE
A Pioneer in Cancer Care,
Karmanos Looks Toward the Future

The world of quality cancer patient care and
ground-breaking research is ever changing, and the
Karmanos Cancer Institute is constantly looking toward
the future. In the next two years, the look of the Institute
will evolve and change with the help of the community,
donors and staff. Early next year, the Institute will break
ground on a new $47 million facility at its Midtown
campus, and hundreds will play a part in the Institute’s
transformation into a world-class cancer care center.
To prepare for the construction planning process, the Patient
and Family Advisory Committee, a committee consisting
of cancer patients, family members, caregivers and member
of the Karmanos staff, provided design and layout input on
behalf of the thousands of patients and family members who
are treated at the Institute each year.
“We gave input on every aspect of the project – The
committee is a very verbal group and we were allowed to
give feedback on the ideas that were presented,” said Stuart
Itzkowitz, Ph.D., LPC, an education counselor at Wayne
State University and an active member of the Karmanos
Cancer Institute’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee.
In the next five years, the Karmanos Cancer Institute will
invest more than $100 million to expand its facilities in
Midtown Detroit and at the Weisberg Cancer Treatment
Center in Farmington Hills. There are also plans to create
new facilities in Southeast Michigan.
The new addition (as viewed while driving northbound
on John R) will include a surgical pavilion
with eight operating rooms, a diagnostic suite and
19 inpatient beds – all exclusively dedicated to
cancer care – as well as free valet for patients.
BUILDING A
Cancer Free FUTURE
The construction project at the main campus will include a
surgical pavilion with eight operating rooms, a diagnostic
and imaging pavilion and 19 new inpatient beds. The unique
façade of the building will create a distinctive presence on
the street front, and will serve as a beacon of hope for every
cancer patient who walks through the doors.
The $1.75 million, three-phase interior renovation project
included construction of a new Bone Marrow Transplant
(BMT) clinic, a new chemotherapy pharmacy and aesthetic
changes to the Wertz Clinical Cancer Center Atrium.
Phase I involved the new BMT clinic in the main lobby
of the Institute. The space includes consultation rooms,
expanded staff workstations, exam rooms and a patient
waiting area.
The pharmacy was part of Phase II of the renovation
project. During this phase, the cancer-focused pharmacy
was expanded to four times its former size. The additional
space will greatly improve the efficiency of chemotherapy
and medication delivery to patients.
The final phase of the construction project included visual
and patient-flow changes to the Institute’s atrium. An un-
restricted walkway was created through the middle of the
space, including half-walls to provide privacy to patients
waiting for their clinical appointments. An expanded
waiting area for the Walt Comprehensive Breast Center
was also added.
The patient-friendly lobby will have an open
and airy feel, while the Center’s clinical spaces
will include private waiting areas and
state-of-the-art technology and equipment.
The unique architecture will draw attention to the
facility and can easily be seen by patient and visitors.
HOPE | 11

UP CLOSE
GEORGE H. YOO, M.D., FACS
What’s the most important personality
trait of a cancer surgeon? If you ask George Yoo,
M.D., he’ll likely tell you it’s a positive attitude.
“Beyond providing quality patient care, I think it’s
important to be positive with patients,” he says. “I think
positively – showing up to work with a smile every morning
and meeting patients with a sense of hope, even when things
can look quite dismal. That’s an important way we support
our patients.”
For Dr. Yoo, the day starts at 4:30 a.m. As vice president of
medical affairs at Karmanos Cancer Center and leader of the
Institute’s Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team, he needs
every minute of daylight. After all, he’s also a surgeon with
a full load of cases, a husband and a father of three young
children. “I get to the hospital early every day because I try
to leave no later than 6 p.m. each night. It’s very important
to me to spend time with my family.”
Dr. Yoo was born in Korea and lived there until he was two
years old. Then he and his family moved to the United States,
living in Connecticut for a few years before settling in Kansas.
M.D., FACS
TITLE: Vice President of Medical Affairs, Karmanos
Cancer Center; Leader, Head and Neck Multidisciplinary
Team; Associate Professor, Departments of
Oncology and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck
Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine
EDUCATION: M.D. from the University of
Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas; B.S.
in Chemical Engineering from the University of
Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.
TRAINING: Residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital
in Baltimore, Maryland; Fellowship in Otolaryngology
– Head and Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital
in Baltimore, Maryland.
AGE: 42
HOBBIES: Running
HOME: Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan
FAMILY: He and wife, Karen, have three children.
[BIO] GEORGE H. YOO,
12 | HOPE
He attended high school and college in Kansas – studying
chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. But
during his undergraduate studies he learned something
important about himself.
“I wanted to do something where I’d be helping people,”
Dr. Yoo says. “I like treating patients and I enjoy the academic
aspects of medicine, where you can do a combination of
clinical work, teaching and research.”
After receiving his medical degree from the University of
Kansas, he relocated to Baltimore for a surgical residency and
fellowship in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at
the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1996, he joined
the faculty at Wayne State University School of Medicine and
later joined the staff of the Karmanos Cancer Center.
In Dr. Yoo’s new role as vice president of medical affairs,
his primary responsibility is sustaining the high level of
quality patient care at the Cancer Center by collaborating with
physicians, nurses, support staff and hospital administration.
He is also coordinating process improvements to enhance the
delivery of exceptional patient care throughout the Center.
“My goal is to help facilitate the Center’s journey to
becoming one of the top-ten cancer centers in the nation,”
he says. “We want to be innovative when it comes to patient
care. We hope to continue raising the bar – improving our
already exceptional quality of care.”
His new administrative position means Dr. Yoo is committed
to continuing his patient practice and his leadership of the
Institute’s Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team.
“As a physician, my role is first and foremost to provide quality
care for patients – but I also see my role as a provider of hope
to patients,” Dr. Yoo says. “I’m a surgeon, but even when I’m
not operating – let’s say a patient is going through radiation
and chemotherapy instead – I still have to be a cheerleader for
that patient and help him through it.”
In his characteristically positive attitude, Dr. Yoo sees a
great improvements in cancer care on the horizon – many
of the improvements taking place right here at the
Karmanos Cancer Center.
“We’re making great improvements in the quality of life
of cancer patients – helping people live better lives while they
are fighting the disease,” Dr. Yoo says. “That’s something to
get excited about.”

UP CLOSE
GEORGE H. YOO,
M.D., FACS
Vice President of Medical
Affairs at the Karmanos Cancer
Center; Leader, Head and Neck
Multidisciplinary Team.
“We want to be
innovative when it
comes to patient
care. We hope to
continue raising
the bar – improving
our already exceptional
quality of care.”
HOPE | 13

The Winning Team
Sarcoma Survivor Trades Soccer
Jersey for Nursing Scrubs
When you play soccer for 13 years, you’re bound to
get some bumps and bruises. Just ask Somer Davidson
of Garden City. She’ll tell you pain is part of the
game. You either learn to play through it...or you sit
on the bench.
Maybe that’s why the college student didn’t give much
thought to the shin pain she began experiencing while
working at a summer job as a mail carrier during 2001.
“The pain was indescribable – but I was 20 years old,
healthy and active; I didn’t think it could be anything
serious,” Somer says.
She was wrong. When the pain began creeping up
her knee, Somer’s supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service
forced her to go to the doctor – telling her she couldn’t
return to work without a doctor’s note. It may have
saved her life.
Once at the doctor, test results all pointed in the same
direction: Somer had osteosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
Sarcoma is a cancer of the body’s connective tissue
– bone, cartilage, fat, muscle or blood vessels. More
than 70 varieties of the disease make it challenging to
diagnose and treat. The two major types of sarcoma are
soft tissue sarcoma and osteosarcoma (bone cancer).
Soft tissue sarcomas are most common in adults, while
osteosarcoma – like the kind Somer had – is most
common in children and teens.
Somer turned to the Karmanos Cancer Center where she met
Michael P. Mott, M.D., team leader of the Institute’s Multidisciplinary
Sarcoma Team, and associate professor of surgery
at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
In the past, a patient like Somer may have lost her leg, but
doctors hoped to save it with a combination of chemotherapy
and limb salvage surgery. In November 2001, after six
chemotherapy treatments, Somer had nine inches of her tibia
removed and replaced with bone from a deceased donor.
While Karmanos Cancer Center physicians performed the
surgery, Somer recovered at Children’s Hospital of Michigan
on a unit specializing in treatment of osteosarcoma patients.
“I never felt sorry for myself,” Somer says. “I just told myself
this is a chapter of my life and I need to get through it.”
14 | HOPE
SOMER DAVIDSON Photo by: Gregg Hettel
“The doctors and nurses made such a
huge difference in my life, in ways they
will never know. I hope I can do that for
someone someday.”
Now 25, Somer’s cancer battle appears to be over. While she
no longer plays soccer or participates in high-impact activities,
she remains active by walking and riding a bike. She’s also a
active as a student, now in her final year of the nursing
program at Madonna University.
She says her experiences with physicians and nurses
at the Karmanos Cancer Center and Children’s
Hospital inspired her career choice.
“I was interested in nursing before, but this made my decision
clear,” Somer says. “The doctors and nurses made such a huge
difference in my life, in ways they will never know. I hope
I can do that for someone someday.”
She’ll have plenty of opportunities. As a student nurse at
Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Somer is currently working
on the same floor where she was a patient just four years ago.

Young Professionals Take an Active Role
in the Future of the Karmanos Cancer Institute
For nearly 13 years, Partners has been committed to raising
money for the Karmanos Cancer Institute - and they’ve been
quite successful. The group has raised more than $4.8 million
for cancer research and technology.
“Young professionals should willingly contribute philanthropically
to the community and also encourage philanthropic
activity among their peers and within their
organizations,” said Nathan Forbes, managing
partner, The Forbes Company, and honorary chair,
along with his wife Catherine, for the 2006
Partners events. Mr. Forbes continued, “Giving
makes a difference at a time when change, leading
to the improvement of life, is still possible.”
The Partners Executive Committee members
range in age from 25 to 45, with a limit of 50 years
of age. The group feels the age limit ensures the
group remains dynamic, assuring transition and
opportunity for new leadership and direction.
Each year, the group hosts a golf outing and an evening
celebration of dinner and dancing. According to Forbes, this
year’s Partners’ Night is “pushing the envelope” with an upbeat
style and flavor set in a unique venue. It promises to be one of
the hottest social events of the year.
Working
Interested in Philanthropy?
According to Nathan Forbes, it’s important to find a non-profit
organization that is most likely to produce the results they
intend. Second, using the resources at hand within your
corporate world to meet the needs of a non-profit organization
can create immense benefits for all parties. Last, but not least,
live by example. Forbes says, “You cannot expect others to
follow your lead if you do not show a passion for philanthropy
and display acts of charitable kindness within your community.”
2006 Partners Events
PARTNERS
GOLF CLASSIC
Monday, August 28
Orchard Lake Country Club
in Orchard Lake, Michigan
2 tee times: 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
PARTNERS
NIGHT –
GIVE INTO
THE NIGHT
Saturday,
September 9
Neiman Marcus,
Somerset Collection
in Troy, Michigan
Silent Auction , cocktails and
strolling savory fare will begin
at 7:30 p.m.
Program, live auction, DJ Michael Smith
and dancing will begin at 9:00 p.m.
FOR A CURE
If you would like to learn more
about Partners at the Karmanos
Cancer Institute, please contact
Kristin Curle at (313) 576-8106
or curlek@karmanos.org. Or,
visit the Partners website at
www.kci-partners.com

Annual Dinner
HOME TO HOPE
Hundreds turn out for the Karmanos
Cancer Institute’s 24th Annual Dinner
More than 700 guests celebrated a year of
accomplishments at The Barbara Ann Karmanos
Cancer Institute’s Home to Hope gala on June 3.
“It was a grand party to thank everyone for supporting
the Karmanos Cancer Institute during the last year,” says
Nancy Smith, who served as chair of the event along with
her husband, John Smith, General Motors group vice
president, Global Product Planning. Co-chairs for the
event were Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg, chairman
and CEO of Kenwal Steel Corp., and Jennifer and David
Fischer, chairman and CEO of The Suburban Collection.
Dick Purtan, host of the morning show on the Motor
City’s 104.3 WOMC, emceed the black-tie event.
The annual dinner is traditionally one of the Karmanos
Cancer Institute’s largest fundraising events – and this
year was no exception. Through ticket sales, a raffle,
auction and corporate sponsorships, the dinner raised
nearly $730,000 resulting in the highest annual dinner
net revenue in the history of the Institute.
“Fundraising is particularly important right now
since the Institute recently became an independent
organization and plans to expand its services and
facilities,” Nancy Smith says.
Held at the Detroit Marriott, the event featured a raffle
and a Candle Tribute Program, with candles from Saks Fifth
Avenue. The Program was started in 1993 and provides an
opportunity to honor or remember a loved one, while supporting
advancements in cancer research and patient care. A special, live
auction during the event raised money through the sale of donated
items, including a Super Bowl package and a week-long vacation
for six in a private French villa.
In addition to enjoying fine food and wine, Home to Hope guests
were part of a special announcement made by Peter Karmanos,
Jr., chairman and CEO of Compuware, as he pledged a $25
million family gift to the Institute’s Building a Cancer Free Future
campaign. In addition, John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D., president and
chief executive officer of Karmanos Cancer Institute, shared his
plans for the future – including a $47 million expansion project.
The lead sponsor of the event was Kenwal Steel Corp. Other key
sponsors included: Compuware Corporation, The Suburban
Collection, General Motors Corporation and Credit Union One.
16 | HOPE
ABOVE: DR. JOHN RUCKDESCHEL PRESENTS EMCEE,
DICK PURTAN, WITH A SPECIAL AWARD
ABOVE: ANNUAL
DINNER CHAIRS NANCY
AND JOHN SMITH
LEFT: ANNUAL DINNER
CO-CHAIRS FRANCES AND
KENNETH EISENBERG
(LEFT) AND JENNIFER AND
DAVID FISCHER (RIGHT)

Planning Ahead
TO BEAT BREAST CANCER
ONE WOMAN’S PLANNED GIFT ESTABLISHES
NEW BREAST CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM.
Cancer touched Violet Heinebrodt’s life in many ways. She survived breast cancer when she was in
her 40s; her husband, Earl, battled cancer multiple times during his life; and their daughter, Gail
Ann, died at 29 after a long struggle with the disease.
Through it all, friends say Violet was a cheerful, hopeful person. Her hopeful nature may have been
why she included the Karmanos Cancer Institute in her estate plans. When Violet passed away
in 2004 at 82, she left half of her estate – a gift totaling more than $400,000 – to establish a new
breast cancer research program at the Institute.
“Violet wanted to support breast cancer research – if not to find a cure, at least to help in the
effort,” said Rose Christensen, a longtime friend and the appointed trustee of Violet’s estate. “She
had taken care of her daughter as she struggled with breast cancer and she hoped her gift would
help breast cancer patients in some way.”
It’s likely that the gift will help thousands of breast cancer patients in the future. According to
Steve Ethier, Ph.D., deputy center director and director of basic research at Karmanos Cancer
Institute, the funds will establish a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art research project that will help
guide future clinical trials in breast cancer.
“We’re using Mrs. Heinebrodt’s gift to set up and run a new breast cancer oncogenomics program,”
Dr. Ethier said. “In this program, we will begin sophisticated molecular diagnostic analysis of
patients’ breast cancer tissue and develop new models for research on targeted therapeutics.”
“There are many different types of breast cancer, each with a different genetic cause,” Dr. Ethier
says. “We’re working in the lab to identify the different genetic causes of breast cancer. Once
we’ve conducted that basic research and identified a molecular fingerprint, pharmaceutical
companies will have the opportunity to develop targeted treatments.”
Thanks in part to Violet’s generous gift, physicians should someday be able to classify cancers
based on the molecular fingerprint of the disease and treat the patient with drugs targeting
that specific, molecular form of cancer. The outcome promises to be much more effective
therapies than we currently have.
“Instead of just saying this is a 50-year-old woman with Stage III breast cancer, we’ll be able
to provide a complete molecular diagnosis of the disease,” Dr. Ethier says.
Based on that information, doctors will be able to choose the best treatment for each patient.
“This is an example of one person choosing to make a difference in the lives of many
others,” said Nick Karmanos, vice president of development, Karmanos Cancer Institute.
“Through this new research program, Mrs. Heinebrodt’s gift promises to touch the lives
of many women. We are so grateful for her generosity.”
If you or someone you know would like to arrange a Planned Gift to the
Karmanos Cancer Institute, please contact the Institute’s Development
Office at (313) 576-8150 or visit www.karmanos.org.
TOP: VIOLET AND HER
HUSBAND, EARL; CENTER: VIOLET, EARL
AND THEIR DAUGHTER, GAIL ANN ON HER
WEDDING DAY; BOTTOM: VIOLET AND
EARL ON VACATION IN FLORIDA.
HOPE | 17

AROUND
town
NORTH BROTHERS
FORD WALK
On May 13, 2006 North Brothers Ford and the
City of Westland hosted the 8th Annual 5K Fun
Run/Walk. Over 80 participants battled the dreary
weather to make this year’s event a great one! A
long-time supporter of the Karmanos Cancer
Institute, North Brothers Ford has donated over
$23,000 to benefit breast cancer research.
“North Brothers Ford has had a long tradition of
supporting many worthwhile organizations in our
local community and we’re proud to support the
fight against cancer – a disease that touches all of
us in some way,” said J. Douglas North, president
of North Brothers Ford, Inc. He continued, “It is
our privilege to donate the proceeds from our 5K
Fun Run to the Karmanos Cancer Institute, which
does so much in the important fight against cancer.”
The 9th Annual 5K Fun Run/Walk is scheduled
for May 19, 2007.
18 | HOPE
BIRMINGHAM UNIFIED’S BRANDON CONLIN AND
COUNTRY DAY’S STU SHANNON IN ACTION APRIL 21
Photo Courtesy of Michael Sackett/Score! Student & Athlete Magazine
LORI CUMMER, DOUGLAS NORTH AND JACKIE MARCACCINI
2ND ANNUAL BATTLE
TO BEAT CANCER
Who knew a father/son rivalry could turn into an
event to benefit a good cause? When John Kenney’s
brother, Jeremiah, was diagnosed with a form of
blood cancer, they were determined to beat the
disease. Unfortunately, Jeremiah lost his battle with
cancer in April 2005, but John and his son Jake
decided to continue their family’s fight against
the disease. Jake rallied students at Seaholm High
School in Birmingham, to begin a new tradition
– the Battle to Beat Cancer. During their first year,
the event raised nearly $8,000. This year, Detroit
Country Day School in Beverly Hills took their
turn at hosting the Battle to Beat Cancer and raised
nearly $23,000 for the fight against the disease.
The Kenney family, and all those involved in the
Battle to Beat Cancer, look forward to continuing
this great tradition, while helping to create awareness
and generating funds for the Institute.

GARDEN CITY MOOSE LODGE
The Garden City Loyal Order of the Moose
(#538) and Women of the Moose (#1339)
hosted their Annual Cancer Auction in April
2006. During their first year supporting the
Karmanos Cancer Institute, the auction raised
more than $8,000. Both groups are a great new
addition to the Institute’s Friends Raising
Funds family.
In order to honor loved ones who have fought,
or are continuing to fight against cancer, the
Loyal Order of the Moose and Women of the
Moose decided to raise funds to support valuable
cancer research.
Kim Dowidait, the event organizer, said, “We are
always so happy to have the opportunity to give
back to our community, and by raising money
for the Karmanos Cancer Institute, we’re able to
support our friends and family who have been
affected by this terrible disease.”
The 2nd Annual Cancer Auction is scheduled
for April 28, 2007.
FRIENDS RAISING FUNDS
The Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Friends Raising Funds program
provides support to individuals, community organizations and businesses
that seek ways to get involved with the Institute or Cancer Center. From
golf outings and walks to bake sales and private dinners, hosting your
own event offers a great way to help fellow patients, survivors and
families undergoing a cancer diagnosis or treatment. Through
hundreds of events, the Friends Raising Funds program raises
more than $400,000 each year.
AROUND
town
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CHERYL BRUNET, SHARI EBLE, PAT VALANTAS,
MICHELLE WALSH, JERRY DONALDSON, KIM DOWIDAIT, MAUREEN BENDER
For more information
on how you can get
involved in an Institute
or fundraising event,
ALIE Blooms AND FRIENDS CHOSE TO RAISE
contact for Maureen Tomorrow Bender
MONEY FOR BLOOMS FOR TOMORROW.
at 313-576-8111 or
EACH INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISING GROUP
benderm@karmanos.org.
CAN DECIDE WHERE THE MONEY THEY
RAISE WILL BE ALLOCATED.
HOPE | 19

SURVIVOR STORY
Surprised BY LIFE
SHERONZA SCOTT, HERE WITH HER
DAUGHTER, SAGE, LOST HER HAIR DURING
CHEMOTHERAPY, BUT SHE SAVED HER BREAST
AND SURVIVED HER BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER.
24 | HOPE
In many ways, Sheronza
Scott’s story is like a
thousand others. Her
breast cancer went
undiagnosed until she
pursued a second opinion
at the Karmanos Cancer
Center. She lost all her
hair during chemotherapy,
but eventually won her
battle with cancer –
just like many other
Karmanos patients.
In one
remarkable
way, Sheronza’s
story is like
no other.

Her story begins in 2004, when – at age 26 – she discovered a
large lump in her breast.
“I went to the doctor and they told me it was probably nothing,
just a calcium build-up,” Sheronza says. “They said I was too
young for it to be anything else.”
But Sheronza pressed the issue – knowing her aunt had been
diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age. She went to a
local hospital for a mammogram, but doctors there still said
the lump was nothing to be concerned about.
She went on with her life, but in four months the lump had
grown even larger. That’s when she turned to the Karmanos
Cancer Center.
A mammogram and biopsy revealed it was invasive ductal
breast cancer. Within days Sheronza met with Cassann Blake,
M.D., a member of the Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team
at the Karmanos Cancer Center, and assistant professor of
surgery at Wayne State University. Dr. Blake and members of
the team collaborated to develop a treatment plan aimed at
removing the cancer while saving Sheronza’s breast.
“Her mass was of the size that we could not save her breast
without chemotherapy,” Dr. Blake says. “But with this
particular type of chemotherapy, there’s a risk of something
called ‘chemotherapy induced ovarian failure.”’
Dr. Blake informed Sheronza there was a chance the
chemotherapy would cause premature menopause – making
her unable to have children.
“That was a risk I was willing to take, even though I really
wanted to have kids someday,” Sheronza said.
So Sheronza received chemotherapy for six months and with
a very good response to the treatment, her tumor shrunk in
size. At that point, she was ready for surgery. Dr. Blake was
able to save Sheronza’s breast by performing a lumpectomy
and an axillary lymph node dissection. Then Sheronza started
the last leg of her treatment: radiation therapy.
At about this time, Sheronza stopped having her monthly
menstrual cycle. It seemed the chemotherapy had, in fact,
caused ovarian failure. But Dr. Blake wasn’t so sure.
“Her treatment was going very well,” Dr. Blake says. “But
I counseled her that even though you’re not seeing your
monthly cycle, it doesn’t mean you are necessarily infertile.
I wanted her to see an OB/GYN to be sure.”
But Sheronza was so focused on her battle with cancer, she
didn’t worry about the question of fertility – at least not at
first. She and her longtime boyfriend, Walter, simply went
CASSANN BLAKE, M.D., A MEMBER OF THE BREAST CANCER
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM AT THE KARMANOS CANCER CENTER,
AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY.
forward with their lives, making peace with the fact that she’d
probably never be able to have children.
“A few months later, my treatments were over and it looked
like I’d beaten the cancer. So I started thinking maybe I would
like to have a baby someday,” Sheronza says.
She researched the adoption process. She even talked to a
cousin about the possibility of her becoming a surrogate
mother for her. Then something happened.
“I was gaining weight and just not feeling well,” she says. “I
was having stomach problems and I started feeling this hard
lump in my stomach.”
When Sheronza saw a television show about ovarian cancer,
she quickly became convinced the cancer had returned. She
went to the emergency room of her local hospital.
“With my history of cancer and this hard mass in my stomach,
they took me seriously,” she says.
The Emergency Department physicians were about to do a
CT scan when the results of Sheronza’s urinalysis came back.
She didn’t have cancer, she was five months pregnant.
“At that moment, I felt unbelievably blessed,” Sheronza says.
Through the remaining months of her pregnancy, Sheronza
followed up with her physicians at the Karmanos Cancer
Center as well as her obstetrician. Her cancer was gone and
her pregnancy was on track.
On January 12, 2006, Sheronza and Walter welcomed a
healthy baby girl into the world. They named her Sage
Madison Reese.
“She’s a beautiful, healthy little girl. We are so blessed,”
Sheronza says. “I’m so thankful to God for getting me
through this and giving her to us.”
She says she’s also thankful to Dr. Blake and everyone at
Karmanos. “When I was sick, I prayed that God would bring
me caring doctors with careful hands, and that’s exactly what
I found at Karmanos.”

Event Calendar
SEPTEMBER 1-4, 2006
Twist & Lifetime Spa
Chrysler Arts Beats & Eats
Pontiac
www.artsbeatseats.com
SEPTEMBER 9, 2006
Partners Night -
Give into the Night
Neiman Marcus, Somerset
Collection, Troy
SEPTEMBER 11, 2006
Wilson Memorial Golf Outing
Hidden River Golf & Casting Club
Brutus, MI
SEPTEMBER 16, 2006
4th Annual Janet Lynn Ripper
Golf Outing
Salem Hills Golf Club, Northville
SEPTEMBER 17, 2006
3rd Annual Gianni Ferrarotti
Lung Cancer Walk & Rally
Kensington Metro Park, Milford
SEPTEMBER 21, 2006
Remarkable Women Luncheon
Ritz Carlton, Dearborn
SEPTEMBER 22, 2006
Whispers of Hope -
Ovarian Cancer Fundraising
Dinner and Silent Auction
San Marino Ladies Auxiliary, Troy
4100 JOHN R
DETROIT, MI 48201
www.karmanos.org
(800) KARMANOS
(1-800-527-6266)
Email: hope@karmanos.org
...................................................
KELLY C. GASIOR
Interim Vice President,
Institutional Relations
JACQUELINE TROST
Editor
Public Relations Specialist
COURTNEY McCRIMMON
Associate Editor
Science Writer
...................................................
Copyright 2006 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.
SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1, 2006
American Sewing Expo
Rock Financial Showplace, Novi
OCTOBER 5, 2006
Kroger & WOMC present
the 1st Ovarian Cancer
Awareness Dinner
Diamond Center, Rock Financial
Showplace, Novi
OCTOBER 19, 2006
Call-2-Care WDVD &
Gordon Chevrolet Radiothon
Gordon Chevrolet, Westland
OCTOBER
Brighton Collectibles
Power of Pink
Somerset Collection, Troy
DECEMBER 2, 2006
5th Annual Suad Alie &
Friends Holiday Gala
Bint Jebail Cultural Center,
Dearborn
DECEMBER 2, 2006
Steve Cruchon Bowling
Tournament
For more information contact
(800) KARMANOS or visit
www.karmanos.org/events.asp
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
DETROIT, MI
PERMIT NO. 1579