University of Virginia Health System

Patients & Friends will be holding its 3rd Hot Topic event on March 29th from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at the UVA Alumni Hall.

Speakers: Todd Bauer MD, Kim Kelly PhD, and Debbie Ryan

Please look back for more details. To RSVP for the event, please call 434-924-8536 or e-mail chull@virginia.edu.

Our local Charlottesville hockey league played against Richmond Hockey Fights Cancer in the annual Cure Cup to help raise money for cancer research and awareness at the Main Street Arena on December 10th.

The event raised $1,300 for Patients & Friends! Thank you to the Charlottesville Hockey League and espcially Trey Childs for organizing such a wonderful event.

Improving the Odds: UVA Cancer Center Attacks Pancreatic Cancer

There's no shortage of determination at the UVA Cancer Center, even in the face of a disease like pancreatic cancer. Despite 30 years of tremendous progress in treating other forms of cancer, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains below six percent. Biomedical engineer Kim Kelly PhD, is devoting her career to improving these odds for patients.

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is the lack of reliable test for early detection.

"Pancreatic cancer, by the time is detected, is almost always metastatic, meanin git has spread to other aresa of the body" notes Kelly.

Kelly hope to develop an imaging technique that could detect cancerous pancreatic cells before they metastasize, greatly improving treatment options and outcomes for patients. 

Read more in our newsletter, Investing in Hope.  

A Night of Wine & Friendship 

In September, Patients & Friends held its 2nd Annual Night of Wine & Friendship at the Prince Michel Wine Shop on Carter Mountain. Over 150 people joined us for a beautiful sunset while enjoying Prince Michel's award-winning wines!

Thank you to all who came out to support us.

The Power of Discovery

National Cancer Institute (NCI) - designated Cancer Centers are recognized for the excellence and breadth of their scientific enterprise. They are a major source of discovery and development of more effective approached to cancer preventaion, diagnosis and treatment.

This summer, an NCI panel of international experts visited the UVA Cancer Center as part of our renewal process. They were deeply impressed by our scientific and clinical excellence, ase well as the collegial spirit of the University's "Academical Village" and recommeded the renewal of our designation for another five years with a rating of "outstanding."

Read more in our newsletter, Investing in Hope.

Left: UVA Cancer Center Director Michael J. Weber, PhD

This year's Charlottesville Women's Four Miler was held on September 3rd and raised more than $300,000 to benefit the UVA Cancer Center's Breast Care Program and breast caner research through the Patients & Friends Research Fund.

Thank you to the Engineering Student Council for putting together an amazing race for the 3rd Annual Pi Miler! The day was perfect for running and a variety of students, faculty, staff, and community members came together to raise money for cancer research. Patients & Friends Committee member, Janet King, spoke to the runners and spectators before the race about the importance of cancer research at UVA. Thank you to everyone who came out!

Left: The Engineering Student Council Committee members present a check to Patients & Friends Representatives Boo Greene and Julie Dudley.

UVA welcomes Mary J. Laughlin, MD, as the leader of the new UVA Stem Cell Transplant Program. The program opened its doors in January, making UVA one of only a handful of medical centers on the East Coast to offer the full complement of curative therapies for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other life-threatening blood diseases. Dr. Laughlin is a pioneer and national leader in the research and clinical practice of umbilical cord blood transplants. Read more about Dr. Laughlin in the latest issue of Investing in Hope.

The brothers of Sigma Nu held a charity Xanadu concert in May that raised more than $3,000 for the Patients & Friends Research Fund!

Pictured here is Dana Faulders, co-chair of Patients & Friends, accepting the check at the Sigma Nu House.

In September, Patients & Friends kicked off our new fund-raising campaign with an event at the Prince Michel tasting room on top of Carter's Mountain. Amid beautiful scenery and breathtaking views, we announced our plans to raise $600,000 for cancer research at UVA by 2013.

"Now, more than ever, it's critical for people to support cancer research," explains Patients & Friends Co-Chair Dana Faulders. "The Patients & Friends Research Fund helps UVA retain, attract, and energize talented investigators. Every private dollar of support leverages research dollars from federal sources and large, private grant-makers. But what's more, private support is our best hope for finding the cures of tomorrow today."

Charlottesville Women's Four Miler

This year's Charlottesville Women's Four Miler was held on September 4^th and raised more than $335,000 to benefit the UVA Cancer Center's Breast Care Program and breast cancer research through the Patients & Friends Research Fund.

The brothers of Sigma Nu held a charity Xanadu concert in May that raised more than $3,000 for the Patients & Friends Research Fund!

Pictured here is Dana Faulders, co-chair of Patients & Friends, accepting the check at the Sigma Nu House.