Dancing for the Cure held March 15, 2008, Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club

The Woman’s Cancer Assoc. of the University of Miami (WCA), Barton Ravlin Chapter, held its annual gala, Dancing for the Cure, at the Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club on March 15, 2008. Lori Ann Undorfer and Sara Lee Sanderson, event co-chairs, and Dwight Lauderdale, honorary gala chair, welcomed the sell-out crowd for this magical evening.

Romero Britto provided his art work “Night Out” for the invitations and program. Table sponsors included Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Irving & Kay Waltman and Wachovia Bank. Underwriters Federal Metals, Inc., Big Red Q Printing-South Miami, the Undorfer family and Rick & Janet Skipper sponsored the invitations, programs, champagne and roses. The live auction featured the owner’s suite on a Carnival cruise and an original painting by Luis Nunez and was conducted by Dwight Lauderdale, honorary chair.

WCA president Bonnie Weston , 1st vice president Sara Lee Sanderson, recording secretary Linda Sioli and many more members of the Barton-Ravlin Chapter and their guests made up the crowd of 150 who sipped champagne while perusing the silent auction, enjoyed the sounds of the rock ‘n’ roll band Been There, Done That, and were served an exquisite meal featuring petit fillet and sea bass with a chocolate truffle dessert.

The highlight of the program was honoring Dr. Tracie Miller, Director, Division of Pediatric Clinical Research at the UM School of Medicine, as WCA’s cancer researcher of the year. Her remarks about the strides being made at UM’s Pediatrics Dept. and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center received tremendous applause from everyone at the gala. Kathy Logan, was cheered as WCA’s volunteer of the year for contributing more than 1,400 hours at the association’s thrift store,The Bargain Box.

The silent and live auctions, along with donations and event sponsors Mark & Lori Ann Undorfer, UM Dept. of Pediatrics, Mrs. John C. Mackin and Williamson Cadillac all added to the more than $30,000 raised for cancer research. The gala proceeds will become part of WCA’s 2008 cancer research grants which will be awarded to UM doctors on May 8, 2008 at the Coral Reef Yacht Club. WCA awarded $304,000 for research grants to UM last year, and each year their awards grow. The Woman’s Cancer Assoc. is made up of 220 dedicated volunteers in four chapters and has contributed more than $11,000,000 to UM since its inception. The success of Dancing for the Cure and the many other fundraisers sponsored by WCA will continue to support the UM Miller School of Medicine in its mission to find cures for cancer and improve treatments for patients. After countless hours working on fundraisers each year, WCA members will readily tell you how important their mission is and how fortunate we all are to have hundreds of the finest cancer research doctors working right here in our very own community.

WCA Grant – $50,000
Kavitha Ramachandran, Ph.D. & Rakesh Singal, M.D.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
UM Miller School of Medicine

WCA Grant - $50,000
Teresa Zimmers, Ph.D.
Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
UM Miller School of Medicine

WCA Grant - $22,500
Patricia Cantwell, M.D.
Holtz Children’s Hospital
UM Miller School of Medicine
WCA Pediatric Bereavement Fund: to enhance the welfare of pediatric cancer patients and their families.

Madelon Ravlin Memorial Award - $100,000
Nandor Garamszegi, Ph.D. & Sean P. Scully, M.D., Ph.D
Sarcoma Biology Laboratory, Dept. of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
UM Miller School of Medicine

Archie & Bill Clot Memorial Award -$50,000
Steven E. Lipshultz, M.D.
Director-Department of Pediatrics
UM Miller School of Medicine

John D. Nolan Award - $50,000
Julio Barredo, M.D. & Guy Leclerc, Ph.D.
Director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
UM Miller School of Medicine