Our 51st Annual Installation and Grant Distribution Luncheon was held at the Coral Reef Yacht Club on May 14, 2009. Marsha Kegley, Vice Pres. of Advancement, UM Miller School of Medicine, made opening remarks about the importance of WCA’s grants, and Bonnie Weston, WCA President 2007-2009, presented grants to this year’s recipients:

Vincent G. Bird, M.D., Madelon Ravlin Memorial Award, $ 49,520.

Mingli Liu, M.D., Archie & Bill Clot Memorial Award, $ 50,000.

John M. Goldberg, M.D., John D. Nolan Award, $ 50,000.

Ling Tang, Ph.D. & Jie Li, M.D., WCA Grant, $ 50,000.

Please remember that WCA’s Bargain Box, 1350 W. Flagler St., 305.643.2945, IS OPEN DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

Donations of gently used or new clothing, accessories, household goods, furniture, art, jewelry, toys, books, boutique items, etc., et al. are gladly accepted Mon. - Sat., 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Dr. Rakesh Singal, Assoc. Prof. of medicine and member of the Prostate, Bladder and Kidney Cancers Site Disease Group at Sylvester, has published a study in the Feb. 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research. He uncovered a potential therapeutic target for prostate cancer. His research has already led to a clinical trial that is underway at Sylvester. WCA awarded Dr. Singal a $50,000 grant in 2008.

Dr. David I. Sandberg, Ass’t. Prof. of Clinical Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, who received a WCA grant in 2007, has published his research on “4th Ventricle Chemo”.

Drs. Guy Leclerc, Caihong Mou, Gilles Leclerc, Abdul Mian and Julio C. Barredo of UM’s Dept. of Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Sylvester will present their research findings, supported in part by a WCA grant which was acknowledged in their abstract, at a national conference in April. They examined implications for Combination Therapies in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

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