PCRI News

PCRI Produces Educational Lecture in Florida
Monday, February 9, 2004

In Ft. Myers, Florida, on Saturday, February 7, PCRI staged the first of its planned educational lecture programs. The event proved to be very popular. One hundred and eighty seven people attended the afternoon lecture given by renowned medical oncologist and prostate cancer expert, Dr. Stephen B. Strum. “Lessons From Experience” was an appropriate title for Dr. Strum’s planned four-hour presentation of actual case studies from his years of prostate cancer oncology experience.
The audience consisted of PC patients and their advocates who traveled from 12 different states, plus Germany, to hear the co-founder and former Medical Director of PCRI share his knowledge. The hands-on format included personal vignettes from patients, corresponding medical references, take-home lessons, and a Question & Answer session with the patients involved.

Attendees were so actively engaged in note-taking and discussion that, at their request, a planned 15 minute break was reduced to five minutes, and Dr. Strum extended the originally scheduled four-hour meeting to 51/2 hours for their benefit. Kris from Bradenton, Florida called it “a wonderful afternoon…If any of you ever get a chance to hear Dr. Strum speak in person, please go. He really cares, and while he makes things understandable, he does not speak down to his audience, and does not minimalize, or act the ‘expert’…

Thanks to Dr. Strum for taking time out of his busy schedule, and a big thanks to Jan for putting all this together. Great job!”
The meeting was coordinated by PCRI’s Educational Facilitator in Florida, Jan Manarite, with the valuable assistance of Jim O’Hara, PCRI’s Educational Facilitator in Georgia. Donna Pogliano, co-author of A Primer on Prostate Cancer: The Empowered Patient’s Guide joined Dr. Strum to autograph copies of their publication and assist the attendees who wanted to acquire the comprehensive book. Donna also appeared on Ft. Myers’ local NBC station for a live promotional interview prior to the Saturday event.

With the success of this event, Ft. Myers points the way for other communities around the country to host similar educational lectures by eminent PC experts. In keeping with its mission of educating the public and empowering prostate cancer patients, PCRI encourages community groups to stage such local events to help disseminate important information to the broadest possible population. Persons or groups interested are invited to contact Diana Garnand at PCRI (310-743-2116) for more information.

The Prostate Cancer Research Institute would like to recognize and extend its sincere appreciation to the following sponsors of this event, and to the volunteers (below) who offered their time and efforts. Without their assistance, it would have been difficult, even impossible, to have made this event such a successful educational experience for those battling prostate cancer.

Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center
The Bireley Foundation - Frank and Betty Bireley
Florida Radiology Consultants
Lee Cancer Care
Dattoli Cancer Foundation
Cytogen

Special thanks to the following volunteers:
Linda Driesbach, Hugh Drogemuller, Carl Frankel, Beverly Hanson, B. G. Hutchinson, Dick Knepper, Sandra Kyne, Jayne Lundell, Phil Lundell, Dominic Manarite, Lars Marrell, Hal Miller, Maureen Valiquette, George Waters, Bob Wimbush

Reproduced from PCRI Insights vol.7, no. 1

 

Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI)
 

Material provided by PCRI is intended for educational purposes for discussion with your physician and should not be considered as medical advice. Information and opinions expressed on this website are not an endorsement by PCRI for any treatment, product or service.