Deserving of Recognition -- Day 22 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

On November 10, when we host the first gala that The Rose has put on for The Rose, we’ll be honoring some pretty significant individuals. You’ve already read Vicky’s story. Over the next couple of days you’ll read the stories of others we intend to spotlight.

When Eileen Campbell walks through the door, people know someone important just entered the room. She exudes a level of confidence found in those folks who have rubbed shoulders with major decision makers.  Her focus, especially when it comes to anything to do with changing the face of breast cancer, is nothing less than razor sharp and penetrating.  When she is extracting answers to difficult questions, she drills until she finds the answers. She’s held some incredibly significant positions as a lobbyist and now as Vice President of Public Policy for Marathon Oil Corporation. Her scope of knowledge is vast and the breast cancer world has benefitted greatly as a result.

My encounters with Eileen have run the gamut.  I remember serving on the public policy committee for the Houston Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure and meeting at Marathon. Eileen was in charge and agenda items were ticked off in record speed.  We had our assignments; now we needed to get out there and get it done.

For almost two decades, Eileen has championed public-private partnerships to raise awareness of breast cancer and reduce barriers to early detection and access to care. Her crusade began in the mid 90’s when she joined a Houston Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure® race to support a co-worker.  Over the years, her commitment grew, influenced both by her increased involvement with the Komen Houston Affiliate and her own experience with breast cancer.   She convinced Marathon to be a presenting sponsor for The Race for the Cure. (And since Houston Komen is The Rose’s largest funder, we’re truly grateful for that!)

Eileen and I have had other encounters -- awards luncheons, fundraising events -- but I did not get to see another side to her until she donated one of Kelly Gale Amen’s masterpiece benches to The Rose.  That’s when the woman who can quiet a room with a glance revealed herself to be a real “softy.”

Kelly’s benches are one-of-a-kind sculptured functional works of art. Eileen and husband Doug had purchased the bench at a Houston Komen Pink Tie Gala with the intent of giving it to The Rose.  We had the perfect spot for it in our lobby (which was always too bare) and we looked forward to the day we would host a reception for the dedication.  

Our event was intimate.  Folks from Houston Komen, Eileen and her family, Board members of The Rose, physicians and staff gathered in the Resource Center.  That was when I heard Eileen’s story.  I knew she had waged her own battle with breast cancer but her telling of that time brought yet another dimension to this dynamic woman.

“During my treatment, I realized how lucky I was to have the support of my family and employer,” she shared.  Like every survivor, she fought those very real worries about being around to see her daughters graduate and she gave examples of the many ways her family stood by her and supported her.  During her treatment she wasn’t VP of Marathon, she was another woman facing a battle she never expected yet determined to beat this crummy disease.  She spoke of hearing the stories of other women in the treatment room and even seeing one of our patient navigators by the side of a woman during chemotherapy.

Then she ended her speech, “I wondered how other women could possibly survive without insurance.  No matter what, no matter how much family and friend support, if a woman doesn’t have insurance or some way to get the treatment, she simply isn’t going to live to see her family grow, to see a graduation, a grandchild.” 

Her voice cracked at this point and she paused. “That is why I wanted to give this bench to The Rose.  I am so thankful there is a Rose in our city. It is the safety net for some many, a place where no one is turned away.”

She reached over and hugged me, and we were both fighting back tears.  The bench was dedicated and is now prominently displayed in our lobby. Every time I see a person using it I remember that hug and think how fortunate we are to have Eileen as a Champion.

She’s brought many gifts to The Rose including helping expand and improve our mobile services to corporations and businesses.  But perhaps her best gift was her long-time friend Jeanne Gillen.  Knowing that Eileen was ending her two-year term as president of the Houston Affiliate, I had reached out to her about serving on our Board.   At first she didn’t reply.  Then when she did, she hedged, talking about not wanting to make such commitment so soon and the increase in her workload.  Of course, I was disappointed.

However, later at a Komen event when I was serving as the guest speaker, she nearly tackled me at the conclusion of my speech. “There is someone I want you to meet,” she announced.

She ushered me through the crowd and soon we were standing in front of a lovely tall, white-haired lady who sported an easy smile.  The look in her eyes was a little guarded but quickly turned to curiosity as Eileen launched into her spiel. 

“Dorothy, I want you to meet Jeanne!  This is the person you need for your Board. She’s dynamic and would be great!  Talk to her!”  And with that final order, Eileen kind of pushed Jeanne toward me, turned on her heels and left.

Jeanne and I stood there for a moment.  I don’t know about her, but I was a bit dazed trying to sort out what had just happened.  Finally we smiled and started talking. Jeanne was everything Eileen described.  Eventually Jeanne would become a part of the Board (she still teases about how we “dated” for a while…but that’s another story.)  She even accepted the role of serving as the chair for our Silver Rose Gala steering committee. What a great addition Jeanne has been to our leadership, and once again, what a great gift Eileen has given to The Rose.

Dr. Mohamed Haq was a part of The Rose’s life before it was ever born.  As one of the first, and for a while. the only hematologist and oncologist on staff at Bayshore Medical Center, his was a specialty unlike any others. Trained at M.D. Anderson, Dr. Haq opened his practice in Pasadena in 1980. 

I remember when he joined the staff how incredibly gentle and kind he was, traits that have only grown over the years.  He used to come to my tiny office in the basement and ask me to pull together slides for him.  Looking back, I’m sure he struggled with moving from a large medical center teaching facility with all its resources and knowledge about the medical world of scientific lectures to a struggling, self-taught P. person whose real expertise was in creating news releases and brochures.  As good as I might have been with the camera, I never mastered the nuances of medical graphs using Y and X axis, nor how to display them appropriately for his lectures.  Patiently he returned with each blotched offering and explained what he needed.  I would try again and somewhere in the middle we came together.

One of the few personal conversations I ever had with Dr. Haq at that time was when I was admiring his achievements and saying how much his family must be proud of him.  He responded that in India, physicians are not held in such high esteem as the western world.  There everyone is acknowledged and equal, whether their profession is as a doctor, engineer, teacher or even service worker. It was a strange concept to me, especially after being around so many physicians whose personalities (some would say egos) were as varied and large as their practice.  But even then he exuded a sense of graciousness that has never gone away.

Dixie was already depending on him for all her patient’s oncology needs.  They created quite a team and a genuine confidence existed between the two—obvious and reassuring to patients.   I’ll never forget the time we opened The Rose when Dixie started our first support group.  Dr. Haq was one of our first official speakers at that tiny facility.  Remember it was only 988 sq ft and 500 of those feet were used for equipment and services.  Twenty women crammed into the tiny reception area and Dr. Haq began his presentation.  He projected his slides against an almost white wall which only distorted the images a little. The real trick was he had to arrange the projector on one side of a huge concrete column while he stood on the other.  This column was positioned dead center of the room, partially blocking the viewing for most of the audience.   I watched as people swayed from right to left, watching one side of the slide then moving to the other, trying to capture the full image as Dr. Haq lectured.  Every soul in that room was totally absorbed in his words and his explanations.

Even after all these years, I still remember one thing he said about chemotherapy. He likened it to using “an atomic bomb to get rid of a gnat.”  His tone was apologetic and sincere as he explained that chemotherapy was the best medicine had to offer right now and until there was a better treatment, it had to be used. The women in the room, heads bald, mouths plagued with sores, tired beyond tired, totally understood what he meant.   When he finished, the women would crowd around asking questions, seeking advice. He took time to answer each one, even though it meant staying until late into the night.

Throughout the years, Dr. Haq remained our physician to turn to. He was the first  physician who is was willing to take care of our uninsured women at no charge and helped us to establish the Physicians Network, now over 500 healthcare providers strong.  It is difficult to fully appreciate what it means for him to ‘accept’ a patient into care knowing there won’t be reimbursement.  Besides providing a staff to administer chemotherapy, he is committed to her for the full course of treatment—usually five years.

Later he headed up our Emergency Treatment Fund, developing the protocol and criteria for using donated funds to care for women who needed treatment but couldn’t qualify for any state or local program.  He painstakingly reviewed every chart and every application, ever mindful of determining what treatment regime was right for the patient as well as what could give her the best chance for survival -- all within our very limited budget. 

Colleagues refer to him as the “doctor to the doctors,” and his staff will tell you of his generosity, compassion, intelligence, and humility. (He’ll deny this but I have heard that he makes house calls.) His volunteer contributions to the community, his quiet behind-the-scenes work supporting worthy causes is legendary.  Recently he started his own primary clinic, the Shifa Clinic on Highway 3 in Clear Lake to serve the needs of a broader and diverse clientele.

He has always had an eye and love for research and I believe that someday his theories will prove correct and bring revolutionary changes to cancer treatment.

Of all the stories I could share about Dr. Haq, perhaps the one I love best is the tradition he had at his office for the longest time-maybe it continues today.  Whenever a breast cancer patient finishes her last chemotherapy, she is presented with a beautiful rose. 

Their ‘thorny’ time is over and with their rose comes celebration and love.

This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.

© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.

“In Motion” Is Right -- Day 21 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

The tagline reads: “In motion against breast cancer.”

That’s a perfect description of the Pink Ribbons Project and its Survivor Founder Susan Rafte. These days, it’s not unusual to see Susan enter the room, talking intently with an invisible someone but with no phone in sight. And then the ear piece is more evident and you realize she’s closing a conversation about one project as she’s arriving to discuss another.

She’s petite, agile, and possesses a simple elegance … even when she’s in a pair of jeans. She has some of the best shoes—especially her cowgirl boots--that one could ever imagine! Her mind never seems to stop connecting the dots and she’s constantly generating ideas for networking and new ways to draw attention to breast cancer.  

Multi-tasking is a way of life for this co-creator of the arts-based organization that not only raises funds for breast cancer groups like The Rose but also provides survivors and their family members a chance to express themselves through the arts.

I’ve known Susan for years – we’ve worked on various projects together since Pink Ribbons Project’s beginnings back in 1998 when they first became supporters of The Rose. Today we share responsibilities as board members of the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas. She’s a great supporter of The Rose. And she is also a survivor. She was diagnosed in 1995.

The story of Susan and her sister Jane Weiner is now legendary. Wanting to do something, Jane and her friends danced.  That dance created funds that eventually supported testimony for FDA approval of new drugs which would in fact be the drugs that would save Susan’s life.  It is an extraordinary story and one that continues to impact our community.

Throughout the years, Jane and Susan’s fundraising efforts have included more dance -- aka “Pink at the Brown,” an incredible production at the Wortham Theater which even warranted attendance by President Bush and wife Barbara.  Their Tour de Pink is a one-of-a-kind ride and Pink Platters features specially created plates displayed at only the finest restaurants. They even gave us a bit of “Broadway” when they brought “Bald in the Land of Big Hair” to a Houston stage.

All this fun has raised a lot of funds! The proceeds have covered the costs of expensive mammography equipment, including our most recent needs for digital equipment and superior ultrasound systems as well as partially funding one of the Mobile Mammography units.  Many of the dollars raised have gone directly to patient care. In fact, for the longest time, it was Pink Ribbons’ contributions that allowed for services for some of our women who truly fell between the cracks.

Of all the events we’ve collaborated on, the most recent has been one of the most well-received and special to our patients.  Giving our clients a special treat each first Tuesday of the month, area artists offer a day of instruction to those waiting for their screenings at The Rose Galleria. Pink Ribbons provides the funds to cover the costs of not only the day of art but also the needs of any sponsored patients that come in those days.

We transform the conference room adjacent to the waiting area into our own little art studio. Then paintings, jewelry, needlework, sculptures, and three-dimensional cards emerge as both women and men (lots of husbands) express their creative sides … or at least enjoy the coffee and homemade cupcakes made by our staff!

When one of the women holds up her creation for all to see, it’s easy to understand why Susan has devoted so much of her apparently never-ending energies to encouraging the use of the arts as therapy. The pride is there. The joy is there. And for a few moments, fears about health are pushed aside and a new creation is celebrated.

Those “Pink Days at The Rose” are great illustrations of what I imagine the inside of Susan’s brain must look like – creative, constant chatter, and a little bit of chaos all combined!

Even Pink Ribbons Project’s new executive director Loubel Cruz Galik has gotten in on the action of Pink Days. Her infectious smile was wide the day she dropped by to check on how it was going and wound up staying for a little creative expression of her own!

With Loubel now at the helm of Pink Ribbons Project, you might think that Susan would slow down but that would only be true if you didn’t know Susan. Those of us who have seen her in motion, know there’s no stopping her.

And The Rose … as well as the other local breast cancer organizations who benefit from Pink Ribbons Project regularly … are grateful!

(Click here for more information on Pink Ribbons Project.)

This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.

© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.

A Pink Goat, Yes, Really -- Day 20 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

I was in Canada when Palmer McInnis first made history with The Rose.  Board member Bob Domec had left a message on my phone, talking so fast I almost couldn’t make out what he was saying.

“Did you hear about the heifer?  Palmer’s heifer was covered in pink ribbons!  The auction brought $11,000!”

Heifer? Auction? I was totally confused and it was several hours before I learned the whole story. 

The year was 2005. Palmer was 16 years old and an avid FFA participant having brought many animals to the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo for showing and auction.   This year, his stepmother, Carla, was losing her battle against breast cancer.  Palmers Dad and Stepmother ran their own company and times had been tough.  They didn’t have insurance and when she needed help, The Rose was there. 

Carla was in ICU when Palmer showed his prized heifer and his decision to donate whatever money it brought during the auction to The Rose was pretty incredible.  You have to understand that these young people usually apply their “winnings” to their college costs. In Palmer’s mind, that money was better used by The Rose to help more women like his stepmother.

Fast forward to the fall of 2006.

While I wasn’t at the Livestock Show, I’ve heard many versions of the event –- an event that will go down in history, not just for The Rose but also for Pasadena and Deer Park. 

Imagine with me the sequence of events. 

Carla died not long after the donation from the heifer auction, and things got pretty tough for the McInnis family.  His dad was in major grief, work was sparse, and the boys (Palmer and his brother) pretty much held the family together.  He didn’t have money to raise, feed and care for another heifer, in fact he didn’t do a lot of things that year that his Senior buddies were doing.  It all boiled down to a matter of money.

Palmer is an incredibly handsome young man, with a modest-almost “aw shucks” approach and response to any praise.  But it is his sweet and generous nature that sets him apart from a lot of young people.  So that year, in spite of all, he didn’t give up.  He raised a goat, a plain simple goat. He named the goat Poncho and on the day of the Livestock Show and Rodeo, he spray painted it a bright pink color!   (Folks often ask if that hurt the goat—the answer is no; it washed off easily.)

His was an eighth place goat, not even in the running for any top awards and certainly not a candidate for earning much money from the auction.  In fact, if it brought $1,000 it would be lucky. But, undaunted, Palmer put a big pink ribbon around that little goat’s neck, and pulled his pink package into the ring.  He announced that whatever he raised from the auction would go to The Rose.

The auctioneer knew of Palmer’s story, his family’s loss, the way his winnings would go to The Rose and how Palmer’s heifer meant  $11,000 to The Rose the year before.  The auctioneer called for the first bid.

Joe and Debbie Chambers, owners of  “U Pick U Pull” Auto Parts in Pasadena started the bidding at $11,000!

The normal bidding continued until the bid reached $50,000—which Joe and Debbie Chambers paid. At that point, Bob Domec approached the auctioneer and told him Palmer’s dad had raised another $10,000 and Casa Ole’ was donating an additional $5,000 … that’s when everyone got in on the action.  

Someone shouted,  “I’ll add $5,000!”

Another yelled,  “Make that $10,000!”

In seconds, the crowd was going wild, clapping and screaming as the total grew. The frenzy was incredible.

The final figure came to $115,000.

Everyone was screaming and hugging.  Folks from The Rose were jumping up and down!  I still get chills remembering Brahana (our center director) tell me that she looked out over the crowd and saw grown men -- cowboys in their boots and hats—openly crying.  

It was a moment never before experienced in that convention center and most likely will never be recreated again.

Palmer beamed brighter than ever as he held on to Poncho -- which was given back to him.  Palmer’s story was picked up by every news station, and he was interviewed over and over by the local media. His answer to “Why would you do this? Why would give up you college money and be so generous to The Rose?” was always the same.

He’d smile and say, “It was the right thing to do.  All those women at The Rose could be helped.”

We nominated Palmer for the Yoplait Champion National award, which he won hands down and resulted in yet another gift of $1000 to The Rose.

It took months to “come down” from the excitement of that event and gift. Then, just when we were ready to move to yet another chapter in the life of The Rose, an interesting proposition was posed to The Board. 

Why couldn’t we start a Pink Goat Society?   It would be a way to reserve that $115,000 in a significant way and build upon it.  The concept was simple: anyone who gave a $1000 (or more) donation to The Rose could be a Pink Goat and be part of a very elite group of people.  We hired Rae Sinor to run the program and had tons of fun coming up with events, special gifts and ways to recognize our Pink Goats.   Radio star and Houston legend, Dana Tyson, even participated in the goat milking contest at the Houston Livestock Show as a way of participating in our Pink Goat Society. She came in second but it was great publicity for our group.

By the end of the first year, we went from 13 individuals who had given single gifts of $1000 to The Rose over the past few years to 80 people.  $80,000 plus $115,000 plus $11,000 wow that was a lot of money! The Pink Goat Society was a huge success and left us with such a legacy.

What a difference this young man made when he decided to do something special in memory of a woman who meant a lot to his life.

What a difference in The Rose’s life and the life of the women we served. 

PS.  Those folks that recognized Palmer had in fact “given away” his college tuition rounded up more folks and before we knew it, a Golf Tournament came about, raising lots of money to help offset some of his college costs.  Palmer is still in school and is still making a difference in the world.

Poncho eventually went to Dixie’s ranch where he lived out his short, but famous, life.

This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.

© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.

Shrimp, Goats, Bikes, Boards & Parachutes (continued)-- Day 19 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

Recently I got “up close and personal” with another of our newer fundraisers – the Jump for The Rose led by the courageous Marian Sparks.  Marian, like many, found herself without insurance after a divorce but jumped at the chance to have a “free mammogram” through a screening program at San Jacinto Hospital in Baytown.   

When her mammogram indicated there was a problem, she was given a sheet of paper showing different places she could go next -- one was The Rose.  Later, when Marian presented her first Jump for The Rose check, she told a small group of us, “I had never heard of The Rose before but I liked the sound of the name.”  She went on to say, “I didn’t know what to expect but when I came into the building I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this place is huge! And, just as I’d been told, it’s beautiful. Even so, everything was so scary.  If I had ever had any idea that I would be seen by Dr. Melillo who would later also be my surgeon, I would have known right away I was in good hands.  I was treated with such kindness and nobody knew I didn’t have insurance.”  

Tears filled my eyes hearing her words confirming what we try to do day in and day out.

After the biopsy, Dixie told Marian the news.  Yes she did have breast cancer, but the good news was it was very small.  Marian knew she was at high risk, being the daughter of a breast cancer survivor who had undergone a double mastectomy.  She began juggling all the questions involved in finding help and supporting herself.  A victim of Hurricane Ike with a house still in need of repairs, now cancer was one more obstacle.   Most of all, she was worried about how she would take care of herself and most of all how she would pay for the chemotherapy.

That was when Dixie told Marian that The Rose was going to take care of her.

Marian has a hard time taking this in. “I can’t believe you are going to do this for me,” she said.

Dixie responded, “Why do you think I started this place?”

Marian was stunned, “You started this place?"

Dixie smiled, “Yes with another woman.  I got tired of women coming to me with breast cancer and I couldn’t help.”  She went on to explain that as a non-profit organization, people raise money for The Rose, all kinds of people and corporations, plus grants.

Marian hugged Dixie and said, “Dr. Melillo when I get well, I’m going to raise money for you and The Rose.”

The idea of having a fundraiser started then and there. You see, before Marian was divorced, uninsured and battling breast cancer, she was an avid skydiver—chalking up over 800 dives. She had found a way to fund her passion by getting a Coach rating and teaching.  She even ran a small restaurant as another way to have money to jump with a friend from a Four Way Team which eventually went to National Competition.

As a way to give back, this remarkable and courageous soul started Jump for The Rose -- a skydiving event that has since established itself as a 501c (3) -- and, after only two years, raised nearly $25,000.

I attend as many events as I can. Walking through the crowds, meeting the women we’ve helped, hearing the stories of family members is inspiring. Once upon a time I heard almost every story there was to hear at The Rose because the “administrative office” was separated from the “clinical department” by only a bookcase! I miss that direct contact with our patients and am glad for the opportunities when they come along these days.

When Marian told us about this year’s event, I casually mentioned that I have always wanted to skydive.  “Why don’t you?” she asked. “Come out and do a tandem jump!”  She was elated.

Unfortunately, when the day of the jump came around so did some clouds and a tandem jump was ruled out for the day. The weather didn’t stop the experienced folks though and Marian and her crew set a new state record skydive consisting of 27 women performing three separate, intricate formations in a single skydive.

After seeing that feat, I planned on redeeming that rain check ASAP … and did … the very next week!

We were out at Skydive Spaceland early on an October Saturday. I donned the jumpsuit and heard the instructions, at least most of them. I will admit to being a bit awe struck at what I was about to do. Soon enough we were walking toward the small craft that would take us up. And then, secured to my new best friend, Matt, I stood in that open door, looking down at nothing between me and the earth below.

We jumped and those first few seconds were exhilarating as we plunged downward with incredible speed. It was amazing and before I knew it hands where holding my arm as Marian and her friends connected to me in yet another formation.  And then it happened.

Matt pulled the cord and with a jerk, we were thrust upward and just as suddenly we were floating. It was so quiet and peaceful.  I could see the bay of Galveston, the countryside and the sun just high enough in the sky to cast a golden glow on everything it touched. 

The metaphor wasn’t lost on me. While this experience was the first time I had done it out of a perfectly good airplane, I’d made my Jump for The Rose 25 years ago. What a ride that has been—mostly exhilarating--sometimes jerked this way and that. Often wondering where our next funding source to care for our clients might come from. But in the end, in tandem with people who believe in our mission, at peace and taking in every incredible second of the ride.

To see Dorothy's tandem Jump for The Rose, click here.

This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.

© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.

Shrimp, Goats, Bikes, Boards & Parachutes-- Day 18 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

I marvel at the myriad of ways supporters of The Rose have raised money through the years. I already told you about the Bachelors’ Auctions that the Soroptimists did for us. Perhaps that should have been a sign of things to come? And then there were the Shrimp Boils – which I’ve also mentioned in previous posts. The 22 Shrimp Boils we’ve had thus far have raised more than $750,000 by the way. That’s a lot of shrimp!

We’ve had horse shows and golf tournaments, fashion shows and parties in homes, young people skimming across water and even a pink goat (that story is coming soon). Quilters quilt for us and cyclists ride in the Pink Ribbons Project annual Tour de Pink.

Recently (as in the last three years) Bikers Against Breast Cancer offered a whole new audience the chance to help out our uninsured women. The 2011 ride saw more than 500 riders, volunteers and supporters set a record and bring us close to $100,000 raised thus far.  

D’Etta Casto-DeLeon has led the team since the beginning.  She’s one gorgeous lady and the way she convinces people to volunteer year after year is amazing! They start planning early and I enjoy hearing the laughter coming out of the conference room as this totally volunteer group puts in 100+ hours to ensure that the event is safe and successful.

Ask D’Etta why she commits so much time and energy organizing the BABC, and she’ll tell you: “You mean beside the fact that I am a control freak and refuse to let it go and only want to see it get bigger and better???“ You gotta love D’Etta’s perspective! 

(However, press her a little bit and she will reveal that her grandmother has breast cancer and her children’s grandmother passed away from the disease.  Breast cancer has been an unwelcomed part of her life.)

She then added, “I continue because I see true results and know what we, the BABC Committee, accomplish. I know where the money is going, and I know that it stays local … that makes it worth it.  Of course, the hidden joy is when I have people come up to me and thank me for what I do, then tell me their story of how The Rose has helped them.”

Every event has been glorious.  All those bikers and their bikes revving up—the sounds of their engines filling the air. Dixie even bought a bike and she and her friend, Todd, lead the pack as the biker after biker pulls out of San Jacinto Harley Davidson parking lot in Pasadena.  For as far as one can see the line of bikers stretches into the horizon—for miles.  Many of the riders are survivors; many are riding for someone who did not survive. Another reminder … breast cancer touches us all.

Another fundraiser that’s made quite a “splash” with us, is Skim Jam put on by the group Skim2Live. Carey Seyler started Skim2Live in 2008 in honor of his mother, Debi, who had passed away from breast cancer when Carey was only 9 years old. The event features skimboarders competing and demonstrating their techniques of what is essentially surfing in shallow water. Carey was a teenager when he started the group with friends. After bringing us a $250 check in 2008, those incredibly dedicated youth have raised more than $13,000!

I’ll never forget the day when Carey, now a college student at UT in San Antonio, asked to talk to me about running a real non-profit.  He was our summer intern working in the Development Department.  He asked all the right questions and I know that this compassionate and hard-working young man will be someone who will make the world a better place.

To be continued ...

This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.

© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.

Fresh Tears-- Day 17 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

Throughout the history of the Rose, many stories have made me cry but none quite like Vicky’s.


I had known Vicky for several years primarily through the Federation of Houston Professional Women. Our first introduction was through her good friend, Myrleen Knott, who would later join our board and become our Chair. Vicky was busy coordinating some part of the Federation’s Women of Excellence Award Event and as I would soon learn, she was always involved in some aspect of promoting women and women’s business. Every year, member organizations of the Federation, such as American Business Women’s Association, the Soroptimists, Women in Finance, Texas Executive Women -- the list included over 40 organizations from throughout Harris County -- selected a Woman of Excellence who was recognized at an elaborate banquet.


The year when everything changed, I had been involved in a Federation Committee and ran into Vicky a couple of times. The Women of Excellence event came and, of course, we visited there. I look back and now know I should have picked it up on the signs then. She, offhandedly, said she needed to come to The Rose for a mammogram. I don’t remember my response, except that it was something like, “Just call the office” and I told her we could probably work her in soon.


A couple of months passed. She and Mryleen were launching a new ABWA chapter in Clear Lake, much closer to my office, and invited me to their initial recruitment meeting. I don’t remember much about the lunch. I only remember Vicky sitting at the reception table, greeting everyone as they entered, chattering away about the new Chapter—her smile ever present.


Then she saw me and almost immediately after saying hi, she said something about needing to call for a mammogram. Again.


Something cold went over me. I paused and really looked at her. She was staring down at the RSVP list the pen in her hand hovered over pieces of paper.


“Vicky?’ I asked, “Is there something going on?”


Not exactly the most diplomatic question, considering the crowd streaming by.


She met my eyes and said, “Yes.”


She paused, “It has been a couple of months.”


“And you didn’t call us??” I asked incredulously.


“I wanted to wait until I had the money,” she explained adding that her husband had been laid off, and they didn’t have insurance.


I was confused. I understood her words but I couldn’t figure out why she hadn’t called us. At the same time, my mind had sped ahead to wondering how soon we could get her in and I reached for the phone to call Brahana, our Center Director. She stopped me, “I promise I’ll call. Honest, just let me finish this luncheon.”


“Are you absolutely sure? I’ll check when I get back to the office. I know we can get you in soon.”


I don’t remember much more of that day.


Within a week or so, Vicky came for her appointment, but she refused to accept financial assistance, insisting on paying out her diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound work-up. By the time we got her to biopsy, it was obvious that she would need to go through one of our programs.


Vicky’s cancer wasn’t small, its location was not good, an aggressive tumor that would need equally aggressive treatment.


After it was all said and done, Vicky qualified for the State program. She did from the very beginning.


She began her treatment, had surgery and with every step forward, came a step backward. She had waited too long. At the height of her treatment, her husband was diagnosed with cancer as well. Months later, he lost his battle. We now know that Vicky will be on chemotherapy for the rest of her life.


Through all this she never lost her smile, her zest for life, her kind ways or her willingness to be the “support” for anyone else diagnosed with cancer. She is the first we call to talk to another newly diagnosed, the first to volunteer for any event, and the first to share her story. She is amazing.


One day Vicky tried to explain her reluctance to use the sponsorship program.


Asking for help was not something she wanted to do...accepting help was harder. Even with a family history (her mother was a breast cancer survivor), even with all her awareness about breast cancer, and, as importantly, even with her almost intimate knowledge about The Rose and its programs, she said, “I didn't want to take a spot of someone else who might need the help more.”


Vicky exemplifies the women we serve. She is the face of the women who, though employed, don't earn enough money to be afford insurance. Women who are not used to asking for charity. Proud women, women who are accustomed to paying their own way.


Back in the early days of The Rose, we heard stories like Vicky’s all the time. But this wasn’t 1986. Hadn’t we come further than this? Couldn’t we stop this from happening?


Realizing why Vicky had put off making an appointment weighed heavy on my heart. So when the pathology returned, confirming the extent of her cancer, I cried.


For a long time, I cried.






This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.


© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.

Doctors in the House -- Day 16 of 25 Memories -- A Countdown to Our 25th Anniversary Gala by Dorothy Gibbons

Visitors to The Rose -- either the Featherwood or Galleria location – often comment about the beauty of the facilities or how bright and cheerful they seem. And they are … except where the doctors reside.


The small offices where they read mammograms are dark, very dark. They have to be. Backlit light stands for films and large computer screens for the digital images are best utilized in the dark.


That lack of light poses a stark contrast to the men staring at those screens. The Rose is fortunate to currently have two fulltime radiologists on staff, allowing us to provide a speedy response to the woman who may be stressing about what the doctor will find. Not every cancer center in the Houston area has on-site dedicated physicians. We’ve had them for quite a while.


Dr. Ward Parsons came to us in July 2003. Dr. Parsons is an internationally known educator in Breast Imaging. Since 1992 he has been a regular speaker at Dr. Laszlo Tabar's Advanced Screening and Diagnostic Mammography Courses in the U.S., Canada, and overseas. And that’s where Amy Rigsby (you’ve read her story already) found him.


In typical Amy style, after one of his workshops she said, “Some day you’re going to come work at The Rose.”


When she told me this, my thought was “Yeah right. A world-renowned educator is going to join our little staff.”


Amy kept saying it, every year, every conference. Then when we were ready to hire for a fulltime position, she did it again. At this point, Dr. Parsons who had been in academia had left the classroom for private practice. Surprisingly, he came down for an interview.


Even though Amy had always described Dr. P. as a “big teddy bear,” I still remember the day he stepped into my office—all 6 feet 4 inches of him. My first thought was “That man? In our little bitty rooms? How are we going to get this to work?”


He knew what I was thinking by the look on my face, I’m sure. Because he told me, “Whenever I do an ultrasound on a woman, and I like to do my own, I come in and sit down and now I’m eye to eye with her. Because I know it’s scary to them and I don’t want to do a thing to add to their stress.”


Dr. Parsons did turn out to have a teddy bear personality, he’s all heart and he even has a collection (more like a menagerie) of stuffed animals. He brought so many positive changes to The Rose that it would be difficult to list them all.


At the top of the list though has to be his insisting on separating screening from diagnostic services so that every woman who had a diagnostic examination would know her results that day. He could not abide by the “old” system of having a woman wait for results, so his first change was one that immediately brought our services to a higher level. Eight years ago that was a big deal and a system not many used. I was always amazed at the number of women who made a point to tell me that the doctor at The Rose actually took the time to explain their results that same day—something they felt was pretty incredible—which it still is today.


As you might suspect, of our current 90 employees, the majority of them are women. In fact, we only have three men. One of them is Dr. Parsons, the other Jerry McGee, our IT manager, and man number three is Dr. Daniel Roubein who came to us in 2009. But if our headhunter at the time had followed her gut, and he hadn’t been listening, we might have missed having another great guy on our team.


We knew when we opened the Rose Galleria that we would have to have a fulltime on-site doctor at that location as well. Opening the Galleria was actually a result of outgrowing our Joan Gordon Center on Bissonnet. The relocation to the Galleria area meant we could double our physical capacity, equipment capacity, staff capacity, and now we had to increase our physician capacity. We had just enough funding to started looking for part-time but none of the resumes we were getting from the headhunter seemed right.


Then one day she called and asked, “I want to know if you will talk with someone who has his own neuroradiology business.”


Once again, my reaction was in the category of “yeah right.” I couldn’t imagine why the founder and president of Radiology Reading Centers of America, who had been practicing radiology for 18 years, would want to work at a part-time position.


But Dr. Roubein came for the interview. He was all business yet his passion for mammography was pretty obvious. Our agreement was struck and the first time he met with the Board of Directors over lunch, I described the recruiting process as I understood it had transpired.


That’s when he said, “That’s not how it went.”


He continued: “The headhunter called me about another job, a neuroradiology job. I told her no because I have all I want to do with that with my company. Then I asked if she had anything else? She listed a few then added, ‘there is just a little bitty job for a part-time mammographer. That’s ALL they do.’”


Dr. Roubein said that’s when he told her he’d really like to explore the position with The Rose. Seems that for 15 years he was the lead mammographer for Beaumont and really wanted to get back to it -- just not in a hospital.


As he told the story, goose bumps traveled over me. “What if he had not asked?” I thought, amazed once again at how people are brought to The Rose.


Now fulltime with The Rose, Dr. Roubein has made a place for himself in our Galleria location. He incorporated his high standards of care into his work with us. The staff reports that corny jokes and compassion are what this dedicated family man, father of three boys, also brings to his job. Always respectful, he is noted for being “patient with his patients.” He takes the time to ensure the Veteran knows she or he is appreciated for their service to our country and he brings a special sense of spiritually to his care that is so appreciated by the women we navigate into treatment.


Recently, TV personality, Deborah Duncan, sat in that small dark room with him and interviewed him for a spot on Great Day Houston. He spoke of the technological advances that brought him to The Rose and the level of care we are able to provide because of our on-site physicians. Deborah, like many of our other clients, jokingly reported that she’d fallen in love.


The staff wasn’t surprised. “All the patients fall in love with him,” they reported. “They want to kiss him … and sometimes … they do!”


Doctors that care do make the difference.






This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.


© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.