Preparing for our 25th anniversary celebration in DC

We are in full swing in our office getting ready for our big 25th anniversary celebration in DC in November! We will launch things on November 1 and 2 with our TWC National Leadership Conference. We have a great schedule planned for our TWC leadership including wonderful speakers and time to share challenges, opportunities and best practices. On Friday night, we will host our first-ever "Anti-Gala" Gala featuring fab roots rock band, "Last Train Home." Thank you to my dear friend Eric Brace and the guys for helping us kick off the weekend! On Saturday, November 3, we will host a national cancer summit featuring some amazing speakers including Laura Landro from the NY Times and award-winning author, Alice Hoffman. Both are cancer survivors and will share their own personal stories.

Thank you to everyone who is contributing to make the weekend a success - including our generous supporters and sponsors. We look forward to a great time!

TWC a Sponsor of the Lance Armstrong Foundation LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum

The Wellness Community (TWC) is pleased to announce that we will be joining the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), along with several other cancer support organizations, to be a sponsor of the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum on August 27 and 28 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum will feature Democratic and Republican presidential candidates who will each have an opportunity to discuss his or her views and prospective policy plans for fighting cancer. The discussion will be followed by a 10 minute dialogue with co-moderators, Lance Armstrong and Chris Matthews of MSNBC Hardball.
Members of the public will also have an opportunity to speak directly to the candidates by submitting email or video questions at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19962784/. This new format of question and answer will allow Americans from across the country to voice their concerns about how the United States will face the issue of cancer in the coming months and years.
The two events will be televised live on MSNBC from 10 a.m. - noon CDT on Monday, August 27 for the Democratic forum and 10 a.m. - noon CDT on Tuesday, August 28 for the Republican forum. To date, the following Democratic candidates have confirmed their attendance: Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Bill Richardson; and the following Republicans have confirmed their attendance: Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee. Tickets are free and can be secured by visiting www.ambassadorsevents.com/livestrong.
The Wellness Community is a proud sponsor of the LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum, and would like to thank the Lance Armstrong Foundation for the opportunity to support this historic event. Please tune in and look for our representatives in Iowa!

TWC Launches Star Campaign with Diahann Carroll!

Today The Wellness Community launched our new Star Campaign with legendary actress and singer Diahann Carroll. The Campaign is designed to honor cancer caregivers - the family members, friends, health care professionals and others - who provide support and care to those with cancer.

On our new starcampaign.org website, visitors can honor their Star, visit the Star Walk of Fame and purchase a Star pin to support The Wellness Community.

We are so grateful to Ms. Carroll for joining us as the spokesperson for this Campaign and for being part of a wonderful launch today in New York City! Please visit starcampaign.org to learn more about this great effort and honor the Stars in your cancer journey!

Diahann Carroll, Tina Carver and Harriet Berman, Program Director of TWC-Greater Boston

TWC Kicks Off 25th Anniversary Celebration in Pasadena!

On Sunday, May 20, we launched our 25th anniversary year in Pasadena, California! At the glorious Tournament of Roses House, we honored the founders of all five of our Southern California Wellness Communities. Harriet, Ann and Lauren Benjamin presented awards to the founders, followed by a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday to The Wellness Community!" sung by the more than 300 participants, staff, board and friends in attendance. What a wonderful way to kick off what promises to be a fantastic year of events and programs to celebrate 25 years of service for people affected by cancer! Thank you to all who joined us to share in the celebration.

The Tournament of Roses House


Ann, Harriet and Lauren Benjamin

Awards for the Southern California TWC founders

Celebrating TWCs birthday with a song and cake!

Family & friends of TWC enjoy the perfect weather during the program

TWC Launches New Book in Los Angeles

On May 17, 2007, we launched our newly published book, The Total Cancer Wellness Guide, at Dutton's bookstore in Brentwood. We had a great turnout of Wellness friends and family to celebrate this book, which provides a roadmap to the cancer experience for all people affected by cancer. Published by BenBella Books, the book will officially release on June 1. During the evening's celebration, I had a chance to speak about the book and about The Wellness Community. Harriet Benjamin reflected on our tremendous growth over the past 25 years and Mitch Golant talked about our rich history in Southern California. Thank you to all that attended to make this event a great success.

Kim Thiboldeaux and Harriet Benjamin, wife of TWC founder, Dr. Harold Benjamin


Mitch Golant, PhD, Vice President of Research & Development, TWC - National

Kim with friends of TWC from AEG

Shalom from Tel Aviv

Mitch and I are spending the week here in Tel Aviv visiting with The Wellness Community, our TWC colleagues, patients, caregivers, health care professionals and government officials. After 7 years, our TWC here is thriving. We have spent time with our wonderful, devoted colleagues Margalit, Hassia, Riva, Dafna and many other wonderful TWC facilitators and friends.

On Monday night, we went to the "Wellness Cafe" where 80 patients and caregivers gathered to hear two young cancer survivors talk about how they met in group and traveled to Africa together. They showed slides from their trip and talked about how cancer has given them a new "lens" through which to view life.

Today we went to the Tel Aviv Medical Center and spent time with a Palestinian man from Gaza whose daughter is being treated at the center for cancer. They came to Israel through a special humanitarian program run by the hospital. He and the social workers from the hospital talked about their shared desire for peace and their hope that the amazing one-on-one exchanges that are happening in the hospital through this program might set an important example for what is possible.

Tomorrow we head to Jerusalem to meet with colleagues at the Sharei Tzedek Medical Center.

The Wellness Community Partners with Revolution Health

Wanna start a revolution?? That is what Steve Case and his power house board (including Colin Powell) are doing over at Revolution Health Group (RHG). The exciting news? They have approached The Wellness Community to be one of their partners in the cancer space. What are they looking to do? "Revolution Health seeks to create a health company where patients are put at the center of the health system, with more choices, more convenience, and more control over their health care." I would say that their mission is very consistent with The Wellness Community's Patient Active Concept. RHG is working to accomplish their goal by focusing on three areas: Content, Coverage, and Care. We are very excited that there will be a mini Wellness Community site within the Revolution site, letting people know about all of our great community resources. Take a look at RHG for yourself by visiting www.revolution.com Thank you to RHG for this terrific partnership!