The Wellness Community

25 Years of Service

To celebrate and recognize our 25 years of outstanding service, The Wellness Community will host a variety of activities in 2007 that include honoring our founder, Dr. Harold Benjamin, in memoriam, and his wife, Harriet and their family; bringing together international thought-leaders for a cancer summit; conducting extensive outreach to the media with a specific focus on patient-centered issues; and coordinating a host of other activities and events that celebrate 25 years of service for people living with cancer.

25th Anniversary Events

May 20, 2007 - Pasadena, California

Ann, Harriet and Lauren Benjamin

25th Anniversary Cake

TWC kicked off its 25th anniversary by hosting an event at the prestigious Tournament of Roses House in Pasadena, California in partnership with our founding Wellness Community in Santa Monica, as well as our four other southern California facilities, including TWC-Foothills, TWC-Orange County, TWC-Redondo Beach, and TWC-Valley/Ventura.

Over 250 friends and family of TWC attended the event as we honored the tremendous accomplishments of our late founder, Dr. Harold Benjamin, recognized all the wonderful founders of our southern California Wellness Communities and celebrated the lives of TWC participants and all people affected by cancer.

June 23, 2007 - St. Louis, Missouri

Moving to the heartland, TWC partnered with our Wellness Community in St. Louis to honor people affected by cancer and celebrate TWC's strong presence in the Midwest. In St. Louis, we held a Patient Education event with over 300 cancer patients and survivors from across the community in attendance, who heard from renowned psychotherapist, Bellruth Naparstek, and learned more about the mind/body connection through guided imagery and intuition.

September 26, 2007 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TWC-Philadelphia Participants

Wellness Communities across the northeast convened in Philadelphia, for a 25th Anniversary Luncheon Celebration featuring Ted Kennedy, Jr. as the keynote speaker. Ted is the chairman on our National Honorary Board and a longtime friend of TWC. The Luncheon was hosted by TWC-Philadelphia, TWC-Central New Jersey, TWC-Delaware, TWC-Greater Lehigh Valley, TWC-Northern Jersey Shore, TWC-Delmarva and TWC-Greater Washington, DC.

November 3, 2007 - Washington, District of Columbia

On November 3, 2007, TWC’s year-long series of nationwide events culminated in the Nation's Capital with our 25th Anniversary Cancer Summit and Awards Luncheon.  Nearly 200 people attended the day-long event, which highlighted innovations in cancer and celebrated TWC’s history of serving people affected by cancer.

Panel Discussion (L_R) Laura Landro; Jimmie Holland, MD; Andy Miller, MHSE< CHES; Lidia Schapira, MD and Ellen Stoval

The day began with a panel discussion moderated by Laura Landro, award-winning editor and journalist from The Wall Street Journal and cancer survivor.Ms. Landro led the discussion entitled, Cancer Survivorship: Past, Present and Future, which included several distinguished panelists.

Panelists included:
Jimmie Holland, MD from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Andy Miller, MHSE, CHES from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Lidia Schapira, MD from Massachusetts General Cancer Center and Ellen Stovall from the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. 

Connie Reider

Alice Hoffman

Audiences then heard from professional photographer and cancer survivor, Connie Reider, who spoke about how the art of photography helped her cope with her diagnosis and ultimately motivated her to help others dealing with the disease.

TWC then honored several distinguished individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to people with cancer and their loved ones.  The awards luncheon was hosted by best-selling author and cancer survivor Alice Hoffman. 

Honorees included:
Harriet Benjamin, wife of TWC founder Harold H. Benjamin, PhD,
Jimmie Holland, MD
Genentech BioOncology
The Lance Armstrong Foundation
Maggie’s Centres UK
Mitch Golant, PhD, Senior Vice President of TWC-National
Jack Wickens, former Chair of TWC-National Board
 

TWC's Book & Resource Fair

Guests ended the day by attending TWC’s book and resources fair, which included exhibits by several other cancer organizations, cancer magazine publications and book displays by Connie Reider, Alice Hoffman and of TWC’s newest publication, The Total Cancer Wellness Guide.

More Pictures!

Kim Thiboldeaux	(L-R) Alice Hoffman, Kim Thiboldeaux, Harriet Benjamin and Laura Landro
Ann, Harriet and Lauren Benjamin	The Total Cancer Wellness Guide Display
25th Anniversary Cake

Support The Wellness Community's 25th Anniversary

Because people with cancer are living longer due to improved health care access and early diagnosis, the need for psychosocial support services provided by The Wellness Community is more critical than ever. For 25 years, The Wellness Community has been empowering people living with cancer and continues to give them the ability to live their lives well and help them leave a lasting legacy that they can call their own. Make a donation.