High-Profile Houston Men Talk About Their Health in Powerful CanCare Luncheon — Being Honest and Setting Records in River Oaks

Making a Statement About the Power of Speaking Up and Sharing

By Shelby Hodge // May 12, 2023

Photography Daniel Ortiz

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Frank & Stephanie Tsuru, Seth & Katie Tsuru at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Derrick Mitchell & Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Ann Ayre, Leigh Smith at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Ashley Dedmon, Stephanie & Frank Tsuru, Darcie Wells at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Beth Wolff, Sippi Khurana, Shawntell McWilliams at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Bob & Cindy Holloway at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Cheryl Byington, Ileana Trevino, Kelley Lubanko, Cyndy Garza Roberts at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Cynthia Wolff, Jennier Barron at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Debbie Festari, Alex Blair, Jacquie Baly at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Donae Chramosta, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Fady Armanious at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Donna Lewis, Jordan Seff at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, John Nau at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Dr. Mark Schusterman & Stephanie Von Stein Schusterman at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Melissa Juneau, Lauren Paine at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Debbie Festari, Brigitte Kalai at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Michael Weisenthal, Philip Linkous, Norman Lewis at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Rochelle Griffin, Shawntell McWilliams, Brandon McClendon at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Sharon Malatok, April Lykos, Allison Brooks at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Sippi Khurana, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Leigh Smith, Ann Ayre, Fady Armanious at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tracy & Valerie Dieterich at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tyson & Tama Faust at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Kari Dagley, Iris Shaftel at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Dr. Chaethana Yalamanchili, Peggy Smith at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Michael Weisenthal, Nancy Tucker at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

It is a rare thing for men to publicly discuss their health issues so hats off to Frank Tsuru, Momentum Midstream CEO, and John Nau III, chairman and CEO of Silver Eagle Beverages, two high-profile business leaders who each talked of their journey with prostate cancer at CanCare’s annual Hope Survivorship luncheon.

Tsuru, who spoke briefly about his diagnosis, served as honorary chair while his wife Stephanie Tsuru chaired the record-setting event at River Oaks Country Club. As Survivor Honoree, Nau delivered a powerful and honest appraisal of his battle with the disease.

Sipi Khurana, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Leigh Smith, Ann Ayre, Fady Armanious (Photo by Daniel Ortiz) — Sippi Khurana, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Leigh Smith, Ann Ayre, Fady Armanious at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Applause, applause for the Tsurus whose leadership of the event that drew more than 400 guests and brought in more than $425,000 for CanCare.

KPRC Channel 2 chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley, who has spoken openly about his successful battle with prostate cancer, served as emcee and brought home the mission of CanCare: to provide hope to those with cancer. That hope comes from the attention of highly trained CanCare cancer survivors who partner with patients diagnosed with the same type of cancer. The CanCare program embodies the thesis that hope has a dramatic positive impact on cancer survivorship.

Rochelle Griffin, Shawntell McWilliams and Brandon McClendon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz) — Rochelle Griffin, Shawntell McWilliams, Brandon McClendon at the CanCare luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Joining Nau in the spotlight were Healthcare Honoree Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, president and CEO of Harris Health System, and Community Honoree Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, who was just named as a PaperCity Philanthropy in Fashion honoree.

Guest speaker Ashley Dedmon, director of the National Breast Cancer Roundtable, was interviewed by Billingsley.

As is tradition, the luncheon closed with the candle lighting ceremony in which guests raise their battery-operated candles in remembrance of loved ones impacted by cancer.

PC Seen: CanCare president and CEO Darcie Wells: Jordan Seff, Tena and Tyson Faust, Donna and Norman Lewis, Valerie and Tracy Dieterich, Leslie and Val Brock, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Beth Wolff, Cheryl Byington, Shawntell McWilliams, Sylvia and Titus Harris, Cindy and Bob Holloway, Debbie Festari, Brigitte Kalai, Stephanie Von Stein Schusterman and Dr. Mark Schusterman.