Texas’ Leading Cancer Doctors Bring Their Mission To Aspen and Vail — MD Anderson Courts Difference-Making Donors

It was a doubleheader for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center when a throng of physicians, researchers, donors and friends rallied in Aspen and in Vail to hear the latest in cancer research. Texans from across the state took part in the programming with couples from several cities each hosting one of the many social gatherings.

This was the 26th summer that MD Anderson had rallied with its Making Cancer History Seminar in Aspen and a first in the Vail Valley. The expanded reach and the hosts from across Texas are a nod to the cancer centers expansion across the state.

Goals behind the rolling seminars included growing connections, enriching conversations and raising awareness to new audiences of MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer both at home and across the world.

Aspen was first on the itinerary where the informative programming was held in the Paepcke Auditorium at Aspen Meadows. Five physicians and three researchers joined in panel discussions presented in the style of  fireside chats. Some 100 MD Anderson supporters attended.

That afternoon Sherry and Robert Brown of Dallas and Alejandra and Paul Foster of El Paso hosted a reception in Hotel Jerome‘s Antlers Bar. In a serendipitous turn of fate, the collapsible umbrellas that were given as mementos came in handy as summer rain showers forced the garden event indoors. This was the fourth year that the two couples have hosted the Aspen reception for MD Anderson.

The day closed with dinner at the Hotel Jerome where MD Anderson Board of Visitors member Peggy Sewell and her husband Carl Sewell of Dallas hosted the well-heeled entourage.

The following day the seminar moved down Interstate 70 to Vail Valley where the first event was a private cocktail schmooze for 50 in the Avon mountainside home of Wendi and Brian Kushner of Austin. Wendi Kushner, whose husband’s brain cancer was cured at MD Anderson, was the first to introduce the idea of including Vail in the cancer center’s annual summer road show.

Next day, the Making Cancer History Seminar with 150 Texans and Colorado residents attending took place at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek.

PC Seen at the various events: Stephanie and Ernie Cockrell, Jo Lynn and Gregg Falgout, Veronica Selinko-Curran and Dr. Michael Curran, Neda Lajevardian and Jim Farnsworth, Nancy and Rich Kinder, Jay Zeidman, Cornelius Dupre and Ali Montgomery, Patty and T. Mark Kelly, Cathy Allday, Tracy and Doug Glass, and Cathy and David Herr.

MD Anderson participants: Christopher Flowers, division head, cancer medicine; chair, lymphoma/myeloma; Dr. Bissan Al-Lazikani, director, Therapeutics Discovery Data Science; professor, Genomic Medicine; co-lead, Institute for Data Science in Oncology; Dr. Katy Rezvani, vice president and Head, Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery and Innovation; Dr. Jennifer Finkel, associate vice president, art experience; and Chris McKee, senior vice president, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer.

Additional support provided by MD Anderson leaders: Dr. Giulio Draetta, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief scientific officer; Tadd Pullin, senior vice president, Institutional Affairs, chief brand and communications officer; Jeff Siewerdsen, Ph.D., professor, Imaging Physics, co-lead Institute for Data Science in Oncology; and Darrow Zeidenstein, Ph.D., senior vice president, chief philanthropy officer.