By Ben Kangwa
The stage was set. September
28, 2012 marked the 3rd Honoring the Promise Gala by the Susan G
Komen for the Cure that took place at the prestigious John F Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts in the presence of the crème de la crème of the music, film
and television fraternity in Washington DC.
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First
Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba sharing
a
light moment with one of the invited
guests
at dinner. Looking on is Ben Kangwa,
Charge
D'Affaires at the Embassy of the
Republic
of Zambia in Washington DC
|
Hollywood stars and breast
cancer survivors such as Richard Roundtree, best known as detective ‘John
Shaft’ and Jaclyn Smith, best known as ‘Kelly Garrett’ in the iconic television
series “Charlie’s Angels” graced the occasion.
They were joined by the
Susan G Komen for the Cure’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Ambassador Nancy G Brinker, Brinker’s son Eric , Secretary of Transportation
Ray Lahood, US Senator Olympia Snowe, Michigan Congressman Representative John
Dingell, Mayor of Chicago Richard M.
Daley.
Others were Susan Ford Bales
the youngest and only daughter of former US President Gerald Ford, Country
music star Naomi Judd, American Pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter
and actress, Jordin Sparks, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA),John Castellani,
Grace Bender who is Board Member of the Society for Women’s Health Research and
the Sledge Grits Band.
Earlier at exactly 6.00pm,
selected invited guests had started
arriving at the Kennedy Center North Atrium Foyer and as First Lady Christine
Kaseba Sata arrived, she was straight away led by Ms. Wendy Carter (Director of Global
Outreach at Susan G Komen) onto the Pink Carpet for a series of photographs in
the company of Ambassador Nancy Brinker before a swam of celebrity photographers.
All carefully scripted, the
First Lady was then led to a sumptuous dinner by her host, Ambassador Brinker
in the company of other high profile celebrities, Administration officials and
CEOs. The dinner lasted an hour.
At 7.30 sharp, the Dr. Kaseba
Sata was
then guided to the Eisenhower Theatre VIP box for the grand introductory
remarks marking the official start of the ‘Honoring the Promise Gala.’
Co-survivor and longtime CBS
correspondent Bob Schiffer, moderator of CBS “Face the Nation” was emcee of the
evening program that raised US$1.5 million for Susan G. Komen’s cancer programs
globally.
There was no doubt that the evening
was set for continued progress in the global fight
against breast cancer.
Bob Schiffer whose mother
died of breast cancer and whose wife survived it noted the vast difference
between his mother’s experience and his wife’s experience. In his introductory
remarks he noted that at the time his mother was diagnosed with the disease,
society only spoke about cancer in whispers and that treatment was difficult
and survival less likely.
Unlike his mother, he said,
his wife was unafraid of cancer and of cancer treatment.
“Since the 90s, there has
been a 33 per cent decline in breast cancer deaths in the USA due in large part
to the important work Susan G Komen for Cure has done,” he added emphasizing
the importance of education and awareness.
In between speeches by
different speakers, the big band orchestra at the foot of the stage played
different bridge tunes from Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” to Frank
Sinatra’s “The Best Is Yet To Come” and Louis Armstrong “Hello Dolly”
When Ambassador Nancy
Brinker took to the stage she spoke about the importance of funding scientific
research and how still so much needs to be done and urged the crowd to renew
commitments to fight cancer.
She thanked those that had
helped to fulfill the promise set in motion 30 years ago when she promised her
dying sister, Susan Komen that she would do everything possible in her power to
fight the disease that claimed Susan’s life.
Ambassador Brinker founded
Komen in 1982 in her sister’s memory. Since then the organization has donated
US$2 billion dollars towards research, education, community programs and
international assistance.
Later, Hollywood actor
Richard Roundtree who is a 19 year breast cancer survivor went on stage to
present the Community Distinction Award
to the late Maggie Daley wife of Chicago
Mayor Richard M. Daley. The Honorable Daley spoke movingly about his late wife
who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and passed away in late 2011
after nine years fighting the disease
It was then time for “Charlie’s
Angels” Jaclyn Smith who spoke to the audience about the huge investment of
US$2 billion Susan G Komen for the Cure had made in breast cancer research
which she said was “second only to the USA Federal government”
Ms Smith said Susan G Komen had granted US$740
million dollars in research with US$58 million dollars given in 2012 alone. She
then presented the Scientific And Medical
Distinction Award to Umberto Veronesi M.D, an Italian surgeon and
oncologist, internationally known for his important contributions spanning over
50 years on prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
Right on time, Secretary of
Transportation Ray Lahood and country singer Naomi Judd were later to introduce
a video that featured comments from the American Ambassador to Zambia, Ambassador
Mark Storella and Dr. Groesbeck Parham the Director of the Cervical Cancer
Prevention Program Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) commending
First Lady of the Republic of Zambia, Dr.
Christine Kaseba Sata for her contribution towards the fight against breast and
cervical cancer in Zambia.
After the flight of the
video, celebrated country singer Naomi Judd talked about her fight against
Hepatitis C and the recent negative breast cancer biopsy. She also talked about
the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon, an initiative to expand the availability of vital
cervical and breast cancer screening and treatment for women at risk in
developing nations in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America by the George W.
Bush Institute,
She went on to say, “In July
of this year, Dr. Christine Kaseba welcomed President Bush and Mrs. Bush to
Zambia, where together, they inaugurated the African Center of Excellence for
Women’s Cancer Control at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.
Along with Pink Ribbon Red
Ribbon partners, Susan G. Komen is supporting this Center of Excellence to
fulfill its mission – to reduce deaths from women’s cancers by raising the
standards of care through education, awareness and provides training focusing
on primary and secondary prevention and treatment of early stage disease.”
She observed that these
collaborative initiatives had already registered significant progress.
“In December, 2011, less
than 500 Zambian women had enrolled at the Center for Cervical Cancer services.
By August 2012, that number had risen to an astounding 15,463 Zambian women,
many among whom have received life-saving treatment and will, in the near
future, receive education as well as services related to breast health.
This dramatic progress, she
went on, would not have been possible without the strong commitment of the
Zambian government and especially the exemplary personal commitment and
leadership of Dr. Kaseba Sata, “ she concluded as called on the First Lady who had
already taken position backstage at the Awardee area.
Dr. Kaseba Sata confidently
and gracefully walked to the stage escorted by Ambassador Brinker and was
presented with the Global Leadership of
Excellence Award.
In her acceptance remarks, she
first thanked all invited guests graciously for the
esteemed
Award and noted that the award reinforced her resolve and dedication to
rise and ensure that every woman was given the opportunity of access to quality
and comprehensive health care and that every woman diagnosed with breast or
cervical cancer obtained every chance to fight the disease, recovered and
continued to enjoy a long and healthy life thereafter.
“I accept this award and
offer a special salute to all that have contributed to this struggle. In
particular, I would like to mention the very hard working men and women from
the African Center of Excellence For Breast and Cervical Cancer in Lusaka,” she
said.
Amid a loud applause and
standing ovation from the crowd, she acknowledged the good work that continues
to be done by Dr. Groesbeck Parham, the Director of the Cervical Cancer
Prevention Program Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ).
She further went on to thank
former US President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush for what she called
“bringing hope and smiles to the lives of many Zambians – men, women and
children” through their efforts against HIV & AIDS and Cancer care.
“A special thanks to the
partners of the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative and my colleagues in the
Forum For African Ladies Against Breast and Cervical Cancer,” she went
on.
The Forum comprises 12
African First Ladies who are determined to reduce the burden of the disease by
raising awareness through education.
Dr. Kaseba Sata also
expressed profound gratitude to US President Barack Obama’s Global Health
Initiative and the United Nation Secretary General’s Global Strategy For
Women’s and Children’s Health for placing high priority on women’s health.
Towards the end of the one
and half minute acceptance remarks she made a special appeal to the gathering
and said, “As we leave this place today, we should remember our tasks and
opportunities to make a difference in the fight against women’s cancers
especially in Africa where breast and cervical cancer is anticipated to
decimate a good number of its women.
We need to act rapidly and
now. We need to save our future….and that future lies with our women.”
That said and done, Susan Ford Bales and Representative
John Dingell on their part presented the
Betty Ford Lifetime Achievement Award to Senator Olympia Snowe.
This was followed by a
testimony by ‘Charlie’s Angels’ actress Jaclyn Smith who said she was diagnosed
with the condition in 2002 after a routine mammogram showed a lump. At that
time, she demanded an operation to remove her breast without thinking the
decision through.
“When I heard the news, I
panicked…the word cancer is what stood out, a word I never thought I would have
in my vocabulary,” she said emotionally
However, the doctor was
later to discover that the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes so instead
Smith opted for a lumpectomy and eight weeks of radiation therapy.
She also talked about how
she had been there for her late friend and co-star in “Charlie’s Angels”,
Farrah Fawcett. How Farrah had struggled and ultimately succumbed to the cancer
in 2009.
Went on Smith,
“ Farrah never gave up. She just had
this relentless drive to conquer the disease.” In her closing remarks, Smith
urged women to get regular mammograms “because I never felt any lumps before
the cancer was detected.”
It was then time for John
Castellani to take the stage to thank
donors for their generosity and he urged them to continue supporting the
important work of the Susan G Komen.
He was followed by the
beautiful and talented Jordin Sparks who recently starred alongside with the
late Whitney Houston in “Sparkle”.
She sung three songs
starting with “Faith”, then “One Step at a Time” and “Celebrate”. The latter
was the last song ever recorded with Whitney Houston.
The performance ended with a
great and fantastic interactive display
of light. All invited guests had been given flashlights upon entering the
Eisenhower Theater.
At the end of the program,
my take was that the Gala evening had lived to its expectation – funding of
scientific research and how much needs to be done in order to end breast and
cervical cancer in the world…. a promise made by Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker to
her dying sister that she would do everything in her power to end the disease
that claimed her sister Susan.
The
writer is Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in
Washington DC.
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