Much to do about luncheon

Lindsay Sandham

With flowers in bloom all over Orange County, the Orange County

affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has chosen

the theme “Life in Bloom” for Saturday’s annual breast-health seminar

and luncheon.

“We educate women about breast health, breast awareness,” said

Sandy Finestone, president of the Orange County arm of the

foundation. “The luncheon is really a celebration of survivorship.”

Finestone is on the committee for the spring luncheon, along with

Sally Molnar, who’s on the board of directors for the foundation’s

local affiliate.

The luncheon -- which usually attracts about 300 people -- is not

a fundraiser. It’s an educational symposium designed to address

current concerns and issues that cancer patients, cancer survivors

and their friends and families may have, while celebrating life and

second chances. The cost is $35 a person, but scholarships are

available, Molnar said.

“We try to hold it in May to kind of go along with the Mother’s

Day theme,” Molnar said. “Because we want to really reach out to

women, and it’s a good time of year.”

The event will start with the educational symposiums, followed by

lunch and a fashion show featuring cancer survivors.

“The luncheon is just kind of a celebration-type thing,” Molnar

said. “We’re going to have a speaker at the luncheon, Jennie Nash,

who has written two books.”

Nash is the of author of “My Grandma’s Bandana” and “The

Victoria’s Secret Catalog Never Stops Coming: And Other Lessons I

Learned from Breast Cancer.”

Molnar said an awards presentation and survivor recognition will

follow Nash and the luncheon.

“The Komen Foundation annually seeks out women who have used their

diagnosis with breast cancer to make a difference for others in their

community,” she said. “So, we actually ask people to nominate breast

cancer survivors annually for an award we give, which we call our

Most Inspirational Breast Cancer Survivor.”

Finestone, who has been the recipient of the award, said it is an

honor to be nominated by your peers and then be chosen.

Breast cancer survivors themselves, both Finestone and Molnar have

been involved with the Komen Foundation in some capacity for many

years.

“I got involved [12] years ago,” Molnar said. “I had a benign

breast tumor removed, and my surgeon was actually the lady who

founded the affiliate here in Orange County, so she asked me to

become involved on the speaker’s bureau.”

Molnar still works with the speaker’s bureau, which is geared

toward educating women about early detection but can be tailored to

address any breast cancer issues.

Finestone became an advocate more than 20 years ago after

surviving breast cancer, and through her advocacy, she got involved

in the Race for the Cure when it began in Orange County.

Before she was diagnosed, Finestone had a career in accounting.

After enduring the difficulties associated with cancer and cancer

treatment, she switched gears and went back to school, where she

earned her doctorate in psychology. She now works as the coordinator

for cancer-patient services at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian.

“I think one of the reasons that Sally and I have remained

involved is that the [Komen] foundation, on a national level,

requires 75% of all funds that are raised in whatever community it

is, stay in that community,” Finestone said. “One hundred percent of

the 25% that we send to national is used for research.”

Molnar agreed, saying that the Komen Foundation in Orange County

last year gave $1 million back to the community in grants and

treatment assistance to women without insurance. The organization is

somewhat of a grass-roots operation, which allows it to make a bigger

financial return for the community, she said.

Finestone explained that although research is tremendously

important, the women who are currently affected can’t wait for a

cure, which is why patient services and treatment assistance is so

important. She said someone once told her a saying that she

identifies with: “Until there’s a cure, there’s Komen.”

“It’s the sort of work that the more you do, the more obligation

there is to do more,” Finestone said.