BOCA RATON– The Pap Corps’ Recognition and Installation Luncheon, held at Boca West Country Club was especially festive this year as the all-volunteer organization celebrated 60 years of raising funds for cancer research.
This year’s donation of $3.2 million was presented to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the luncheon. Speakers included Donna E. Shalala, president of the University of Miami; Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the UM Miller School of Medicine; and Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., past interim director of Sylvester.
The multi-million dollar donation represents one year of fundraising by the Corps’ more than 20,000 volunteers located in the tri-county area. The outstanding efforts of these dedicated men, women and teens were praised by all of the speakers at the luncheon.
Dean Goldschmidt announced an array of accomplishments that Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center recently achieved, including the recruitment of world-renowned cancer specialist Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., who leaves Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to join Sylvester as its new director. Goldschmidt called the $3.2 million gift “awesome” and said, “This annual gift allows us to continue funding research that leads to new treatments and diagnostics. I know that with The Pap Corps behind us, we will beat cancer.”
Dr. Nimer, who was in transit to Florida, also sent his congratulations saying, “Knowing the importance of research funding, I cannot overstate the value of having such a dedicated group of volunteers behind us at Sylvester.
“Outgoing chapter presidents were recognized and new executive board members were installed. President Naomi Prever passed the gavel to JoAnne Goldberg, the Corps’ new president.
The Pap Corps has donated over $43 million to cancer research since 1952; more than $32 million in the last eleven years alone. These funds provide the seed money for vital research programs at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, South Florida’s only university-based cancer center. For more information visitwww.papcorps.org.