Breast cancer nonprofit raises awareness, funds in Solomons

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009

"The power of orange moves mountains," said artist Ellen Gordon of Gaithersburg, who donated one of her paintings, valued at $10,000, to the Brem Foundation in 2005. However, when the purchasers, author Tom Clancy and his wife Alex, learned the money was going toward a foundation, they donated an additional $40,000, all of which was used as seed money, Gordon said. Then the Clancys donated the mostly orange abstract painting, which now hangs near Dr. Rachel Brem's radiology and imaging office, part of The George Washington University Medical Center.

The foundation has raised funds by women, several from Calvert County, hosting their friends in their own homes and letting Brem talk about breast cancer and the need for the latest diagnostic technology.

"It's really just by the most extraordinary women," Brem said of the success of the foundation, adding "It resulted from a desperate need."

Brem, a world renowned radiologist, credits one of her patients, Sue Apple of Prince Frederick for creating the foundation to help her office buy an MRI biopsy device, which can detect cancers that mammograms cannot. The foundation has progressed with education, research, and a program for the uninsured and underinsured.

"That is the picture of empowerment," Brem said as she pointed to Apple, the foundation's president, at a fundraiser and educational event held at Naughty Gull Restaurant in Solomons last Saturday.

This was the second year the restaurant hosted the event, which packed the dinning room and lounge.

"Calvert County residents are very supportive to the foundation," said Cheryl Skillin, the foundation administrator.

"[Pat Emmons] puts on this huge beautiful spread — everything, 100 percent donated," Skillin said of the owner of Naughty Gull Restaurant. "She has been increasingly generous to us." The attendees, about a dozen hostesses and their invited friends, nibbled on crab cakes, potatoes, cole slaw and hush puppies.

A passion to help

Apple, who met Brem nearly 14 years ago when a calcification was found in her breast, said, "This is a passion of mine, helping Rachel." Apple spoke at the event, thanking the many women who were "hostesses" and calling the event "a gift of empowerment and knowledge."

Pat Beyer of Huntington, who had attended a few Brem Foundation events in the past, said she brought a friend who is going through breast cancer treatment. The events are a nice way to gain information and to raise funds, she said. And Beyer said she likes that the foundation is all volunteer and "a hundred percent [of money donated] is going to the cause, not administration."

Brem, who has spoke in the U.S. and abroad about breast cancer, shared her personal story of finding her own lump 13 years ago and going through breast cancer treatment and also having her mother be diagnosed with breast cancer when Brem was 11 years old.

Brem said she decided at 11 years old, "I was going to do everything I could do so women do not have to go through what my mom did." Brem, who graduated with honors from medical school at Columbia University, now holds the title of Director, Breast Imaging and Interventional Center, Professor of Radiology Vice Chair, Research and Faculty Development at The George Washington University Medical Center.

Educating women about technology

"We know early diagnosis really makes a difference," said Brem, who has dedicated herself to acquiring the latest technology in breast cancer detection. When identifying beast cancer early, it's a curable disease, she said, and the Brem Foundation wants to empower women with the knowledge of the latest diagnostic devices and treatment protocols.

Brem shared the latest diagnostic technologies of MRI-guided biopsies, saying that "half the cancers found to date were not found with mammograms."

Brem spoke of the foundation's assistance for diagnostic services for uninsured and underinsured women.

"We just believe in helping people," Brem said after saying that Washington, D.C., has the highest breast cancer death rate in the country. She talked about research based on blood flow and metabolic diagnostics and also using molecular imaging, which improves the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Brem, who champions minimally invasive breast biopsies, answered numerous questions from women in the audience after she spoke reassuring women that 80 percent of biopsies are benign and "should not be done on an operating table."

One woman, who asked about genetic testing for the cancer gene, said she was worried that she might be dropped from her insurance company with a positive test.

Maryland Del. Sue Kullen (D-Calvert), who attended the event, answered the question, saying that Maryland passed a law stating that insurance companies could not use genetic testing to deny someone insurance. Kullen, whose husband's mother died of breast cancer when he was 7 years old, said, "This is definitely something that changed our lives. My hope is that nobody's mother dies of breast cancer, or daughter or sister."

Calvert County Board of County Commissioners candidate Kimberly Mackall of Lusby, who was invited by Apple to the event, said she learned from Brem's talk and she plans to share the information with women she knows.

"I'm going to be a host," Mackall said. "It's important to take care of our health... to take care of our families and communities. If we don't inform and empower ourselves, who else will?" she said.

When a woman asked if Brem works with the Center for Breast Care at Calvert Memorial Hospital, she answered she did not, adding, "They are very committed in trying to buy the latest technology."

Kasia Sweeney, director of marketing and public relations at the hospital said, "We share Dr. Brem's philosophy for providing and promoting minimally invasive diagnostic services" that save lives and spare women and their families from anxieties.

The center currently uses digital mammograms and ultrasound biopsy devices and through the hospital's Galaxy Ball fundraiser, to be held on Nov. 14, the hospital plans to purchase a stereotactic biopsy and breast MRI, Sweeney said.

Images are read by a breast-specific radiologist and there is a breast surgeon on staff, she added.

charvat@somdnews.com