8th Annual Papanicolaou Corps for Cancer Research Walkathon and Health Fair

On March 29, more than 2,000 people participated in the 8th annual Papanicolaou Corps for Cancer Research Walkathon and Health Fair at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach. Pap Corps members, friends, and supporters enjoyed a brisk walk and later attended the health fair. UM/Sylvester physicians and staff performed more than 700 free health screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, oxygen saturation, skin cancer, and for the first time prostate cancer. In addition, there were health information booths on cancer prevention and related topics, and the diagnostic imaging services that are now available at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach.

Sponsors included Bank Atlantic, Dory Slossberg Foundation, Dunkin Donuts, Protex International, Pyra Promotions, Restaurant de Italia, Ruthann and David Beckerman, Salon de Soleil, The Seiff Family, UM/Sylvester, Vista Food Exchange, White Hall Nursing Homes of Boca Raton, and 101.5 Lite FM -- featuring Ellen Jaffe, afternoon host and assistant program director -- who emceed the event.

Since its inception, the Pap Corps has donated more than $30 million to UM/Sylvester, which is used strictly for research, says Barbara Pessel, president of the Pap Corps. “Since there are no professional fund-raisers in the Pap Corps, approximately 99% of every dollar raised goes towards reaching the goal…..finding a cure for every type of cancer,” she says. “We all believe that research is the only possible way to cure this horrendous disease. It is only through hard work, dedication, and the generosity of contributors that we have any hope of finding a cancer cure, so thanks to everyone and especially event chair, Rita Seiff and her committee, for helping us make this a successful event.”

Today’s Research Brings Tomorrow’s Cure…that’s the belief and mission of the Papanicolaou Corps for Cancer Research, a philanthropic organization that has raised millions of dollars to help UM/Sylvester search for a cancer cure. Named in honor of cancer research pioneer, Dr. George N. Papanicolaou (developer/founder of the Pap Smear for cervical cancer), the Pap Corps is an all-volunteer group with more than 17,000 members across four South Florida counties that has supported cancer research at the University of Miami for more than 55 years.

In June 2007, in celebration of its 55th anniversary, the Pap Corps presented a gift of $3.15 million to fund cancer research at UM/Sylvester. The gift brought the Pap Corps close to reaching its six-year, $14 million pledge a year early.

The ongoing commitment of the Pap Corps funds the cancer center's multidisciplinary research programs and investigations of prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers, as well as new diagnostic tools for a variety of cancers at South Florida’s only university-based cancer center.

For more information about the Papanicolaou Corps for Cancer Research please call 954-425-8100 or visit www.papcorps.org. The Pap Corps office is headquartered at UM/Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, 1192 East Newport Center Drive, Suite 230 Deerfield Beach, Florida.