Philanthropist and breast cancer survivor Donna Bernstein (right) poses for a photograph with her breast surgeon Shelley Hwang, MD, while gathered at a garden reception in her honor. Bernstein's gift established the Bernstein Family Garden, a rooftop terrace located on Level 4 of Duke Cancer Center in Durham.
One Woman's Gift Creates Respite For Many
Published
From the Duke Cancer Institute archives. Content may be out of date.
Raised in a Jewish home on Long Island, New York, Donna Bernstein was well acquainted with tzedakah, a Hebrew word referring to the moral obligation to do what’s right and just, including works of charity—a principle her father and mother believed in and incorporated into their daily lives while raising their family.
Growing up, Donna enjoyed spending time with her father, Harold, a successful executive. She would often accompany him a few times a year when he came to Duke for treatment for severe hypertension, a genetic condition both he and his brother battled throughout their lives.
“I came with Dad to keep him company,” remembers Donna, who as an adult has also looked to Duke for care even while still living in New York.
In the early 2000s, Harold was diagnosed with late-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. Again, he sought treatment at Duke.
Unfortunately, within a year of his diagnosis, he lost his battle with the aggressive disease. Deeply appreciative of the cancer care he received from oncologist and researcher Jon P. Gockerman, MD, Donna and her family felt it important to support Gockerman’s research, which centered on identifying inherited genetic changes contributing to the onset of cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.
In 2004, the family established the Harold Bernstein Family Fund in support of Gockerman’s ongoing research.
“We believed in Dr. Gockerman and his science,” said Donna. “My father received the best care possible; now it was time to give back—tzedakah.”
The relationship between the Bernstein family and Duke grew ever closer. Although the physical distance between the two was great, the mutual warmth and respect exchanged brought them close in heart. Moreover, the two shared a single passion—finding an end to cancer.
“Donna and her son’s gift has provided a sanctuary of sorts for our patients receiving care at our flagship cancer center,” shared Amy Deshler, senior executive director of DCI Development. “Duke Cancer Institute is very grateful and thanks Donna and Samuel for their philanthropy and support.”
Donna Bernstein's family traveled from out of state to attend the May 15 garden reception in her honor.
In 2010, as plans were being drawn to construct Duke Cancer Institute’s flagship treatment center, Duke approached Donna about the possibility of funding a unique space specially designed to focus on the center’s patients and their emotional wellbeing, like a garden.
“I immediately envisioned a space where patients and their loved ones could find hope and life rather than steep in worry,” remembered Donna, who just six years later was diagnosed with breast cancer.
In 2012, Donna, a former professional tennis player, tennis club owner and certified wheel chair tennis coach, and her son, Samuel, established the center’s rooftop garden, which they named in memory of Donna’s beloved father Harold.
Located on Level 4 of Duke Cancer Center, The Bernstein Family Garden is a place of tranquility where patients breathe fresh air, read, practice yoga, reflect and feel restored. The rooftop garden features seasonal herbs and flowers as well as planters brimming with vibrant-colored flowers. During favorable weather, volunteers serve refreshments or perform soothing instrumentals.
“During my own treatment, I was able to visit and take refuge in the garden,” shared Donna, who underwent surgery and chemotherapy for her breast cancer at Duke Cancer Center. “I hope patients and their families will come away from our garden feeling simultaneously calmed, reinvigorated, refreshed, and rejuvenated in mind, body and spirit—a little more prepared to face whatever lies ahead.”
On May 15, Duke Cancer Institute hosted a garden reception in honor of Donna Bernstein whose gift made possible The Bernstein Family Garden. To view a gallery of photographs taken at the event, please visit A Place of Hope: Celebrating the Bernstein Family Garden.
For decades, a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer has carried a clear message: while treatments can help control the disease and extend life, the disease is generally considered incurable. As a result, treatment strategies have traditionally focused on managing cancer and maintaining quality of life rather than pursuing a cure.New advances in breast cancer therapies are changing that conversation. Research led by Duke Cancer Institute breast surgical oncologist Jennifer Plichta, MD, suggests that some patients with limited metastatic breast cancer may benefit from a more aggressive treatment approach than has traditionally been offered. The findings, published in JAMA Surgery, add to growing evidence that metastatic breast cancer is not the same for every patient and that treatment decisions may need to become more personalized.Plichta's research builds on years of work focused on improving how physicians classify and predict outcomes for patients with breast cancer. Historically, a diagnosis of metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer, was associated with poor survival. However, the development of targeted therapies and other advances in systemic treatment have dramatically improved outcomes for many patients."Many women with metastatic breast cancer are now living for years and sometimes even a decade after diagnosis," Plichta said. "We've come a long way in terms of treatment options and survival."At the same time, researchers have discovered significant variation among patients with metastatic disease. Some experience aggressive cancer that progresses quickly, while others have relatively limited disease that remains controlled for long periods.This variability led Plichta and her colleagues to ask an important question: Are there certain patients with metastatic breast cancer who could benefit from treatment strategies typically reserved for patients with earlier-stage disease?The study focused on patients with what is known as oligometastatic breast cancer, a form of metastatic disease in which cancer has spread to only a limited number of sites. Researchers believe this group may represent a distinct subset of patients whose disease behaves differently than widespread metastatic cancer.Using data from the National Cancer Database, which captures information on many newly diagnosed breast cancers in the U.S., the team analyzed outcomes among patients with limited metastatic disease. They examined whether patients received treatment directed at the primary breast tumor, treatment directed at metastatic sites, both treatments, or neither.The goal was to determine whether a treatment approach that more closely resembles care for stage III breast cancer—combining systemic therapy with aggressive local treatment—might improve outcomes for selected patients."What stood out was that removing the primary breast tumor seemed to be the factor most strongly associated with improved survival," Plichta said. "Treating the distant sites did not appear to offer the same survival advantage on its own."While previous studies have explored surgery for patients with metastatic breast cancer, results have been mixed. Plichta believes one reason may be that metastatic breast cancer is often treated as a single category, even though patients can have vastly different disease characteristics and prognoses.One of the most significant implications of this research is how clinicians think about treatment goals. Patients with stage III breast cancer are typically treated with curative intent, meaning doctors use every appropriate therapy available, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, in an effort to eliminate the disease. Patients with metastatic breast cancer, by contrast, are usually treated with palliative intent, focusing on disease control rather than cure.But as outcomes improve, the line between those groups may not be as clear as it once was."We're seeing some patients with metastatic disease living longer than patients with locally advanced breast cancer," Plichta said. "That raises important questions about whether some patients with limited metastatic disease should be approached differently."Because the study was retrospective, the results point to an important association that warrants further study. Several clinical trials are now being developed to investigate curative-intent treatment strategies in specific subgroups of metastatic breast cancer patients, including those with HER2-positive disease. Duke hopes to participate in these multi-institutional studies as the field continues to evolve.As breast cancer treatments continue to improve, researchers are gaining a more nuanced understanding of metastatic disease. For Plichta, the study represents an important step toward that goal."I hope this work encourages further research into which patients may benefit from a curative-intent approach," she said. "The ultimate goal is to find the right treatment strategy for the right patient."
For decades, a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer has carried a clear message: while treatments can help control the disease and extend life, the disease is generally considered incurable. As a result, treatment strategies have traditionally focused on managing cancer and maintaining quality of life rather than pursuing a cure.New advances in breast cancer therapies are changing that conversation. Research led by Duke Cancer Institute breast surgical oncologist Jennifer Plichta, MD, suggests that some patients with limited metastatic breast cancer may benefit from a more aggressive treatment approach than has traditionally been offered. The findings, published in JAMA Surgery, add to growing evidence that metastatic breast cancer is not the same for every patient and that treatment decisions may need to become more personalized.Plichta's research builds on years of work focused on improving how physicians classify and predict outcomes for patients with breast cancer. Historically, a diagnosis of metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer, was associated with poor survival. However, the development of targeted therapies and other advances in systemic treatment have dramatically improved outcomes for many patients."Many women with metastatic breast cancer are now living for years and sometimes even a decade after diagnosis," Plichta said. "We've come a long way in terms of treatment options and survival."At the same time, researchers have discovered significant variation among patients with metastatic disease. Some experience aggressive cancer that progresses quickly, while others have relatively limited disease that remains controlled for long periods.This variability led Plichta and her colleagues to ask an important question: Are there certain patients with metastatic breast cancer who could benefit from treatment strategies typically reserved for patients with earlier-stage disease?The study focused on patients with what is known as oligometastatic breast cancer, a form of metastatic disease in which cancer has spread to only a limited number of sites. Researchers believe this group may represent a distinct subset of patients whose disease behaves differently than widespread metastatic cancer.Using data from the National Cancer Database, which captures information on many newly diagnosed breast cancers in the U.S., the team analyzed outcomes among patients with limited metastatic disease. They examined whether patients received treatment directed at the primary breast tumor, treatment directed at metastatic sites, both treatments, or neither.The goal was to determine whether a treatment approach that more closely resembles care for stage III breast cancer—combining systemic therapy with aggressive local treatment—might improve outcomes for selected patients."What stood out was that removing the primary breast tumor seemed to be the factor most strongly associated with improved survival," Plichta said. "Treating the distant sites did not appear to offer the same survival advantage on its own."While previous studies have explored surgery for patients with metastatic breast cancer, results have been mixed. Plichta believes one reason may be that metastatic breast cancer is often treated as a single category, even though patients can have vastly different disease characteristics and prognoses.One of the most significant implications of this research is how clinicians think about treatment goals. Patients with stage III breast cancer are typically treated with curative intent, meaning doctors use every appropriate therapy available, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, in an effort to eliminate the disease. Patients with metastatic breast cancer, by contrast, are usually treated with palliative intent, focusing on disease control rather than cure.But as outcomes improve, the line between those groups may not be as clear as it once was."We're seeing some patients with metastatic disease living longer than patients with locally advanced breast cancer," Plichta said. "That raises important questions about whether some patients with limited metastatic disease should be approached differently."Because the study was retrospective, the results point to an important association that warrants further study. Several clinical trials are now being developed to investigate curative-intent treatment strategies in specific subgroups of metastatic breast cancer patients, including those with HER2-positive disease. Duke hopes to participate in these multi-institutional studies as the field continues to evolve.As breast cancer treatments continue to improve, researchers are gaining a more nuanced understanding of metastatic disease. For Plichta, the study represents an important step toward that goal."I hope this work encourages further research into which patients may benefit from a curative-intent approach," she said. "The ultimate goal is to find the right treatment strategy for the right patient."
