DCI Registers 100 Participants For 2015 Making Strides Walk

Over the past two weeks, the American Cancer Society and Duke Cancer Institute have partnered to host Making Strides Against Breast Cancer registration parties at DCI cancer centers, including Duke Cancer Center Durham, Duke Cancer Center Raleigh and Duke Cancer Center Macon Pond. Duke Cancer Center Cary will host its registration party in August.

Erica Roebuck, 16, attended the July 14 registration party at Duke Cancer Center Macon Pond along with her mother, Cindy.

"When my mom first shared with us that she had breast cancer, I was worried that she might die," Erica said. "But she told me that we have to keep the faith and believe everything is going to be okay. And that's exactly what we're doing."

The mother-daughter duo will step out Oct. 3 with thousands of others raising funds and awareness in the quest for a world free of breast cancer.

To date, almost 100 individuals, Duke faculty, staff and patients, have registered to step out from North Hills Mall in Raleigh on Saturday, Oct. 3. Honorary team captains include: Shelley Hwang, MD, Duke Cancer Institute; Michael Spiritos, MD, Duke Cancer Center Raleigh; Elizabeth Campbell, MD, Duke Cancer Center Macon Pond; and John Reilly, MD, Duke Cancer Center Cary. Registration parties featured drawings for gift baskets, refreshments and free Making Strides tees. To join a DCI team, contact Tina Piccirilli at 919.684.8571 or visit our DCI teams page. Registration party photos below.

Duke Cancer Center Durham
Monday, July 13, 2015
Co-Captain: Tina Piccirilli
Registered: 44

circle photo: At the July 13 Making Strides registration party, honorary DCI team captain Shelley Hwang, MD, MPH, gives a hug to Andrea Goodwin, a former nurse who lives in Durham. Goodwin, who registered for the Oct. 3 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, was diagnosed in mid may with squamous cell carcinoma.

1. Shelley Hwang poses with Kim Malugen, Duke Survivorship Center. Malugen heads up #teamtatas. 2. Brenda Twitty, Lancaster, South Carolina, poses with her best friend of 30 years, Alice Pendergrass, of Rocky Hill, South Carolina. Pendergrass was diagnosed in 2002 with breast cancer. She returns to Duke yearly for check-ups. 3. Joelly Graham, a patient service associate in Radiology, holds up her new Making Strides tee. Graham has been on staff at Duke for three years. 4. Esau Cunningham, patient service associate, poses in front of this year's Making Strides poster. 5. Members of the Junior Volunteer Program sign-up to step out in October. From left to right: Oluwatofunmi Olaleye, 17, Riverside High School; Wendy Yu, 17, Panther Creek High School; Emma Stoops, 15, Durham Schoool of Arts; and Cydni Baldwin, 17, Cedar Ridge High School.

1. Ann Smith, Durham, was diagnosed in June with breast cancer. She's ready to step out to support ongoing research to find better treatments and a cure. 2. Michelle Fontanez, 34, is the married mother of a 9-year-old. A school teacher, Fontanez was diagnosed in June with stage 3 breast cancer. 3. Wanda Lawson, nursing care assistant II, is ready to make strides for a world without breast cancer. 4. Tracey Smith and Robbie Tilley, both with the American Cancer Society, pose with Tina Piccirilli, DCI co-captain, and Shelley Hwang, MD, honorary team captain.

Duke Cancer Center Macon Pond
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Co-Captain: Marcia "Mardie" Gibbs
Registered: 28

1. Jessica Ribar, RN, and Sharan Chambliss, RN, sign on for the 2015 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk to be held on Saturday, Oct. 3. Both have been with Duke for 10 years. 2. Cindy Roebuck, Raleigh, poses with Elizabeth Campbell, MD. Roebuck was diagnosed with breast cancer in Dec. 2014. She finished her chemotherapy in May. Michelle Lindley, Raleigh, poses with her husband, Van. Michelle is battling triple negative breast cancer. 3. Jeanne Tedrow, Raleigh, poses with her Making Strides survivor tee. Tedrow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. Today, she is in remission.

Duke Cancer Center Raleigh
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Co-Captain: Elattmont Spiller
Registered: 28

1. Pretty in pink, Jonika Harrison, nursing care assistant (NCA), goes all out to show she's ready to step out Oct. 3. 2. After being on the job just three days, Durham resident Annie Quigley, CNA, demonstrates she's all-in for all things Duke. 3. Diane Johnson, RN, doesn't hesitate to don her Making Strides tee. She has worked with Michael Spiritos, MD, for the past five years. 4. Corrinda Brown-Cryer, 37, Raleigh, poses with Elattmont Spiller, team co-captain and patient service associate. Brown-Cryer battles a B-12 deficiency. She has family and friends battling breast cancer. 5. Elattmont Spiller poses with honorary team captain Michael Spiritos, MD.