2007 Annual Report of Programs

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Our Mission
Friends’ Health Connection improves quality of life by enhancing physical,
emotional and spiritual well-being. We link individuals with similar health
challenges for mutual support and provide public access to exceptional
health, wellness and motivational programs nationwide.
2007 Board of Directors
Wendy C. Breiterman
Director of Work/Life Programs – Johnson & Johnson
James D. DeVito
Retired Director of Education – Johnson & Johnson
Bonnie A. Evans, PT, MHA
Vice President – Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Beth Grossman
Publicist – Beth Grossman Makes Things Happen
Steven Kairys, MD, MPH
Department Head of Pediatrics at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital
at Jersey Shore University Medical Center
Charles F. Kenny, Esq.
Attorney at Law
Barry Liss, Esq. (Chairperson of the Board)
Attorney at Law – Kalison, McBride, Jackson & Murphy, P.A.
Jennifer Loftus, MPA
Director of Support Services – NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Joseph F. Marx
Senior Communications Officer – The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Mark A. Rosenthal, CPA
Certified Public Accountant
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2007 Staff
Roxanne Black-Weisheit
Executive Director/Founder
Nancy Proko
National Event Manager
Migdalia Rivera
Program Manager
Lisa Gombas
Program Manager
Jane Atmatzidis
Office Manager
Mersedeh Ghassemzadeh
Registration Director/Patient Network Director
Kimberly Clark-Waddy
Patient Network Director
Judy Ortleb
Bookkeeper
Danielle Landers
Fund Development Manager
Victoria Boyer
Intern
Steven Breiterman
Volunteer
A special thank you to all the
Friends’ Health Connection volunteers.
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When I think back over the two decades since I started
Friends’ Health Connection, I am so proud of our
accomplishments. What began in my dorm room during
my freshman year of college has blossomed into an
unprecedented array of programs and services that work
to improve the lives of individuals with health challenges
and also help to educate the general public regarding
steps they can take to prevent illness.
This year, we have continued to collaborate with an evergrowing list of hospitals, healthcare facilities, non-profits
and selected companies across the country. We would
like to thank all of our 2007 partners, collaborators and
clients.
In this booklet, we present an overview of the programs and services we scheduled
this year. On each page, we present a brief bio of the presenter, the topic and the
group that worked with us to present the event.
Our 2007 speakers are among some of the foremost leaders in health and wellness
including Doctors Mehmet Oz, C. Norman Shealy, Mimi Guarneri, Bernie Siegel,
Tracey Gaudet, Nicholas Perricone, Mona Lisa Schulz, Mark Hyman, Pamela Peeke,
Ian Smith, Rovenia Brock, Peter D’Adamo, Diana Schwarzbein and more.
Actor Alan Alda shared his humor and insights and actress Rue McClanahan
expressed her laugh-out-loud life stories, along with her experience with cancer.
Fitness speakers this year included boxing champion and “Dancing with the Stars”
contestant Laila Ali, Dr. Pamela Peeke, Chief Medical Correspondent for Discovery
Health television, and Nordine Zouareg, former Mr. Universe.
We helped develop a wonderful conference about parenting kids with special needs
featuring Anne Ford, Chairman Emeritus of the National Center for Learning
Disabilities and Dr. Martin Kutscher, renowned author and Professor of Pediatrics and
Neurology at the New York Medical College. In addition Rick LaVoie, author of the
best-selling book It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend, presented his views on
motivating the tuned-out child.
We arranged for Howard White, a Vice President of Nike, to travel from Los Angeles
to New Jersey to empower inner city youth. In addition, we offered a special evening
with legendary gospel singer CeCe Winans who encouraged young women to become
“The Princess that God Created You to Be.”
We scheduled Marianne Williamson to speak at Harvard Medical School about how
the choices we make promote or limit our well-being. She provided tools and insights
for attaining health and harmony in our lives and in our world. Beloved humor expert
Loretta LaRoche keynoted an event for seniors, during which there was a constant
roar of laughter and fun.
Dr. J. David Spence, regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in stroke
prevention, traveled from Canada to give a presentation on stroke prevention during
stroke awareness month. In addition, the acclaimed public health crusader Dr. Gerald
Deas spoke about ways to prevent illness. We also collaborated with various
organizations and associations to present cooking demonstrations by world-renowned
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chefs including Walter Scheib who was head chef at the White House for twelve
years.
Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” shared
his inspiration with a “standing room only” audience. We also helped to present
events with Alan Dershowitz and with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner.
In addition to scheduling more than 100 lectures and workshops, Friends’ Health
Connection also offered outstanding conferences and series.
We organized a conference at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center titled
“Untangling the Myths of Dialysis and Transplantation.” The event was offered free
of charge and featured a leading transplant surgeon, dialysis and transplant
coordinators from Harvard’s hospitals.
We also replicated our original series titled “Using Art to Heal.” I personally
conceived and developed this series because my mother was an art therapist and I
have consistently witnessed the power of expressive therapies. My goal was to offer
a most exceptional and inspirational series.
The series consisted of six original workshops designed to enable individuals with
health challenges to use expressive art modalities to heal. The sessions were
developed and led by instructors from leading cultural institutions including The
Guggenheim, Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian, The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, The Alvin Ailey Dance
Theater and Jazz at Lincoln Center. It is described further in this booklet. Special
thanks to Roche for funding this series.
We would also like to express our gratitude to Novartis for funding a separate
expressive therapy series which was developed and offered specifically to cancer
patients and survivors. It consisted of five sessions which were held at various
hospitals throughout NJ, especially those that reach underserved populations.
For the first time this year, we offered a Bedside Music Therapy program at Columbia
and Cornell Medical Centers in New York City. The series was led by Toby Williams,
a music therapist who is affiliated with Carnegie Hall. Ms. Williams visited the rooms
of patients who were too ill to leave their hospital beds and worked with guest
musicians to touch the patients’ lives.
At our annual awards dinner this year, we recognized 21 outstanding healthcare
professionals throughout New Jersey. These individuals are inspirations to everyone
they meet and we are very proud to have honored them.
Finally, our award-winning patient network has continued. Through this, individuals
with health challenges across the country can contact us to find a friend in the same
situation, someone who truly understands their experiences.
On behalf of Friends’ Health Connection, I thank all of the many groups that
collaborated with us in 2007 as well as all of the people who helped make these
outstanding programs a success. Thank you to our funders and contributors and to
everyone who has touched Friends’ Health Connection.
Best wishes,
Roxanne Black-Weisheit
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Mariel Hemingway
Healthy Living From the Inside Out: Every
Woman’s Guide to Real Beauty, Renewed Energy,
and a Radiant Life
January 4, 2007
Jewish Life
130 Attendees
New Jersey
January 17, 2007
Pharmaca Integrative
Pharmacy
50 Attendees
California
An actress, mother, wife, and granddaughter of
Ernest Hemingway, Mariel has faced many
personal challenges and family tragedies. She has
also experienced living and working in
Hollywood, with its relentless focus on external
appearance. Though she experimented with fad
diets, too much or too little exercise, and other
alternative remedies, Mariel found nothing to satisfy and sustain her. She
began to develop her own methods of living healthfully and consciously and
sought out ways to achieve calmness and balance, and enjoy her experiences.
After years of application Mariel honed her practices into a program that she
shares with others: Mariel Hemingway’s Healthy Living From the Inside Out.
Mariel’s program focused on four simple avenues that we face every day:
food, exercise, silence, and home environment.
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Erminia “Mimi” Guarneri, MD, FACC
The Heart Speaks: Are You Listening?
February 6, 2007
Lourdes Health System
200 Attendees
New Jersey
February 7, 2007
CentraState Medical Center
120 Attendees
New Jersey
February 8, 2007
St. Barnabas Healthcare
System
150 Attendees
New Jersey
February 9, 2007
CAMExpo East
300 Attendees
New York
According to statistics, every day, 2,600 Americans die of cardiovascular
disease—one person every thirty-three seconds. Ten times more women die
of heart disease than breast cancer. Despite remarkable interventional and
surgical procedures, over 650,000 new heart attacks occur annually.
Dr. Mimi Guarneri cited groundbreaking new research as she spoke about
ways she blends the science and drama of the heart's unfolding. She
presented the heart as a multilayered, complex organ and explored the new
science that indicates the heart acts as a powerhouse of its own, possessing
intelligence, memory, and decision-making abilities separate from the mind.
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Mehmet C. Oz, MD
& Daphne Oz
An Evening with Oz: Diet Tips from
Dr. Mehmet Oz and his daughter, Daphne
February 7, 2007
Princeton HealthCare System
800 Attendees
New Jersey
Dr. Oz is professor and vice-chairman of
surgery at Columbia University as well as
medical director of the Integrated Medicine
Center and director of the Heart Institute at New
York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center. His
research interests include heart replacement
surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery,
complementary medicine, and health care policy.
He has authored over 400 original publications,
book chapters, abstracts, and books and has
received several patents. Dr. Oz is the co-author of
the New York Times #1 bestsellers YOU: The Owner’s Manual and
YOU: On a Diet.
Dr. Oz received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, his M.D.
from the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.B.A. from Wharton School of
Business. He was awarded the Captain’s Athletic Award for leadership in
college and was President of the Student Body during medical school. In his
New York practice, Dr. Oz has seen success treating patients with a
combination of cutting-edge Western techniques and alternative Eastern
therapies such as
meditation, massage,
and yoga.
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In addition to numerous appearances on network
morning and evening news programs, Dr. Oz has a
series of shows with Oprah teaching America
about health. He is also senior medical advisor to
the Discovery Channel where he has hosted several
popular series.
Dr. Oz was elected as a Global Leader of
Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum. He was
voted “The Best and Brightest” by Esquire
magazine. He was
elected a Doctor of the
Year by Hippocrates magazine and a Healer of the
Millennium by Healthy Living magazine. He is
annually elected as one of the best physicians in
the USA by the Castle Connolly Guide.
Dr. Oz’s daughter, Daphne Oz, a student at
Princeton University, has developed her own
healthy lifestyle plan, the national best-seller, The
Dorm Room Diet. At this event, she shared her
plan, which is an eight-step program for college
students who want to lose weight, stay healthy and
keep fit.
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Marisa Acocella Marchetto
Cancer Vixen: A True Story
February 8, 2007
SHARE Cancer Support
35 Attendees
New York
“What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstickobsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping,
fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-getmarried big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous
life finds . . . a lump in her breast?” In vivid
color and with a taboo-breaking sense of humor,
Marisa Acocella Marchetto told the story of her
eleven-month, ultimately triumphant bout with
breast cancer—from diagnosis to cure, and
every challenging step in between.
Strength does not come
from physical capacity.
It comes from
an indomitable will.
-Mahatma Gandhi
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February 8-10, 2007
770 Attendees
New York
The International Complementary and Natural Healthcare Conference and
Expo (CAMEXPO) is where the communities of complementary, alternative
and integrative healthcare converge.
The CAMEXPO conference features the latest trends, research, clinical trials
and protocols in the fields of complementary and integrative healthcare.
Friends’ Health Connection was delighted to work with CAMEXPO to help
present four leading speakers in health.
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Erminia “Mimi” Guarneri,
MD, FACC
The Heart Speaks: Are You Listening?
February 9, 2007
300 Attendees
Jeremy R. Geffen,
MD, FACP
The Journey Through
Cancer
February 9, 2007
100 Attendees
C. Norman Shealy,
MD, Ph.D.
Life Beyond 100
February 10, 2007
300 Attendees
Tracy W. Gaudet,
MD
Body, Soul & Baby
February 10, 2007
70 Attendees
It was a pleasure working with Nancy and
the FHC team at CAMExpo. They were very helpful,
flexible and professional such a great addition to our
program at CAMExpo East.
Marnie S. Morrione
Conference Director
Diversified Business Communications
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C. Norman Shealy, MD, Ph.D.
Life Beyond 100
February 10, 2007
CAMExpo East
300 Attendees
New York
February 11, 2007
Religious Science Center
80 Attendees
New Jersey
February 12, 2007
Somerset Medical
Center
100 Attendees
New Jersey
May 5, 2007
National Institute of
Whole Health
150 Attendees
Massachusetts
In 1971, Dr. C. Norman Shealy founded the first comprehensive, holistic
clinic for the management of pain and stress. The Shealy Institute became the
most successful and most cost-effective pain clinic in the U.S, with 85%
success in over 30,000 patients.
In 1978, Dr. Shealy was instrumental in creating The American Holistic
Medical Association, which continues to emphasize the spiritual component
of healing. He was the founding president of AHMA for its first two years.
Currently Dr. Shealy is President of Holos University Graduate Seminary
which offers doctoral programs in Spiritual Healing and Energy Medicine.
Dr. Shealy holds 9 patents for innovative discoveries and has published over
300 articles and 22 books.
His current research emphasizes the potential for using spiritual energetics in
reversing DNA damage, to enhance health and longevity. Friends’ Health
Connection scheduled Dr. Shealy to offer four lectures based upon his newest
book, Life Beyond 100—Secrets of the Fountain of Youth.
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Jami Bernard
Cancer Goes Hollywood: How the Movies Get Cancer All
Wrong
February 22, 2007
The Wellness Community of Central New Jersey
25 Attendees
New Jersey
Noted film critic, author, and breast-cancer survivor, Jami
Bernard, presented a lively talk on how movies tiptoe around
the topic of cancer. In real life, many cancers are highly
treatable and most show up later in life, but in the
movies, only the young and gorgeous get it, and it’s 99% fatal.
According to Bernard, “Symptoms of Movie Cancer include
dark circles under the eyes, a sudden headache, a polite cough,
and the tendency to say very profound things.”
Tobi Zausner, Ph.D.
Creativity and the Transforming Illness;
Cancer and Creativity: Finding Your Inner Artist
March 6, 2007
SHARE Cancer Support
15 Attendees
New York
March 15, 2007
The Wellness Community
of Central New Jersey
14 Attendees
New Jersey
When Tobi Zausner, Ph.D., was diagnosed with
ovarian cancer in 1989, her doctor didn’t think she
would last the year. But the wall of illness turned into
a door of opportunity and her life transformed. For
Zausner, the illness that felt like an impassible barrier
became the opening to a new and more creative
existence. Leonardo Da Vinci, Frida Kahlo,
Michelangelo, and Georgia O’Keeffe are among the many other artists she
profiled whose physical disorders enhanced their creativity and transformed
their lives. According to Zausner, “Illness and accidents shaped their work,
and their masterpieces changed our world.”
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Ann Kirschner
Sala’s Gift: My Mother’s Holocaust Story
March 7, 2007
Jewish Life/Temple Beth El
100 Attendees
New Jersey
April 27, 2007
Raritan Valley Community College
1,000 Attendees
New Jersey
Few family secrets have the power to both
transform lives and fill crucial gaps in world
history. But then, few families have a mother and
a daughter quite like Sala and Ann Kirschner. For
nearly fifty years, Sala kept a secret: She had
survived five years as a slave in seven different
Nazi work camps. Living in America after the
war, she kept from her children any hint of her
epic, inhuman odyssey. She held on to more than
350 letters, photographs, and a diary without ever
mentioning them. Only in 1991, on the eve of
heart surgery, did she suddenly present them to
Ann and offer to answer any questions her daughter wished to
ask. It was a life-changing moment for her scholar, writer, and entrepreneur
daughter.
Ann Kirschner is Dean of the Macaulay Honors College at The City
University of New York. She began her career as a lecturer in Victorian
literature at Princeton University, where she had earned a Ph.D. in English.
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March 10, 2007
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
An Affiliate of Harvard
Massachusetts
If you or a family member is dealing with chronic kidney disease, there’s a
lot of vital information you need to know – about dialysis, about other
treatments that can help, and about organ transplantation.
This free program, funded by Roche, helped patients and their families
overcome myths about kidney disease and learn more about dialysis and
transplantation.
Roxanne Black-Weisheit, a two-time kidney transplant recipient and
Founder/Director of FHC joined experts in transplantation to discuss both the
emotional and physical aspects of kidney transplantation.
Participants heard from kidney disease experts, learned
about the health issues associated with kidney disease,
and gained vital information about dialysis and
transplantation.
The event featured the following
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Panelists:
Scott Johnson, MD, Surgical Director, Kidney Transplantation
Ogo Egbuna, MD, Transplant Nephrologist
Linda Walsh, Registered Nurse, Kidney Transplant Coordinator
Martha Pavlakis, MD, Medical Director, Kidney and
Pancreas Transplantation
Jim Rodrigue, PhD, Director of the Behavioral Health Care Program at
the Transplant Center
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Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN
Young and Revitalized:
Wild Salmon’s Fountain of Youth
March 11, 2007
International Boston Seafood Show
200 Attendees
Massachusetts
Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN, is a board
certified clinical and research dermatologist. A
brilliant scholar, Dr. Perricone completed medical
school in just 3 years, graduating with distinction.
He completed his internship in Pediatrics at Yale
Medical School and his Dermatology Residency at
Ford Medical Center. Dr. Perricone is regarded as
the Father of the Inflammation Theory of Aging.
Dr. Perricone is a popular guest on national
television, appearing on the Today Show, 20/20,
Good Morning America, The View, CNN, Fox,
Extra, Access Hollywood as well as many news
broadcasts. He has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street
Journal, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W, Forbes, People, USA Today and a host
of other major magazines and newspapers.
In 2001, Vogue named Dr. Perricone one of the best dermatologists in the
U.S. Women’s Wear Daily cited the opening of the Perricone Flagship store
on Madison Avenue (NYC) as one of the ‘Top Ten Beauty Stores’ of 2005.
In addition, he is a frequent keynote speaker on the medical and business
lecture circuit.
Dr. Perricone holds dozens of U.S. and international patents for the treatment
of skin and systemic disease.
He also holds patents for the use of topical anti-inflammatories for reversing
and preventing damage to skin caused by age, the sun, the environment, and
hormonal changes.
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Marianne Williamson
The Gift of Change
March 13, 2007
Lecture-by-phone
20 Attendees
National
Marianne Williamson is an internationally
acclaimed author and lecturer. She has published
nine books, four of which - including the mega
bestseller A Return to Love and Everyday Grace have been #1 New York Times bestsellers.
According to Marianne, "The only way to gain power in a world that is
moving too fast is to learn to slow down. And the only way to spread one's
influence wide is to learn to go deep. The world we want for ourselves and
our children will not emerge from electronic speed but rather from a spiritual
stillness that takes root in our souls. Then, and only then, will we create a
world that reflects the heart instead of shattering it."
Mona Lisa Schulz, MD, Ph.D.
The Intuitive Brain
March 24, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
150 Attendees
Massachusetts
In addition to her extensive background in clinical
medicine and brain research, Dr. Mona Lisa
Schulz has been a practicing medical intuitive for
nearly two decades. According to Dr. Schulz,
“Medical intuition is the direct perception of the emotional and
psychological patterns that form the basis for a person’s state of health or
disease.” Dr. Schulz believes that all of us were born with intuitive ability,
but that this innate ability gradually diminishes over time, because it has been
culturally feared and devalued, instead of cultivated. One of the many joys in
her life is teaching healthcare professionals and others how to acknowledge,
trust, and develop their own intuitive skills.
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Marion Somers, Ph.D.
Eldercare Made Easier
March 27, 2007
Morristown Memorial
Hospital
25 Attendees
New Jersey
As more than 8,000 baby
boomers turn 60 each
day this year, many find
themselves caring for an
older relative or loved one – even as they plan for
retirement and consider their own health and aging
concerns. Doctor Marion has made caring for the
elderly her life’s work. At this event she offered
proven insight into, and direct support for, the
challenges facing the elderly and their caregivers.
Susan Piver
How Not to Be Afraid Of Your Own Life
April 1, 2007
Exhale Spa
9 Attendees
Massachusetts
May 18, 2007
William Annin Middle School
150 Attendees
New Jersey
May 18, 2007
Whole Foods Market
23 Attendees
New Jersey
At these events, Susan Piver provided valuable information on fear and its paralyzing
effects that prevent us from acknowledging our aspirations, speaking up in
relationships and embracing life fully. She gave practical information on how to
achieve our full potential, incorporating principles of Buddhist meditation and
mindfulness into everyday life.
Susan also described how the practice of meditation can help break down the barriers
of fear, allowing one to start looking inward and watching how the mind works.
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Mark Hyman, MD
Healthy for Life
April 14, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
225 Attendees
Massachusetts
Dr. Hyman is Editor-in-Chief of Alternative
Therapies in Health and Medicine, the most
prestigious journal in the field of Integrative
Medicine. He served as the Co-Medical Director
at Canyon Ranch Lenox, an internationally acclaimed health resort, where he
combined the best of conventional and alternative medicine with a blend of
science, intuition, integrity and compassion. He is the co-author of the recent
New York Times bestselling book Ultraprevention, the Six Week Plan that
Will Make You Healthy for Life, and winner of the Books for Better Life
Award. He is also the author and creator of The Detox Box, A Program for
Achieving Greater Health and Vitality.
Howard White
Believe to Achieve
April 20, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
30 Attendees
New Jersey
Howard White is the Vice President of the Jordan
Brand for Nike. He founded Nike’s "Believe to
Achieve" program, an innovative traveling seminar
designed to encourage kids to greatness.
White moves crowds of today’s youth
by reinforcing messages of education,
focus, and positive role models to help
each child become successful.
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Chef Walter Scheib
Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen
April 30, 2007
Hunterdon Medical Center
300 Attendees
New Jersey
April 30, 2007
American Culinary Federation
100 Attendees
New Jersey
May 1, 2007
American Culinary
Federation
Regional Conference
400 Attendees
Tennessee
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton appointed
Scheib as Executive Chef of the White House in
1994, after being impressed by the menu Scheib had created for his
“audition” and by his grace under pressure.
Scheib’s task was demanding and a first for a White House chef. He writes,
“Hillary Clinton challenged me to ‘highlight what was best and most unique
about American food, wine, and entertaining.” Scheib served as Executive
Chef for both Clinton and the first Bush terms (from 1994 – 2005).
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Florence Falk, Ph.D.
On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone
May 5, 2007
Hunterdon Medical Center
112 Attendees
New Jersey
June 7, 2007
Somerset Medical Center
103 Attendees
New Jersey
June 7, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson
Hamilton
Center for Health &
Wellness
65 Attendees
New Jersey
A recent front-page story in The New York Times reported that an enormous
social shift is underway. Today, single women over the age of 18 represent a
stunning 48 percent of the female population. Yet the subject of aloneness
that affects each and every one of them has been woefully neglected. In this
workshop, Florence Falk, author of On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman
Alone, addressed the subject of aloneness and how we can use it for what it
is, a potentially creative and life-altering experience. Falk spoke on what she
calls “active solitude.” She considers this to be one of the most overlooked
and underappreciated dimensions in women's lives: a space in which a
woman learns to move to her own rhythms and speak with her own voice. In
short, a space wherein a woman can begin to hear herself, find herself, and
bring a new vitality to all her relationships, whether with a lover, partner,
friend, or the larger community of which she is a part.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling
But in rising every time we fall.
-Confucius
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Rue McClanahan
Overcoming Life’s Obstacles
May 8, 2007
NYU Cancer Institute
150 Attendees
New York
May 9, 2007
Morristown Memorial Hospital
220 Attendees
New Jersey
People always ask me if I'm like Blanche. And I say, Well, Blanche was
an oversexed, self-involved, man-crazy, vain Southern Belle from
Atlanta and I'm not from Atlanta!
-- Rue McClanahan
Who can forget Rue McClanahan as the sexy Southern vixen, Blanche
Devereaux, on the Emmy-award winning series The Golden Girls? With her
breezy sex appeal and sharp comedic timing, Rue infused her character with
a sassy joie de vivre that captured the hearts of women everywhere. At these
events, the actress behind the magic revealed her life in and out of the
spotlight, touching on subjects such as love, marriage, men, and getting
older. She also talked about her personal experience with cancer and about
breast cancer awareness in general.
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J. David Spence, MD, FRCPC,
FAHA
How to Prevent Your Stroke
May 11, 2007
Lourdes Health System
325 Attendees
New Jersey
Chances are you know someone who is at risk for
stroke. You might even fall into that category yourself.
But despite their relevance to your life, it's a safe bet
that you don't talk about startling statistics or other
medical matters regularly. Dr. J. David Spence wants to change that. In addition to
offering fascinating discoveries about stroke prevention, at this event Dr. Spence
shared table-talking tips that are easy for everyone to understand—tips that could
very well save someone's life.
Dr. Spence is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in stroke prevention.
Pamela M. Peeke, MD, MPH,
FACP
Making the Health-Wealth Connection;
Fit to Live: The 5-Point Plan to Become Lean,
Strong & Fearless for Life
May 16, 2007
NJAWBO
200 Attendees
New Jersey
September 8, 2007
Good Samaritan Hospital
200 Attendees
California
Dr. Pamela Peeke is a Pew Foundation Scholar in nutrition and clinical assistant
professor of medicine at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine. Dr.
Peeke has been recognized as one of the leading women physicians in America by
the National Institutes of Health. She is chief medical correspondent for Discovery
Health TV and she’s featured in the award-winning National Body Challenge series.
A member of Oprah's O Team of medical experts, Peeke is often seen on CNN's
"American Morning" and the Today Show, and contributes frequently to many
publications.
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Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., CNS
The Seven Hidden Weight Gain Factors
May 19, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
225 Attendees
Massachusetts
Hailed as one of the most respected and innovative nutritionists in America
for over 25 years, Ann Louise Gittleman is the award winning author of over
25 books on health and healing with more than 5 million copies in print. Her
books have been translated into 7 languages. Her blockbuster Fat Flush Plan
is still one of the best-selling diet books in the country today.
Gittleman’s innovative book Before the Change introduced the nation to the
term “perimenopause." Her books Beyond Pritikin, Guess What Came to
Dinner and Your Body Knows Best first introduced Americans to the
importance of essential fatty acids as well as the parasite epidemic.
Anyone can give up,
it's the easiest thing in the world to do.
But to hold it together
when everyone else would
understand if you fell apart,
that's true strength.
-Anonymous
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Julie K. Silver, MD
After Cancer Treatment
June 3, 2007
CentraState Medical Center
125 Attendees
New Jersey
June 4, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Tied to the Cause
200 Attendees
New Jersey
Julie Silver, MD, is the director of the RESTORE
Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Program at
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Framingham,
MA. She also serves as Assistant Professor at
Harvard Medical School in the Department of
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
Dr. Silver is an award-winning writer and the
author/editor of more than a dozen books. Her
latest book is After Cancer Treatment: Heal Faster, Better, Stronger. Dr.
Silver created a program to improve breast cancer patients’ quality of life
using an integrated approach of rehabilitation, nutrition, and lifestyle
changes.
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Bernie Siegel, MD
Optimal Physical and Emotional Recovery After
Cancer
June 4, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Tied to the Cause
200 Attendees
New Jersey
June 4, 2007
Hunterdon Medical
Center
200 Attendees
New Jersey
Bernie S. Siegel, M.D., is one of the world’s
foremost physicians, authors, motivational
speakers and advocates for individuals facing the
challenges of chronic illness. Dr. Siegel is the
founder of Exceptional Cancer Patients, a specific
form of individualized and group therapy utilizing
patients’ drawings, dreams, images and feelings.
Picture above is
Friends’ Health
Dr. Siegel’s goal is to humanize medical education Connection’s apron for the
and medical care, to teach and to empower patients “Pink Apron Auction” at
and caregivers. As a New York Times best-selling
Tied to the Cause, a
fundraiser
for Robert
author, his books include: Love, Medicine &
Wood
Johnson
University
Miracles, Peace, Love & Healing; How To Live
Hospital’s
Comprehensive
Between Office Visits; Prescriptions for Living;
Breast Center.
Help Me To Heal; 365 Prescriptions For The Soul;
and more.
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Ian Smith, MD
The Fat Smash Diet
June 8, 2007
Club Industry Show
210 Attendees
Florida
Dr. Ian Smith is currently the
medical/diet expert
on VH1’s highly-rated
“Celebrity Fit Club,” host of
“Meet the Faith” on BET, a
medical contributor to ABC’s nationally syndicated, “The
View”, and a contributing editor to Men’s Health
magazine. Dr. Smith is also the host of his own nationally
syndicated radio show HealthWatch on American Urban
Radio Networks. He is the former medical correspondent
for NBC News and for NewsChannel 4 where he filed
reports for NBC's "Nightly News" and the "Today" show as well as WNBC's various
news broadcasts. He has written for many publications including Time, Newsweek,
and the New York Daily News. He has been featured in several other publications
including People, Essence, Ebony, Cosmopolitan, and University of Chicago
Medicine on the Midway.
Rebecca Cole
Floral and Lifestyle Design
June 13, 2007
Super Floral Show
240 Attendees
Ohio
Over the past 12 years, Rebecca Cole has developed an
internationally renowned lifestyle and design business,
known in New York City as Design and worldwide as
Cole Creates. When she is not designing terraces or
giving color-anemic living rooms her trademark infusion
of orange, she might be writing a book or newspaper article, planning weddings and
events, designing furniture or bedding or hosting a TV or radio show. Rebecca
hosted all 200 shows for Discovery Channel’s Surprise by Design and has appeared
nearly as often on the Today Show. Other favorite TV appearances include Oprah,
The View, CNN, BBC World News and The Megan Mullally Show. Her most recent
airwave adventures include joining the Carey Brothers as the new radio co-host of
On The House and hosting a travel show in Ireland soon to be seen in America.
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Victoria Moran
Fat, Broke & Lonely No More!
August 8, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson Hamilton Center for Health
& Wellness
65 Attendees
New Jersey
Your Personal Solution to Overeating,
Overspending, and Looking for Love in All the
Wrong Places is not your ordinary “self help”
book. And Victoria is no ordinary speaker! Victoria discussed her frank (and
humorous!) 5-part plan for “breaking up with inner emptiness…kicking fat,
broke & lonely to the curb, and hooking up with the life of your dreams.”
Victoria’s motto is “Whether you're single or married, young or old…don't
let fears and procrastination get in the way of living your best life!”
This event was considered a life-changing presentation by several attendees.
Rosemary Altea
A Matter of Life and Death
September 15, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
50 Attendees
Massachusetts
Rosemary Altea is the New York Times bestselling
author of The Eagle and The Rose. The book
presents the remarkable true story of Rosemary
Altea's life growing up in England, where she discovered her abilities to
work as a healer. This book ushered in a sea of change in thinking about all
things spiritual. Altea’s appearances on such shows as Larry King Live,
Prime Time Live with Diane Sawyer, 20/20 and Oprah as well as print
features in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Self and People fueled the
book's rise on the New York Times bestseller list where it stayed for several
weeks.
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Alan Alda
Life Lessons
September 24, 2007
Hunterdon Healthcare System; Hunterdon
Healthcare Partners
Fall Into Better Health
450 Attendees
New Jersey
Alan Alda is the
winner of numerous awards, including six
Emmys and six Golden Globes. He played
“Hawkeye” Pierce on the television series
M*A*S*H, has acted in, written, and directed
many feature films, and has appeared often on
Broadway.
At this event, Alda served as the keynote
speaker for an evening titled “Fall Into
Health.” He presented insightful, often
hilarious accounts of some impossible
questions he’s asked himself over the years:
What do I value? And, what, exactly, is the
good life? He examined art, activism, family,
money, and fame, and ultimately addressed
how we can experience “a life of meaning.”
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Quotes from attendees
“The event was
very informative and fun.”
“I had so much fun at the
Alan Alda event. The talk was so
humorous and yet insightful.”
“Thank you for making a beautiful
evening possible.
I will always remember your kindness.”
(This quote was from a chronically ill woman for whom
we arranged to personally meet Alan Alda).
“Great job to Friends Health Connection
and Hunterdon Medical Center!”
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Rabbi Harold S. Kushner
Overcoming Life’s Disappointments
September 24, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
100 Attendees
Massachusetts
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner is the author of When
Bad Things Happen to Good People, and most
currently Overcoming Life's Disappointments.
An inspirational, thought provoking speaker
Rabbi Kushner addresses the heart of suffering and invites us into a level of
understanding that shows us how to be our best selves even when things don't
turn out as we had hoped. In other words, he discusses how we can
overcome life's disappointments and how to respond to heartbreak with
understanding rather than bitterness and despair; how we can learn to
weather the disillusionment of dreams unfulfilled, the pain of a lost job or
promotion, a child's failures, divorce or abandonment, and illness. According
to Kushner, “We can learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in
ourselves and in the future.”
Nordine Zouareg
Mind Over Body
September 29, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
60 Attendees
Massachusetts
Born a sickly child with little hope of living to
adulthood, Nordine Zouareg used mental exercises
to overcome his body’s limitations, ultimately
becoming a champion bodybuilder and earning the
titles of Mr. France, Mr. Europe, Mr. World, and
Mr. Universe, all by the age of 24.
Nordine Zouareg has trained thousands of clients at the acclaimed Miraval
Spa in Arizona, including Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, Charlie Sheen
and John Kerry.
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Alan Dershowitz
September 30, 2007
Jewish Life
150 Attendees
New Jersey
September 30, 2007
Temple Emanu-El
300 Attendees
New Jersey
Alan Dershowitz is a Brooklyn native who has been called “the nation’s most
peripatetic civil liberties lawyer” and “one of its most distinguished
defenders of individual rights.” He is considered the best-known criminal
lawyer in the world and America’s most public Jewish defender.
He is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.
Dershowitz, a graduate of Brooklyn College and Yale Law School, joined the
Harvard Law School faculty at age 25 after clerking for Judge David
Bazelon and Justice Arthur Goldberg.
If you hear a voice within you say
'you cannot paint,'
then by all means paint,
and that voice will be silenced.
- Vincent Van Gogh
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Anne Ford & Martin Kutscher, MD
Special Education Conference on Learning
Disabilities, ADHD, Asperger’s, Tourette’s,
Bipolar and More
October 2, 2007
Learning Disabilities Association of New Jersey
75 Attendees
New Jersey
Anne Ford (daughter of Henry Ford III),
is Chairman Emeritus of the National Center
for Learning Disabilities. In 2003 Ford
published Laughing Allegra, a memoir about
the struggles of raising a daughter with learning
disabilities. That book touched the hearts of
thousands in the LD community and soon Ford
received a flood of letters, emails and phone calls
from parents of children with LD and ADHD.
Many expressed concerns about what to do as their
children become young adults, gain greater
independence, and become active and contributing
members of their communities.
Ford decided to respond by writing a second book, On Their Own: Creating
an Independent Future for Your Adult Child with Learning Disabilities and
ADHD to ease these parents' fears. At this event, Ford drew from her
personal experience and numerous resources to speak about topics of special
importance to parents of individuals with LD, ADHD and more. Topics
included social skills, sibling relationships, job hunting, finding the right
college and estate planning.
Dr. Martin L. Kutscher is Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and
Neurology at the New York Medical College. He has more than 18 years'
experience diagnosing neuropsychiatric disorders such as ADHD, learning
difficulties, Asperger's Syndrome, and tic disorders and helping families
affected by them. He is currently Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
and Neurology at the New York Medical College. He lectures to teachers,
parents, and professional groups and his work is widely published. He is
author of the bestseller, Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Asperger's,
Tourette's, Bipolar, and More.
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Richard Lavoie
Exploring the Ways to Motivate Any Child
October 2, 2007
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network
100 Attendees
New Jersey
October 3, 2007
Cooper Learning Center
200 Attendees
New Jersey
October 16, 2007
St. Joseph’s Hospital &
Medical Ctr
60 Attendees
Arizona
Rick Lavoie is one of the country’s leading special
education consultants, with more than 30 years of
experience, a thriving lecture career, and a series of
PBS videos. Rick has served as an administrator of residential programs for
children with special needs since 1972. He holds three degrees in Special
Education and has also served as an adjunct professor or visiting
lecturer at numerous universities including Syracuse, Harvard, Gallaudet,
Manhattanville College, University of Alabama and Georgetown. His
numerous national television appearances include the CBS Morning Show,
Good Morning America, ABC Evening News and The Disney Channel.
At this event, Rick spoke about his first book It’s So Much Work to be Your
Friend as well as his new book The Motivation Breakthrough. He explored
the various ways to motivate any child. According to Rick, "If you know
what turns your child on you will be better able to help them succeed in all
facets of life."
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CeCe Winans
ALWAYS SISTERS: Becoming the Princess You
Were Created to Be
October 4, 2007
550 Attendees
New Jersey
CeCe’s personality, inviting warmth and genuine
love for God transcends her music and has earned
her millions of loyal fans around the world.
Young ladies, pre-teen and teen girls, and women
of all ages joined award-wining singer CeCe
Winans for a special evening as she talked about
self-esteem, abuse, absent fathers, teen pregnancy,
dating, and even fashion. According to CeCe,
“Becoming the princess God intended you to be has a lot to do with
discovering who you are as His daughter and who you can be as a sister to
those who walk beside you.”
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Fran Harris, Ph.D.
Will the Real You Please Stand Up?
October 5, 2007
Good Samaritan Hospital
400 Attendees
California
Fran Harris, Ph.D. is a WNBA champion, National
Television personality, bestselling author and
international inspirational speaker. Her messages
of possibility and spiritual enrichment have been
heard in over 30 countries. Fran addresses more
than 100,000 individuals each year including corporations, entrepreneurs,
universities, high schools, women's events, spiritual retreats and business
conferences. As a life coach she works with individuals to help them find the
power within them to pursue their life's work and dreams. Dr. Fran's keynote
lecture inspired attendees to leap into their lives with greater passion, power
and purpose by becoming more real and more authentic.
Jonathan Antin
Creating Passion for the Art of Beauty
October 7, 2007
Global Beauty Show
450 Attendees
New York
Jonathan Antin, celebrity stylist, founder and
creator of Jonathan|Product® and Star of the
hit reality television show Blow Out, brought
his "keep it simple" mantra, as he motivated,
entertained and engaged the audience. He
shared his knowledge and creative passion
for the art of beauty.
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Charles A. Riley, II
Disability and Business
October 9, 2007
Schering-Plough
45 Attendees
New Jersey
Charles A. Riley, II is the cofounder of We Media,
the first multimedia company devoted to people
with disabilities. He is also the former editor-inchief of We Magazine, its national bimonthly
publication. Professor of Business Journalism at
Baruch College, Riley has authored fourteen books on music, literature, and
the arts, as well as disability-related topics.
Chef Robert Irvine
Mission: Cook!
October 9, 2007
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
100 Attendees
Pennsylvania
October 11, 2007
Mercer County Community College
115 Attendees
New Jersey
October 11, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson
Hamilton Center for
Health & Wellness
115 Attendees
New Jersey
Chef Robert Irvine, host of The Food Network’s
hit series Dinner: Impossible!, has cooked on a
desert island, in an 18th Century kitchen, in an Ice
Hotel, for cowboys on a cattle drive, for master instructors at the CIA and at
the Inauguration of Pennsylvania’s Governor, all without warning and at a
moment’s notice. Master Chef, entrepreneur, author and restaurateur, Bobby
Flay has called Robert Irvine, “The Indiana Jones of chefs.”
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Laila Ali
A Motivational Plan for Living a Healthy Lifestyle
October 11, 2007
Club Industry Show
500 Attendees
Illinois
Laila Ali, a multi-talented entrepreneur, owned and
operated a nail salon in California before entering
the boxing profession. Boxing was a major
departure for Laila, who was on her way to the
University of Southern California Business School. She had earned her
degree in Business Management at Santa Monica College, but after watching
women's boxing on television for the first time, she instantly wanted to step
into the ring. About a year later, she sold her business and started training to
become a professional fighter.
Laila also authored a motivational book titled Reach! She wrote the book in
an effort to help young women who may need to be inspired in life. Laila
uses her own experiences and challenges as an example for all.
Suzanne Girard Eberle, MS, RD
Don’t Get a Diet, Get a Lifestyle!
October 12, 2007
Club Industry Show
50 Attendees
Illinois
Carol Kennedy-Armbruster,
MS, ACE, ACSM
Water Based Personal Training
October 12, 2007
Club Industry Show
50 Attendees
Illinois
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Gerald Deas, MD
From Heart to Soul
October 13, 2007
Overlook Hospital
30 Attendees
New Jersey
Physician, poet, patient advocate,
playwright, media personality, political
activist, public health crusader—
Gerald W. Deas, MD, MPH, MA, is all
of these and more. He has battled major
companies and organized whole communities to
protect the public’s health.
Carlos H. Schenck, MD
Sleep: The Mysteries, Problems and Solutions;
Parasomnias and Other Sleep Disorders
October 18, 2007
Somerset Medical Center
60 Attendees
New Jersey
October 19, 2007
Somerset Medical Center
Sleep for Life Center
50 Attendees
New Jersey
Carlos H. Schenck M.D. is a senior staff psychiatrist
at the Hennepin County Medical Center and
Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center. At this
event he discussed the spectrum of sleep disorders
that have become some of the most common issues
in the nation.
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Ethnoscience Festival
October 20, 2007
Newark Museum
500 Attendees
New Jersey
Professionals in alternative and complementary medicine provided
hands-on demonstrations of healing remedies practiced by different cultures
throughout the world. These included Chinese traditional healing,
acupuncture, Thai Chi, food as medicine, Indian transcendental meditation,
Ayuverdic medicine, yoga, Native American and African herbal healing and
Japanese Reiki. In addition, there were outstanding presentations about art
and music therapy. Friends’ Health Connection helped to secure several
leading speakers for this event.
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner
Kabbalah: A Love Story
October 21, 2007
Jewish Life
100 Attendees
New Jersey
October 22, 2007
Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple
150 Attendees
New Jersey
Esteemed kabbalist and Judaic scholar Rabbi Lawrence Kushner has
authored over a dozen books on Jewish mysticism and spirituality. He is a
regular contributor to major national media outlets such as NPR's All Things
Considered, The New York Times and People magazine.
At this event, Rabbi Lawrence Kushner illuminated the Kabbalah's timeless
messages. He seamlessly wove together profound lessons and special
meanings of the Kabbalah.
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Marianne Williamson
The Gift of Change
October 27, 2007
Mind Body Spirit Expo
300 Attendees
Pennsylvania
November 10, 2007
National Institute of
Whole Health
300 Attendees
Massachusetts
Marianne Williamson is an internationally
acclaimed author and lecturer. She has published
nine books, four of which—including the megabestseller A Return to Love and Everyday Grace—
have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her
titles also include Illuminata, A Woman's Worth,
and Healing the Soul of America. Marianne has
been a popular guest on numerous television programs such as Oprah, Larry
King Live, Good Morning America, and Charlie Rose.
Hope Fox
Impress for Less: Terrific Recipes from the Finest
Restaurants You Can Really Make at Home
November 6, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson Hamilton Center
for Health & Wellness
7 Attendees
New Jersey
Finally!... there is an effortless way for home
cooks to prepare fabulous meals from the nation's
top restaurants for less time, less money and less aggravation—just by going
to the local supermarket. Hope Fox talked about how to bring recipes from
the country's best restaurants into the home kitchen. She streamlined and
simplified the recipes for the basic home cook, even though they were terrific
enough to satisfy the fussiest gourmet.
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Loretta LaRoche
Kick Up Your Heels...Before You're Too Short
To Wear Them: How to Live a Long, Healthy,
Juicy Life
November 13, 2007
Somerset Medical Center
Sailabration
450 Attendees
New Jersey
For the last 20 years, Loretta LaRoche has been delighting readers,
audiences, and PBS television viewers with her wacky and wise insights
about life, love, and the insanity of the modern world. Now, Loretta
addresses the most exciting challenge that we all face: How do we age well?
And can humor, dignity, honesty, wisdom, and other virtues ease the path?
Loretta discussed ways to live a long, healthy, juicy life. Filled with practical
advice, lifestyle skills, wisdom, and spirituality, her event inspired attendees
to live with joy, harmony, and peace.
Loretta LaRoche is an internationally known stress coach and consultant
whose heart-warming and hilarious insights into ways to use humor to defeat
stress have made her a favorite with viewers of her five PBS specials, and on
the lecture circuit, where she performs an average of 100 talks per year.
Barbara Firestone, Ph.D.
AUTISM HEROES: Portraits of Families
Meeting the Challenge
November 14, 2007
15 Attendees
New Jersey
While the growing crisis of autism gains
awareness, families facing an autism
diagnosis can still feel isolated. Dr. Barbara
Firestone has touched the lives of thousands
of families with special needs children. She handpicked stories of 38
exceptionally courageous families in her book “AUTISM HEROES,” and she
shared their stories at this event.
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Rovenia Brock, Ph.D.
Making Your Idea A Program
November 17, 2007
Cancer Institute of New Jersey
100 Attendees
New Jersey
Dr. Ro is considered one of America's most
renowned nutritionists. She is also author of the
national best-seller, Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets To Livin'
Healthy. Each day Dr. Ro serves up real life health
advice for real people with real problems, in a style all her own.
Dr. Ro mesmerizes national audiences, sharing personal stories that motivate
people to make lifestyle changes for better health. She is most widely known
as the host of "Heart & Soul," the first ever national health and fitness
television show for African American women which previously aired on
BET.
Dr. Ro is also remembered for her expert reports as Medical Correspondent
for "BET News", Nutrition Contributor for ABC News' "Lifetime Live,"
and Contributing Nutrition Editor to Heart and Soul magazine. Ro has a
serious mission in life—to place real health solutions on the plate of the
fast-paced world.
"Some men see things as they are,
and ask, why?
I dare to dream of things that never were,
and ask, Why not?
-George Bernard Shaw
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Peter D’Adamo, ND
Eat Right 4 Your Type
December 1, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
60 Attendees
Massachusetts
Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo, is a naturopathic physician,
educator and researcher with a wide international
following. His first book, Eat Right 4 Your Type is a
New York Times bestseller that has been translated into
over fifty languages. Eat Right 4 Your Type was
recently voted one of the ten most influential health books of all time by a respected
industry publication. He is the author of thirteen other books in the "Blood Type
Diet" series, including Cook Right 4 Your Type and Live Right 4 Your Type. Dr.
D'Adamo was selected Physician of the Year by the American Association of
Naturopathic Physicians. He is the cofounder and Academic Dean of IHI, the
Institute for Human Individuality, and he maintains a private practice in Wilton, CT.
Diana Schwarzbein, MD
Menopause
December 8, 2007
National Institute of Whole Health
60 Attendees
Massachusetts
Diana Schwarzbein,
MD, is a board certified
Endocrinologist, who
has written extensively
on the subject of insulin
resistance, obesity and type II diabetes. Her book,
The Schwarzbein Principal, has brought public
awareness to the epidemic of hyperinsulemia and its
devastating effects on human health. Dr.
Schwarzbein retired from clinical practice in 2006 to
continue writing books on this topic and to educate
the consumer. She also began teaching other health
care professionals about her program. Dr.
Schwarzbein is currently working on two health
focused projects; establishing a Women's Wellness
Center at a Greenwich, CT hospital and developing a
national project to combat the pandemic conditions of
obesity, insulin resistance and Type II diabetes.
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Six unique workshops were specially designed by leading instructors from
major art and cultural institutions. The sessions provided participants with
the opportunity to work with art and music in a hands-on experiential way, in
order to tap into the feelings and emotions within which sometimes words
alone cannot express. Following is a description of each session.
This series was funded by a grant from Roche.
“Vocal Healing Workshop”
Toby Williams, MA, MT-BC, LCAT
Affiliated with The Weill Music Institute at
Carnegie Hall
September 27, 2007
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
20 Attendees
New Jersey
Toby Williams not only educated and entertained our group with her program, but she made a lasting
impression on several patients who have become more participatory in their therapy.
Bonnie A. Evans, Senior Vice President
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
“Working With Clay”
William Chimborazo
Affiliated with The Smithsonian’s National
Museum of the American Indian
October 8, 2007
Hackensack University Medical Center
20 Attendees
New Jersey
Photo courtesy of Hackensack University Medical Center
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“Dance of Joy!”
Amparo Chigui Santiago
Affiliated with the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation
October 16, 2007
Hunterdon Health and Wellness Center
30 Attendees
New Jersey
I attended Dance of Joy last evening at The Hunterdon Wellness center. It was absolutely wonderful,
what an experience! Thank you so very much for bringing this event into our community.
Both the instructor and the drummer gave us a unique experience.
Benita
Attendee of “Dance of Joy!”
“Sensing Art”
Nitza Danieli Horner
Affiliated with The Metropolitan Museum of Art
November 1, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson Hamilton
Center for Health & Wellness
27 Attendees
New Jersey
“The Joy of Music”
Walter Blanding, Jr.
Affiliated with Jazz at Lincoln Center
November 13, 2007
Morristown Memorial
Hospital
10 Attendees
New Jersey
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EXPRESSIVE HEALING SERIES:
For Cancer Patients, Families & Survivors
Five unique workshops were specially designed for
this series by expressive therapy instructors.
The sessions provided the opportunity for cancer
patients, families and survivors to work with art
and music in a hands-on experiential way, in order
to tap into the feelings and emotions within which
sometimes words alone cannot express.
“I Dance Because”
Susan Pope
October 4, 2007
Cathedral Regional Cancer Center
28 Attendees
New Jersey
“The
Healing Power of the Drum”
Robert Lawrence Friedman
October 9, 2007
The University Hospital
50 Attendees
New Jersey
We had a wonderful time.
The patients and staff enjoyed every minute of it.
Margarette Bryan, MD
The University Hospital
Attendee of The Healing Power of the Drum
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“Myths and Legends”
Nitza Danieli Horner
November 13, 2007
Trinitas Hospital
20 Attendees
New Jersey
I had a great time and I know the other participants did too.
I hope we can plan another such event.
Ron Sohn
Director of Program Planning & Development
Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center
Attendee of Myths and Legends
“Play with Purpose”
Evan Marcus
December 4, 2007
Robert Wood Johnson Hamilton
Center for Health & Wellness
20 Attendees
New Jersey
“The Healing Power of the Drum”
Robert Lawrence Friedman
December 11, 2007
The Wellness Community of
Central New Jersey
20 Attendees
New Jersey
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The 2007 Frances Black
Humanitarian Award in Healthcare
November 15, 2007
The Imperia
Somerset, New Jersey
250 Attendees
Each year, Friends’ Health Connection offers a highly anticipated event
to recognize and celebrate quality healthcare in New Jersey.
We honor outstanding healthcare professionals from select hospitals and
organizations throughout the state. At the dinner, we also feature
extraordinary entertainers who have faced physical challenges.
About Frances Black...
Frances Black dedicated her life to improving the health of others. Over the
course of her career as a registered nurse and art therapist, she delivered
compassionate care to the disabled, handicapped, emotionally disturbed,
psychiatric and thousands of other patients with a very diversified range of
health issues.
Through the dedication of this award in her name, we remember and honor
Frances Black and her work as an unsung heroine who was dedicated to
improving the lives of others.
Frances Black was the mother of Friends’ Health Connection’s Founder
and Executive Director, Roxanne Black-Weisheit. This evening is
dedicated with love to the memory of Frances Black.
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2007 Honorees
Debra Ann Plonka
Human Resources Employment
Coordinator
Bayshore Community Hospital
Linda F. Bryant, RN, RG
Director of The Hunterdon Center
for Healthy Aging
Hunterdon Medical Center
Valerie Betancourt, RN, BSN
Chemotherapy Nurse
Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Diane DeLisi, LPN
Equipment Coordinator
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Louise M. Damiani RN, BSN, MT
Staff Nurse, Oncology Unit
CentraState Medical Center
Patricia Bonder, RN, BSN
Nurse Case Manager
Morristown Memorial Hospital
Fitzroye H. Anderson
Security Officer
Children's Specialized Hospital
Katherine Grant-Davis
President & CEO
New Jersey Primary Care Association
Robert Motacki Jr.
Security Officer
Children's Specialized Hospital
Robbi K. Alexander, RN
Program Coordinator
Princeton HealthCare System
Theresa A. Combs
Coordinator for Community
Outreach & Volunteer Services
East Orange General Hospital
Cynthia R. Bascara, RN, MSN, CCRN
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care
Robert Wood Johnson University
Hospital – Hamilton
Manisha Panwala, RD
Registered Dietician
East Orange General Hospital
David A. Laskow, MD
Chief of Kidney/Pancreas Transplant
Robert Wood Johnson University
Hospital
Gary W. Whyte
Volunteer and Advocate for
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
Racquel Benford, MPA
Executive Director
Eric B. Chandler Health Center
Kathleen Punch, CHHA, CMA
Home Health Aide, Certified
Medication Aide
Haddonfield Home Assisted Living
Beatrice Jones
Chairperson, Board of Directors
Henry J. Austin Health Center
Barbara J. White
State Program Coordinator of the
Self-Help Group Clearinghouse
Saint Clare's Health System
Carol R. McAloon
VP Patient Care Services/CNO
Saint Francis Medical Center
Lisa Crilly
Senior Physical Therapist
The Valley Hospital
Renee Carr
CNA Supervisor and Restorative CNA
Valley View Health Care &
Rehabilitation Center
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Of all the Friends’ recognition dinners this was by far the best. The
place was amazing. What a great choice.
Jeannie Brooks, Children’s Specialized Hospital
The awards dinner was a very special event for me.
Carol R. McAloon, St. Francis Medical Center
2007 Honoree
This event was a truly incredible experience! Thank you and the FHC
team for your extraordinary efforts and for enriching our lives.
Wendy C. Breiterman, Johnson & Johnson
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Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this evening
with my daughter and co-workers—a most memorable moment
in my 30-something year long career.
Robbi K. Alexander, RN, Princeton HealthCare System
2007 Honoree
Truly an amazing event, very motivational and inspirational.
Stephen Downey, Integra
Kudos to you and your terrific team for another successful awards
dinner. It was a first-class event that clearly involved a lot of
planning, hard work and attention to detail. It was enjoyed by all.
Joe Marx, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Bedside Music Therapy
Toby Williams, MA, MT-BC, LCAT
10 Sessions
March – August 2007
NewYork-Presbyterian
The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell
New York
Friends’ Health Connection was proud to work with Columbia and Cornell
Medical Centers to offer a Bedside Music Therapy Series. It consisted of 10
sessions rotating to the hospital rooms of patients who were too ill to leave
their hospital beds. The series was coordinated by Friends’ Health
Connection. The lead music therapist was Toby Williams. She was
accompanied by guest musicians at each session.
Toby Williams is a highly accomplished music therapist affiliated with The
Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall.
She has a master’s degree in music therapy from NYU. Toby works with
individuals seeking creative expression and healing through breathing,
singing and movement.
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Friends’ Health Connection’s
Patient & Caregiver Networks
Since 1988, Friends' Health Connection has been connecting individuals
with health challenges on a customized-one-to-one-basis
according to more than 25 criteria including age, diagnosis, symptoms,
attitudes and even hobbies and interests.
People of all ages participate. Their health challenges range from
the most common to very rare disorders.
Family members, friends and caregivers can be
networked as well.
Through the power of friendship, participants share experiences,
comfort, encouragement and support.
The mutual inspiration often empowers both parties with the inner
determination and positive attitude needed
to continue fighting back against illness.
Patient Network
The Patient Network provides one-to-one support
for people with health problems.
Caregiver Network
The Caregiver Network provides one-to-one support
for family members, friends and caregivers.
The opposite page features quotes
from some of our members.
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Age: 20
Diagnosis: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Asthma, Allergies
My FHC friend provides me with a link to the world and the support I
need. She has become my best friend. It means more than I can ever say
to have someone who is there to listen, someone who won't judge you,
someone who can relate. The support I get from my FHC friend is the
one thing that keeps me sane through all my illness. During the time
we've been corresponding, a lot has happened in my life and the one
thing that has remained constant is my FHC friend.
Age: 24
Diagnosis: Muscular Dystrophy
FHC has changed my life for the better. I don't feel alone in my
struggles anymore because I have a friend who understands my fears
and what goes on in my life.
Age: 19
Diagnosis: Grade II Brain Tumor
Through correspondence with FHC friends I know I'm not the only one
and my overall health condition has gotten better
Age: 35
Diagnosis: Lupus and Epilepsy
I have belonged to many worthwhile organizations over the years,
but I can sincerely say there is not another organization that has
done more for me than Friends' Health Connection. It has a four-star
rating in my book
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Age: 17
Diagnosis: Severe Motility of the GI tract
Because of FHC I have reached out to others more for support.
I talk to my FHC friend almost every day
Age: 56
Diagnosis: Interstitial Cystitis, Osteoporosis,
Fibromyalgia Fibrocystic Breast Disease,
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
With the help of my FHC friend, I have learned to live day to day - I'm
not happy with the bad days but I know they will pass and I'll have
good days
Age: 63
Diagnosis: Systemic Lupus, Chronic Adrenal
Insufficiency, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, TMJ,
Fibromyalgia, Rosacea
As a result of correspondence