Twenty-one years ago, naysayers told Julie Ratner the run she was founding to honor her late sister, Ellen Hermanson, would never take root. Today, it is so firmly rooted in our community that Ellen’s name is synonymous with breast cancer care on the East End. The Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital gives state of the art care to all, regardless of ability to pay. And the 22nd Annual Ellen’s Run 5K, will take place this Sunday, August 20.
We listened to Julie speak at the Ellen Hermanson Foundation benefit, An Evening of Enchantment, a Jean Georges dinner party at Topping Rose presented in partnership with The East Hampton Chamber of Commerce, chaired by Jean Shafiroff and featuring the Amazing Kreskin.
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Dr. Steven Schutzer and Jean Shafiroff. (Photo: Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com) |
“Nine years ago, when Bob Chaloner, the visionary president and CEO of Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, invited my foundation to fund a dedicated breast center that would be named for my sister,” Julie told the room, “we responded with two caveats: the breast center had to combine the rigor of a teaching hospital with the warmth of the community and no one would be turned away because of an inability to pay. I am happy to say the Ellen Hermanson Breast Center has achieved this.”
The inaugural An Evening of Enchantment raised money for a $200,000 stereotactic breast biopsy table for the Ellen Hermanson Breast Cancer Center and for the Hospital’s new Phillips Family Cancer Center, to be the first radiation chemotherapy treatment and oncology center on the South Fork.
“In addition to ensuring that The Ellen Hermanson Breast Center remains technologically superior, the foundation is committed to supporting women during and after treatment through a wonderful program called Ellen’s Well,” Julie added. “Like its name, this program provides sustenance in the form of support groups, reiki, yoga, nutrition and much more. The groups are facilitated by an oncological social worker who works her spiritual magic every day – and that is our very own Edyle O’Brien who is here with us tonight.”
Ratner also thanked Jean Shafiroff, the Board of the Ellen Hermanson Foundation, sister Emily Levin – Vice Chair of Ellen Hermanson Foundation, Dr. Constance M. Chen, Iris Shokoff, Dee Rivera, Ann Ciardullo, Hugo S. Moreno, Hope Klein, Cathy Tweedy, Steven Ringel and the Board of the East Hampton Chamber of Commerce, the host committee, and volunteers, Vicki Durand, Kathie Marino, Tasha Spruill, and Wendy Graney, Topping Rose House’s Anna Moss, Sara Blue and Anne Gomberg.
Here on the East End, the rates of breast cancer diagnosis and mortality are among the highest in the state.
To be part of Ellen’s Run on Sunday, register at www.ellenhermanson.org.
