Chicagoland women share their personal cancer journeys and bring new meaning to life after cancer
CHICAGO, Jan. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ —The inaugural Chicago production of My 2nd Act: Survivor Stories from the Stage will make its first national tour stop at the Athenaeum Theatre on Feb. 8, 2015, at 2 p.m., emceed by ABC Chicago’s Roz Varon, a two-time breast cancer survivor. My 2nd Act, produced by Women Survivors Alliance and sponsored by Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern), is a live storytelling event featuring 10 Chicagoland women reading their personal stories of taking their lives back after a cancer diagnosis. Using their gifts of time and experience to give back to society, these women prove the second act of their lives can be even more meaningful than life before cancer.
"Cancer draws a line in the sand of life," said Judy Pearson, My 2nd Act producer and co-founder of Women Survivors Alliance. “Cancer doesn’t end when treatment does. Even when there’s no longer any evidence of disease, the diagnosis and treatment forever changes a life. Survivors need a way to make sense out of their experience and with My 2nd Act and Women Survivors Alliance, it’s our hope to help them accomplish that.”
My 2nd Act serves three purposes: (1) To celebrate the courage and achievements of the women on stage; (2) To inspire the audience to create their own 2nd Acts, regardless of the challenges they face; and (3) To build awareness of survivorship issues and the Women Survivors Alliance survivor education programs.
"We are honored to be a part of this inspiring experience," said Scott Jones, CEO and president of CTCA at Midwestern. "One of our core values at CTCA is to empower our patients and their families from diagnosis through survivorship. A cancer diagnosis is devastating and we know an empowered patient enjoys a better quality of life. At their core, Women Survivors Alliance and the My 2nd Act program empower cancer survivors to embrace life, and catapult their strength and survivorship into a second act."
With nearly eight million female cancer survivors in America who continue to face long-term and life-limiting effects of the disease and its treatments, productions like My 2nd Act work to raise awareness and create a support system to assist in the rehabilitation process. In Chicagoland alone, there are more than 460,000 female survivors and current statistics estimate one in three women will face cancer in her lifetime. Ongoing research shows cancer survivors who participate in a volunteer program experience impressive psychosocial and physical benefits. For a cancer survivor, it gives meaning to the life they fought so hard to preserve.
"We’re celebrating the courage, perseverance and work of these brave women because it improves the lives of the cancer survivors who will come after them," continued Pearson. "Our work isn’t defined by size. The message we’re spreading is just as valuable as foundations and hospital wings. It is our hope for the greater Chicagoland community to join us on Feb. 8 to support these magnificent women and help us in our mission."
The performance will take place on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, at 2 p.m., at the historical Chicago Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Tickets are available at www.AthenaeumTheatre.org or by calling 773-935-6875.
To see clips of previous productions of My 2nd Act: Survivor Stories from the Stage, visit www.SurvivorsSecondAct.com.
About the Women Survivors Alliance
Cancer does not end when treatment does. The mission of the Women Survivors Alliance is to establish a network where women affected by the disease can find their voice, improve their quality of life, and embrace their 2nd Acts. Women Survivors Alliance provides survivor education at its events and in its online magazine, NouMag.org. To learn more please visit: www.WomenSurvivorsAlliance.org. For more information please contact co-founder, and Chicago resident, Judy Pearson at Judy@SurvivorsConvention.com or call 269-767-6300.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America®
Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Inc. (CTCA) is a national network of five hospitals that specialize in the treatment of patients fighting complex or advanced-stage cancer. CTCA offers an integrative approach to cancer treatment that combines surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy with nutritional counseling, naturopathic medicine, mind-body therapy, and spiritual support to enhance quality of life and minimize side effects during treatment. The company serves patients from all 50 states at hospitals located in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa. Known for delivering the Mother Standard® of care and Patient Empowerment Medicine®, CTCA provides patients with comprehensive information about their treatment options so they can participate in their treatment decisions. For more information about CTCA, go to www.cancercenter.com.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center
Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center is a 73 bed specialty hospital dedicated to treating patients battling complex cancer. CTCA® at Midwestern is nationally recognized for providing innovative and individualized cancer care and has been designated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) a Magnet Recognized® program, ranking the hospital as one of the top seven percent in the nation for nursing excellence. CTCA at Midwestern has been designated by the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers Program (NQMBC®) as a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence™, ranking the hospital among the top centers in the country for quality breast cancer care. CTCA at Midwestern is the only Certified Breast Center of Excellence in Illinois, and one of only 41 nationally. As a member of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) the hospital also offers a Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy program that provides a full spectrum of transplantation services and advanced treatment options for hematologic cancers. CTCA is recognized by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center for demonstrating compliance with the FACT-JACIE International Standards for Cellular Therapy Product Collection, Processing and Administration. CTCA at Midwestern is also recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), for meeting the highest standards for quality cancer care. CTCA at Midwestern is proud to use the latest technology to offer advanced treatment for cancer and is currently one of only a few hospitals in the nation to combine recent advances in brain mapping and navigation to perform minimally invasive brain surgery on hard to reach brain tumors.