Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings October 2017 - 469

PHILANTHROPY NOTES
■ Pancreatic cancer patients seeing

promising results in AGAP Trial at
Baylor
For many patients with inoperable
pancreatic cancer, hope is fleeting. The 5-year
survival rate for pancreatic cancer hovers
around 5%, the lowest of all cancers. But a
new clinical trial at Baylor Charles A. Sammons
Cancer Center in Dallas is giving hope to a
group of pancreatic cancer patients. Thus
far, all patients enrolled in the AGAP Trial at
Baylor have seen their tumors shrink from an
inoperable state to an operable one.
According to Carlos Becerra, MD, the principal investigator for the study, one of the most
interesting findings is that all of these patients
have had negative margins on pathology postsurgery. There's been so much enthusiasm
around the trial that, after launching in January
2016, researchers reached their enrollment
goal of 16 patients by the year's end. They
also recently received approval to increase the
number of participating patients to 20. The
increase will enhance the study's statistical
power. "This trial has invigorated the pancreas
team here at Baylor," said Scott Celinski, MD,
another principal investigator for this study.
The researchers are also collecting samples
from patients in the trial to study biomarkers
that can possibly be used to detect pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage. Currently, most
patients are not diagnosed until the disease
is advanced.
All of this work is funded entirely by
philanthropy, specifically a grant from the
Jeanne Shelby Fund for Cancer Research at
Communities Foundation of Texas. When the
donor who established this fund first met with
Baylor Scott & White researchers 2 years ago,
she said her desire was to fund a clinical trial
that would "provide options for pancreatic cancer patients who had no other options left." Now,
preliminary data are showing that the clinical
trial she funded may help her fulfill that goal.
■ Jamie Lee Curtis to speak at 18th

annual Celebrating Women luncheon
Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning
actress, New York Times best-selling author,
and advocate in the fight against breast cancer
Jamie Lee Curtis will be the featured speaker
at the 18th annual Baylor Health Care System
Foundation Celebrating Women luncheon on

October 2017

Thursday, October 26, at the Hilton Anatole
Hotel in Dallas.
At age 40, Jamie Lee experienced the same
terrifying fear that hundreds of thousands of
women face each year: the fear that she may
have breast cancer. Thankfully, she said, "everything turned out fine, but it brought me very
close to understanding how lucky I am to have
access to all these resources and great doctors."
Jamie Lee has a history of involving herself
in causes she cares about in an effort to give
back. The fight against breast cancer is no
different. "You get involved because of your
heart," she said. "For me, there is no more important work-besides being a good mom to
my kids-than using my celebrity to get more
exposure for a specific cause such as this."
Each year, approximately 1200 passionate men and women attend the Celebrating
Women luncheon in a show of support for
Baylor's efforts to fight the disease in North
Texas. Since the first Celebrating Women luncheon in 2000, more than $28 million has
been raised to help Baylor Scott & White Health
fight breast cancer in North Texas.
■ Hope is closer to having a home

than ever before
The American Cancer Society selected
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas as the
location of its newest Hope Lodge, a home-like
facility that offers free accommodations for cancer patients who have to travel long distances
for their care. Baylor Scott & White Health has
donated the use of prime real estate, valued
at $4 million, to the American Cancer Society
for this initiative. This location will also serve
as the regional headquarters for the American
Cancer Society. Funding for Hope Lodge Dallas
relies solely on philanthropic support, and approximately $25 million is needed for capital
expenses, annual programming, and operations.
To date, more than $14 million has been raised
thanks to generous support from numerous
donors. Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country without a
Hope Lodge, and this facility fills a huge need.
■ Boone Powell Sr. Luncheon highlights

Arts in Medicine program
Throughout history, pictures, stories,
dances, music, and drama have been central
to healing. Research indicates that music can

Baylor Scott & White Health news

decrease pain, nausea, and anxiety; lower blood
pressure; and stabilize heart rates. According to
JaeJeung So, art therapist at Baylor University
Medical Center at Dallas, art therapy also has a
healing effect: "With serious illnesses, patients
feel they have little control over their diseases
and/or their lives. Art therapy allows them to
gain a degree of freedom by putting on canvas
what words can't explain, literally allowing them
to see what they are feeling."
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas,
with the assistance of several generous friends,
is helping to connect patients with the healing
power of arts. The Arts in Medicine program
at Baylor Dallas is a philanthropically funded
initiative created to integrate music, visual
arts, performing arts, and research to promote
healing and to enhance the lives of patients,
families, visitors, clinicians, and employees.
The Arts in Medicine program was the featured topic at the eighth annual Boone Powell
Sr. Society Luncheon in May. This society
was created to honor those who have made
commitments to Baylor Health Care System
Foundation through a planned gift or in their
estate plans, and more than 100 members
and guests gathered at this year's recognition luncheon. Special guests included Paula
Walker, who donated $1 million in 2015 to
fund the core patient components of the Arts in
Medicine initiative, and Harriet Jeffers, who is
leaving a $500,000 bequest for the program.
The program included a panel discussion led by Foundation President Rowland K.
Robinson with James Fleshman, MD, chief of
surgery at Baylor Dallas; Kelly Crayton, RN,
nurse manager at Baylor T. Boone Pickens
Cancer Hospital; Tony Arant, certified music
practitioner; JaeJeung So, art therapist; and
Sara Chigani, music therapist. The panelists
shared personal stories of the changes they've
seen in patients though the healing power of
arts and music. From reduced anxiety following
a double mastectomy, to advances in speech
following traumatic brain injury, to enhanced
memory recall for an Alzheimer's patient, the
Arts in Medicine program is touching lives
across all areas of care.
For information on how you can support
these or other initiatives at Baylor Scott &
White Health - North Texas, please contact
Baylor Health Care System Foundation at
214.820.3136.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings October 2017