Ronit Elk Ph d - Breast Cancer For Dummies

Ronit Elk, PhD, received her PhD in psychology from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Soon after immigrating to the United States, she joined the faculty of the Medical School at the University of Texas in Houston. During her ten years in academia, Dr. Elk was awarded many research grants from the National Institutes of Health, published numerous scientific articles, and made countless presentations. Her life changed in the summer of 1997 when her father died following a protracted illness. Three months later she buried her mother, and shortly thereafter her husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness. In less than two years, I lost those whom I cared about the most. All of them died of cancer, and the anguish I experienced was indescribable. However, in time, like so many others before me, I was able to transcend the pain, heal, and grow. I came to understand that the combination of my life-transforming experiences, together with my professional background placed me in a unique position. I could now contribute on a professional and personal level. I cannot think of a more wonderful organization to be a part of than The American Cancer Society. As scientific program director in the research department of the American Cancer Society (ACS), Dr. Elk has contributed to the substantial increase in funding for research into prevention and early detection of cancer, ensuring a good quality of life for survivors, and decreasing the disproportionate burden of cancer among the poor and underserved. Dr. Elk travels widely giving inspirational talks on cancer and survivorship.

She started her company, The Corporation of Courageous Chics, as part of her mission to inspire women to recognize their courage in the face of the many challenges they face. She designs, markets, and sells inspirational gifts for women, all based on the butterflys metamorphosis. Just like the small, soft caterpillar that can so easily be stepped on and squashed, we women sometimes find ourselves in vulnerable situations. Yet we dont give up, and accept the challenge before us. And then there are times when we just curl ourselves into our cocoon, being still and silent. Yet even at this time when we withdraw from the world, we dare to believe in a more hopeful future. The most difficult part is finding the strength and knowing how to break out of the cocoon, something we have to do for ourselves. But when we do, we emerge transformed into the magnificent butterfly that we are, free to fly, to soar, and to choose our path. Indeed, we Women have no limits. To see Ronits inspirational gift line or to book her for a motivational talk, visit www.courageouschics.com.

Monica Morrow, MD, is professor of surgery at Northwestern University and director of the Lynn Sage Breast Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated magna cum laude from Pennsylvania State University and received her MD degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Her surgical training was at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, and she served a surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Dr. Morrows career has been devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. She is the surgical editor of a major breast cancer textbook, the editor of a text on Management of The High-Risk Woman, and has authored more than 200 scientific publications on breast disease. She is coleader of Northwesterns Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Breast Cancer. Dr. Morrow is a former director of the Cancer Department of the American College of Surgeons and served as executive director of the American Joint Committee on Cancer. She regularly serves on national and international consensus panels to define state-of-the-art care for breast cancer. She has been honored as a Distinguished Alumni of Penn State and received the Women Making a Difference Award from the State of Illinois in 2003. Her husband is V. Craig Jordan OBE, PhD, DSc, the distinguished breast cancer scientist known as the father of tamoxifen.