Native Texan Jaclyn Smith rose to fame as one of Charlie's Angels, and has gone on to star in a lengthy list of film and television projects. Her next role, however, is more personal.
Smith battled against breast cancer in 2003 and is now one of the millions of women who has survived breast cancer. She says her husband, Brad Allen, was key in helping her deal with hearing the diagnosis. She told CNN in 2008, "I was in a state of panic," she says. "It was kind of surreal, and you don't really hear what they're saying."
Smith also said she relied on her friends to help her through her battle. "One of the most important things you can do is remember the power of girlfriends. Your family is there for you, but they get emotional. Girlfriends saved my day."
Tonight, Smith and other cancer survivors appear in the docu-drama "1 a Minute," which is showing across the country at live events that will feature panelists speaking about breast cancer survival and hopeful advancements against the disease. "1 a Minute" was launched by Indo-American actress Namrata Singh Gujral while she was undergoing her third round of chemotherapy to treat breast cancer. There are several live events happening in and around the Austin area, and tickets are on sale now. View the trailer below or visit the official website at 1aminute.com.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and ACS has gone pink along with many other organizations around the country. But the special events and all of the pink you'll see during October point to the fact that breast cancer is still a deadly disease that claims thousands of lives a year. Even though the mortality has gone down overall due in part to early detection and diagnosis, the disease is not always survivable.
Here in Austin, the local chapter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is kicking off a month chock-full of activities that will benefit breast cancer awareness and research, from pink ribbon doughnuts to haircuts to fitness activities. In addition, the annual Race for the Cure will take place on November 7th at the Domain, after months of fundraising by local teams. The Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas organization is also holding several events during October, including a golf tournament, a motorcycle ride, and SCARE for a Cure.
Other local offices are "going pink" to increase awareness. The Austin Police Department rolled out a pink police car on Thursday that will be seen around the city in October, and the city council issued a proclamation for the 2010 Race for the Cure at last week's meeting.
Beyond the pink, though, remember that this isn't just the month when NFL players wear pink gloves or guys wear pink ribbons. This is the month when we remember those who are still fighting a terrible disease, and those who fought until the end.
Recently, Governor Rick Perry applauded the efforts of a major joint cancer research initiative, which includes Texas A&M System's National Center for Therapeutic Manufacturing (NCTM) and the University of Texas System's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The goal is to combine the resources of each institution to advance cancer research in Texas.
“With this new collaboration, the NCTM will accelerate the work of M.D. Anderson’s world class researchers by giving them access to an adaptable and efficient facility for the testing and production of promising new drugs and treatments,” Gov. Perry said. “The facility is already enhancing our state’s growing stature in the world of biotechnology, moving us closer to our goal of Texas being the place where researchers can conceive, develop, test and enter full production on new medicines without ever leaving the state.”
Texas A&M University System Chancellor Mike McKinney and University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa joined Perry in the announcement.
According to the Office of the Governor, NCTM, a biological pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and education facility, is currently under construction on the Texas A&M University campus. The facility will provide rapid, cost-effective, FDA-compliant and scalable pharmaceutical manufacturing that will allow an array of new products to enter clinical trials, initially focusing on therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer.
“This partnership exemplifies the clear commitment of both systems to utilizing our research and educational resources to the fullest in service to our global community,” Texas A&M System Chancellor Dr. Mike McKinney said. “M.D. Anderson and the NCTM are and will be the standard-setters in their research areas, and combining the capabilities of these two institutions has the real potential to radically advance the search for a cancer solution in this generation.”
“This is a wonderful day for Texas and for global health,” said UT System Chancellor Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa. “We are celebrating the collaboration of two great university systems, joined in battle against one of the most feared diseases of our time, and with this connection, we mark the potential for new victories over this old enemy. We also reflect on the power of human intelligence and higher education to overcome obstacles and chart new paths for medicine and our economy.”
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