Group fighting cancer gathers for annual luncheon

Lisa Butterfield, Ph.D., assistant research oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, was a guest speaker at the annual membership luncheon of the Conejo Valley Guild of the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation, UCLA, hosted at the home of Joan Colton in North Ranch last week.

According to Sheila Balter, past president and vice president in charge of programs for the guild, nearly 90 attended including 25 guests and potential members.

The Mandevilla Restaurant, Oak Tree Deli, Roxy’s Deli, Westlake Hyatt Hotel, Cheesecake Factory and Agoura’s Famous Deli donated luncheon items. English Garden Florist donated flowers.

The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation/UCLA funds seed grants to cancer researchers and doctors working in the labs at UCLA to prove their theories. Grants aren’t available to them until they prove that their theories have merit.

Butterfield does immune-based therapy for melanoma and liver cancer. "We target specific differences between tumor cells and normal cells and stimulate the immune system to look throughout the body for where the tumor cells are," Butterfield said.

She said in her lab there are 10 people, and they need about $200,000 a year to conduct research. Some money comes from government grants, but that isn’t enough to go from basic science to treating people in clinics.

Butterfield said that for every seed grant dollar they receive, they can get $10 from government grants to continue the funding needed for research and clinical trials.

Butterfield was excited to report that they’re working on a cancer vaccine for melanoma to cure it. "So far, every patient that has received the vaccine has had their immune system stimulated to fight their cancer. It’s non-toxic immune therapy — not chemotherapy," Butterfield said.

"We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without groups like this," she said.

Founded in 1976, the Conejo Valley Guild has 180 members and offers several levels of memberships from $40 for general membership to the $1,000 annual Lifeline Connection membership that offers exclusive opportunities to attend special presentations.

"It’s like the Platinum Club," Balter said. "Those who give $1,000 or more to Lifeline Connection obviously believe in the kind of research that will achieve immediate results," she said.

Lifeline Connections members hear well-known doctors and scientists that are noted for their specialty in cancer research.

Last year the local guild contributed more than $70,000 toward seed grants.

Michelle Galasso is president of the Conejo Valley Guild and is the second generation of her family to be involved in the guild. Her mother was among the original founders.

Some members are cancer survivors. Some are involved because of friends or family members who have survived or have succumbed to cancer. But they all believe in the main focus of this group, and that’s to fund more research.

The local guild gathers for a luncheon meeting on the first Wednesday of each month at the Westlake Inn. Twice a year they host dinner meetings.

The next big fundraiser is Mystic Days on Nov. 11 at the Hyatt Westlake Plaze Hotel. The event begins at 10 a.m. and will include a fashion show featuring clothes and accessories from Chico’s and Cache, a luncheon, a boutique and trunk show and a complimentary make-up center by Sirens.

If you’d like to attend Mystic Days, call Sue Ziff at (805) 495-3151. For more information about the Conejo Valley Guild of the Jonsson Cancer Center, please call Margarita Horwitz at (805) 499-2569 or Joni Flaherty at (818) 991-6018. Both are vice presidents of membership for the group.