Annual Gilda Award Gala Honors Frances Fisher, Joyce Green and Matthew Loscalzo

(Photo credit: Vince Bucci):

01 – CSC Executive Director Julia Forth, honorees Matthew Loscalzo, Frances Fisher and Joyce Green (front)

02 – Francesca Eastwood (left) presented the Gilda Award to her mother Frances Fisher (right)

03 – Dr. Anton Bilchik presented the Wellness Award to Joyce Green

04 – Dr. Steven Rosen presented the “Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award” to Matthew Loscalzo

05a - Emcee and cancer survivor John Sencio (right) and his family, wife Heidi and daughters Grace and Lila

06 – CSC Vice Chair and founder’s daughter Ann Benjamin and Pat Kennedy, CSC Board Chair

Television Host and Producer John Sencio Emceed

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 16, 2016) – Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center (CSC) presented its annual Gilda Award Gala May 13, 2016 at the InterContinental Los Angeles, Century City. The evening of fun and celebration honored actress Frances Fisher with the “Gilda Award;” CSC advocate, Joyce Green with the “Wellness Award;” and City of Hope’s Matthew Loscalzo, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with the “Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award.”

Julia Forth, CSC Executive Director, Judy Caruthers, Gala Chair, and Jari Graves Highsmith, Gala Vice Chair, welcomed the more than 250 guests and thanked sponsors, board members, advisory board and the gala committee. Forth noted “Our mission is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. Our members are why we are here tonight.” Forth introduced national television host, producer and cancer John Sencio, who emceed the evening and spoke movingly about his own battle with cancer and how “he was a very lucky recipient of CSC services.”

Dr. Anton Bilchik, Chief of Surgery at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John Providence Health Center presented the “Wellness Award” to Joyce Green, who is a breast cancer survivor and a CSC supporter for almost 30 years. In accepting her award, Green voiced her appreciation to the organization. “When I worked at CSC, I was so grateful to see the good work it does for people not as fortunate as me. It is an amazing place with amazing people and helps you to feel comfortable again and makes you feel like you are part of the world.” The Wellness Award honors a person or entity that is an advocate for CSC within the community.

Dr. Steven P. Rosen, Provost and Chief Scientific Officer of City of Hope presented the “Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award” to Matthew Loscalzo, LCSW. Mr. Loscalzo is the Liliane Elkins Professor in Supportive Care Programs, Professor of Department of Population Sciences, Executive Director of the Department of Supportive Care Medicine and the Administrative Director of the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center at the City of Hope-National Medical Center. Professor Loscalzo has over 35 years of experience in caring for cancer patients and their families. The “Harold H. Benjamin Innovation Award” named for CSC founder, Harold Benjamin, honors an individual that has forged and fortified new ways of approaching cancer care, someone who has inspired change and made a difference.

British-born American actress Frances Fisher was presented the 2016 “Gilda Award” by her daughter, Francesca Eastwood. Fisher’s friend, Fran Drescher, sent a touching tribute video to congratulate her. Fisher has been a keen supporter of the CSC for years and was a huge Gilda Radner fan. Fisher went on to say “We are here for such a short time…to love each other, to help each other, to do what we think is right and to always do our best to keep our hearts open. This is what CSC means to me – to live the best life possible with the time we have and to always hold hope in our hearts.” Fisher was celebrated for her positive influence on the community by promoting wellness and a culture and spirit of generosity.

A highlight of the evening was a clip shown from emcee John Sencio’s full length cancer survival documentary, Thryvor, slated to be released in 2017. It was followed by an equally moving tribute video to his fellow CSC members and showcased the priceless services that CSC provides.

About the Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center

CSC’s mission is to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. In 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community. The combined organization provides the highest quality social and emotional support for people impacted by cancer through a network of 50 licensed affiliates, more than 120 satellite locations and vibrant online and telephone communities, touching more than one million people each year. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the Institute of Medicine advocate that services provided by CSC are an integral part of quality “patient-centered” cancer care. Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center was founded in 1982 in Santa Monica, California by Dr. Harold and Harriet Benjamin. Cancer Support Community Benjamin Center offers 100% free invaluable emotional and psychological support and healthy life-style services, including education and social activities. For more information, please visit www.cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org.

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Contact: Pam Giangregorio

Katy Sweet & Associates Public Relations

(310) 479-2333 / Pam@KatySweetPR.com