Dentists Against Cancer Receive Follow Your Dream Award

Pleasanton, CA – ValleyCare Charitable Foundation (VCCF) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2nd annual Follow Your Dream Award, Dr. Jeff Bueno and Dr. Tom Sellick. The Co-Chairs of VCCF’s Board of Trustees, Bob and Joyce Shapiro; VCCF’s Executive Director, Shaké Sulikyan; and Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare’s Manager of Cancer Services, Denise Estrada, presented the award to the dentists on January 25, 2017.

But Tom and Jeff are not in it for themselves; when they founded Dentists Against Cancer in 2009, they were following their dreams of helping as many breast cancer patients in need as possible. The sole purpose of their organization is to raise money to help those adversely affected by breast cancer, and Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare’s Women in Need fund was created as the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts.

The fund, which was established in 2010 with monies raised in the Dentists Against Cancer’s first Tri-Valley Memorial Golf Tournament, provides financial assistance to women in the Tri-Valley area who are in need of breast cancer-related services, including diagnostic mammograms if their screening mammograms show areas of concern, as well as treatments and post-surgical products and services. Over the years Drs. Bueno and Sellick continued their fundraising efforts and have contributed over $102,000 to the Women In Need fund. To date, the fund has been used to provide mammograms, lymphedema sleeves, bras, gloves, gauntlets, and prostheses to over 250 patients.

Drs. Sellick and Bueno are very committed to the fight against breast cancer, the disease which claimed the lives of both of their mothers. “The Women In Need fund helps underprivileged women battle breast cancer. Whether it’s a diagnostic mammogram, a prosthesis after surgery, postoperative compression sleeves, a bathing suit, a wig, or one of many other incidentals, the fund is there to help as many women as possible,” Dr. Bueno said. “We are happy to do this in memory of our mothers, both of whom lost their battles with breast cancer."

“We are extremely grateful to Drs. Bueno and Sellick for their dedication to our patients,” said Shaké Sulikyan. “They exemplify the spirit of this award. Thanks to them, more women with breast cancer diagnoses are able to follow their own dreams!”

If you would like to make a donation to Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare, please contact ValleyCare Charitable Foundation at 925-373-4560 or vccharitable@stanfordhealthcare.org.

ValleyCare Charitable Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit with the sole purpose of raising funds for Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare. ValleyCare Charitable Foundation has been generously supported by the Tri-Valley community for over 50 years and is dedicated to keeping quality health care available to you and your family when you need it.

(Pictured left to right: Shaké Sulikyan; Joyce Shapiro; Jeff Bueno, DDS; Tom Sellick, DDS; Denise Estrada; and Bob Shapiro.)