The demand for cancer care and treatment today is greater
than it ever has been.  Over the course of my life and of the COVID-19
pandemic, I’ve witnessed the relentlessness of cancer, and how unaware cancer is of age, race, gender, tax bracket, religious affiliation, and even of COVID-19. Despite this, I am encouraged by the hardworking and deeply compassionate physicians, nurses, staff and healthcare professionals at the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFBCCC), who are also deeply committed and relentless on behalf of their patients in the fight against cancer.

In 2013, I was told my cancer was back.  Speaking from personal experience, you never want to receive a cancer diagnosis once,
and certainly not twice.  Yet under the compassionate, experienced,
knowledgeable and attentive care of Dr. Timothy Pardee at the WFBCCC, I realize how blessed I am to be where I am, 8 years into a cancer recurrence, and walking this journey with him as my advocate.  I chose Dr. Pardee because of his expertise, knowledge and compassion.  He dedicates a great deal of time to research and developing treatments resulting in better outcomes for all patients, and he is always looking for any new treatment or clinical trial that
would benefit his patients. 

At the heart of the WFBCCC are people like Dr. Tim Pardee, along with the thousands of patients coming in and out every day, month
and year, in desperate need of medical treatment as well as emotional, physical and financial support.  Please join Dr. Pardee and myself in an effort to help meet the needs of cancer patients and their families by making a gift to Winterlark 2021, benefiting the Cancer Patient Support Program (CPSP) at the WFBCCC. The CPSP is truly at the heart of our Comprehensive Cancer Center, it provides patients and caregivers with the support that is vital to those facing a cancer diagnosis. This year more than ever we need our community to come together to support this important program! The CPSP offers patients and their families individual and group counseling, support groups, patient aid, and other healing and holistic therapies designed to ease the cancer journey. Winterlark provides 50 percent of the operating budget for the program, so without the support of our community we would not be able to offer these services and support. Together, we will help ensure that no one faces cancer alone.

With this page, I am honoring my beautiful niece, Debbie , who has battled against cancer, and my caring physician, Dr. Timothy Pardee.