By: Sharon Aron Baron
The Greater Broward Chapter of The Pap Corps will hold their First Annual Golf Tournament at the Woodlands Country Club in October. This tournament will provide much needed fundraising for cancer research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami.
The tournament is one of many fundraisers held during their calendar year to help raise funds for Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. It is open to men and women of all ages and all skill levels.
The Pap Corps, Champions for Cancer Research is one of the largest all-volunteer fundraising organizations in South Florida with more than 50 chapters and 21,000 members, all dedicated to supporting research for all types of cancer at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Since 1952, The Pap Corps has donated more than $50 million dollars.
The Greater Broward Chapter itself has contributed close to $100,000 since its inception. In 2010, the Greater Broward Chapter was started with approximately 20 members. During the past six years, membership has increased by more than 900% as the chapter expanded its membership to over 300 men and women in the Parkland, Coral Springs and Coconut Creek area. Current annual membership fees are $35.00 with additional opportunities to participate in annual fundraising events.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami is currently the only academic hospital in our community. As a university-based cancer center, Sylvester physicians and scientists apply research breakthroughs from the laboratory to the patient’s bedside. Sylvester closely evaluates the effectiveness of new treatments and shares clinical insights with laboratory investigators, leading to improvements that benefit patient care. They treat every type of cancer across 15 site diseases from stage one to stage four. Sylvester patients have the opportunity to participate in groundbreaking clinical trials.
To have this nationally ranked cancer treatment facility in our own community means that patients can be treated here and their support is kept in the community. When cancer hits close to home, whether it be yourself, a family member, a relative or a close friend, your interest in finding the best doctors, the best treatments, the best preventative measures and the best information, increases exponentially.
The Pap Corps is named after George Papanicolaou who became known for his invention of the Pap smear, one of the first diagnostic tools used to detect and prevent cervical cancer. He was the former director of the then- Dade County Cancer Institute which merged with University of Miami’s original Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1984.
More information about The Pap Corps and the First Annual Golf Tournament can be found at www.greaterbroward.org.
