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News Archive - Progress Newsletter Spring 2002 Online

Notes from around the Cancer Center

Tempting Tables

Another successful Tempting Tables event was held in Muskegon, Mich., raising $35,000 for Dr. Sofia Merajver’s breast cancer research at the U-M.

Local residents created unique tabletop displays using such personal collectibles as antiques, china and linens.

Attendees gave donations to view the creative tables, which weredisplayed at the Torrent House. In addition to coming together as a community, goals of this grassroots event are to increase awareness about breast cancer, raise funds to support breast cancer research, and support local breast cancer patients through a raffle project.

This is the fourth time proceeds from this event have been donated to Dr. Merjaver, with total funding exceeding $85,000.

New Finding: Golf Supports Research!
The 1st Annual Robert Urich Golf Classic was held at the Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, Calif., on Nov. 18-19, 2001. Nearly 100 golfers raised more than $100,000 to support the Heather and Robert Urich Fund for Sarcoma Research at the University of Michigan Cancer Center.

Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse helped “kick it up a notch” by cooking at the Urich’s home for a special pre-event cocktail party for corporate sponsors, celebrities and out-of-town guests. New for the 2002 Classic will be a kick-off dinner, including live and silent auctions, celebrity entertainment and dancing.

Urich Donates Winnings to Center

In February, Actor Robert Urich appeared on the celebrity version of the popular game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” He donated his winnings – $125,000 – to the Cancer Center’s Heather and Robert Urich Fund for Sarcoma Research. , which he and his wife established two years ago after he was successfully treated for the disease by a U-M team. Urich traveled to Ann Arbor for his treatment because of the Cancer Center’s national reputation for specialized care and cutting-edge research on sarcoma, a rare and challenging group of cancers that arise in connective tissues such as muscles, cartilage, tendons and bones. The Urich Fund is designed to accelerate the pace of research aimed at fighting sarcoma through support for laboratory and clinical studies at U-M.

Statement on the Loss of Robert Urich

On April 16, 2002, actor Robert Urich passed away. He was a tremendous friend to the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, and he will be sorely missed. A statement from Max Wicha, M.D., Director, Univ. of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center;
and Laurence Baker, D.O., Deputy Director of Cancer Center and Program Leader for Sarcoma, Univ. of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center can be viewed here.

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