RICHMOND, Va. — “I find it hard to believe I worked on something for 25 years,” Adrienne Maxwell laughed.
For Maxwell and Julie Fritz, it’s a trip down memory lane.
“This whole event dates us. Going back 25 years. We all had shoulder pads on our suits,” Fritz said.
Maxwell and Fritz are two of the founders of VCU Massey Cancer Center’s annual fundraiser.
Come February, it’s 25 years of Women and Wellness.
“We decided Massey really needed a signature event to let the community know what Massey Cancer Center really did,” said Maxwell.
Massey is still at the forefront of cancer research, trials and treatments. More than $5 million raised over the years fund crucial research. The first wellness luncheon on Valentine’s Day sold out in a week.
“It was really going to be a fun day for women to have a gift for herself,” Fritz said.
The speaker at that inaugural luncheon was author Gail Sheehy.
“We wanted to be taken seriously. We didn’t want fluff speakers,” Fritz said.
Some of those speakers came with their own cancer testimony such as TV host Samantha Harris and former Good Morning America anchor Joan Lunden.
“Not because she was famous, but she was very informative,” Maxwell said. “She gave out information many people were not aware of.”
The 2020 VCU Massey Cancer Center’s Women and Wellness event is February 4 at the Jefferson Hotel. The keynote speaker is veteran journalist Deborah Norville. The luncheon is already sold out.
There are still tickets for the breakfast where you have an opportunity to hear and interact with Massey physicians.
“We set up the breakfast because we like to get some business people who can’t take three hours in the middle of the day,” Maxwell said.
Spreading awareness is what drives Adrienne and Julie who are both cancer survivors. They want to have an impact on the community now and the next 25 years for a city that’s growing.
“If anyone has any ideas to do that, we would like suggestions, help and participation,” Fritz said. “We don’t even know how that has changed people’s lives but I have feeling. We’ve made an impact. (and it feels good?) It feels good.”
Click here for ticket information.
