Life Fest 2010 will be held on June 25 through 27 at the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson in Jersey City, New Jersey!
Click here to view the Hyatt's website
Click here to register for Life Fest 2010
Keep checking back for updates on Life Fest 2010 and the Friday night gala event: GIST 2010: A Decade of Difference!
Friday night gala- GIST 2010: A Decade of Difference
It has been a remarkable decade for the GIST community as scientific discovery, medical treatment and drug development have put GIST at the cutting edge of cancer treatment and care. Between 2000 and 2010 GIST has gone from being a misdiagnosed rare cancer, with only a 5% response to treatment, to one of the best understood cancers, where patients can now expect an 85% response to treatment.
2010 marks the tenth anniversary of a breakthrough in GIST treatment as the first group of patients to receive a drug to treat metastatic GIST will reach their 10-year survival benchmark. On Friday night, Life Fest 2010 will open with a gala event, GIST 2010—A Decade of Difference, hosted by honorary chair for the evening, GIST specialist, Dr. George Demetri of Dana-Farber Cancer Insitute. The evening will feature a look back at the key scientific and medical milestones over the last ten years and a look forward to the most promising treatments and discoveries on the horizon.
For this occasion special recognition will be awarded to a select group from the GIST patient, medical, scientific and pharmaceutical communities who have contributed not only to the understanding and treatment of GIST, but whose accomplishments have made a difference to the survival of GIST patients. These honorees will be spotlighted for their accomplishments at the gala and inducted into the GIST Hall of Fame.
The Humanitarian of the Decade Award, recognizing the most outstanding accomplishment over the last 10 years will be given jointly to Dr. Dan Vasella, CEO of Novartis Pharmaceuticals and Dr. George Demetri, for their roles as leaders in GIST research and clinical care and for personally being responsible for saving the lives of countless GIST patients.
The GIST Hall of Fame's inaugural inductees include:
• Dr. Brian Druker • Dr. James Watson • Dr. Jonathan Fletcher • Dr. Seiichi Hirota • Gilles Frydman & ACOR • Gleevec Trial Drs.: Dr. George Demetri, Dr. Meg Von Mehren, Dr. Charles Blanke, Dr. Heikki Joensuu • The GIST Patient • Dr. Daniel Vasella • Gleevec Development Team: Dr. Alex Matter Dr. Nicholas Lydon Dr. Juerg Zimmermann Dr. Elizabeth Buchdunger • Jeff Kindler & Pfizer • Sutent Development Team • NIH Clinic • Dr. Aidan Carney • Dr. Mike Heinrich • Dr. Chris Corless
Saturday/Sunday- Life Fest 2010
Every two years, the LRG holds Life Fest, a weekend full of workshops and general sessions aimed at educating and supporting GIST patients and caregivers. Some past sessions and workshops have included GIST 101, Coping for Caregivers, Accessing Treatment, Side-Effects Management and GIST Survival Strategies. You can view last year's agenda here.
This year we have a few extra goodies in the works:
GIST Clinician of the Year- Ever wanted to tell the world what a wonderful doctor you have? Now's your chance. Help us choose the GIST Clinician of the Year. Fill out a nomination form explaining why your doctor or nurse should be chosen and if yours is the winning entry, you win a free trip to Life Fest!
Tree of Life-This tree represents all the good things that have come into your life since your GIST diagnosis. You hear many stories in the LRG about survivors getting to see a grandchild that they never thought they would, finally going on that European vacation with their spouse, or even simply getting to retirement. This is your chance to tell the world just what this time has meant to you. For those with a loved one that has passed on, don’t feel as though you can’t participate. Feel free to fill out a Tree on their behalf.
Booking a room for Life Fest: Rooms can be booked under the special Life Raft Group rate of $129+ tax in two ways.
If reserving a room by phone: Call 1-800-233-1234 and ask for a room for the Life Raft Group event at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City. Tell the person assisting you that the code is G-LRAG.
If reserving a room online: Go to http://www.jerseycity.hyatt.com You can book it on the main page, as well as the "Rooms & Rates" page. Enter the code G-LRAG in the box labeled "Group/Corporate#
Presentations:
GIST Update
Dr. Bruce Brockstein
Evanston Hospital
*Presentation was created by Dr. Jonathan Trent of MD Anderson
FasterCures
Kristen Schneeman
FasterCures
LRG Research Evolution
Marisa Bolognese
LRG Director of Planning and Development
LRG Research Team Update
Dr. Brian Rubin
The Cleveland Clinic
GIST 101
David Josephy
LRG Canada
Drug Development
Karen McDougall, Novartis
Respondents:
Dr. Brian Rubin, The Cleveland Clinic
Tom Overley, LRG General Counsel
Side Effects Management
Donna Mazzone, RN
Lutheran General Hospital
*Presentation was created by Pat Neal, RN of MD Anderson
Accessing Treatment
Norman Scherzer
LRG Executive Director
Nutrition
Alice Sulkowski
Nutritionist, GIST survivor
Clinical Trials Explained
Jim Hughes
LRG Clinical Trials Coordinator
New Treatments Update
Jim Hughes
LRG Clinical Trials Coordinator
GIST Survival Strategies
Jerry Call
LRG Science Coordinator
Location:
Hyatt Regency O'Hare
http://www.ohare.hyatt.com/
9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue,
Rosemont, Illinois, USA 60018
Life Fest 2008 Agenda
View the Life Fest 2008 Agenda
Presentations: Connecting the Dots Executive Director Report GIST clinical trials LRG Research Update Medical Update Pediatric GIST-The New (or forgotten) Kid on the Block Side Effects Management Location:
Dallas Adam’s Mark Agenda: View the Life Fest 2006 Agenda (pdf version)
|
 |
