The American Cancer Society – Town of Palm Beach Unit held it’s third annual Laureate Society luncheon on Monday, December 4 at Club Colette. —Internationally renowned doctor and cancer researcher Judah Folkman was the keynote speaker. Don Webster, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, Florida Division and Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the Society were on hand to welcome and update guest of the Laureate Society as well.

Dr. Folkman is an internationally renowned physician and cancer researcher and has been internationally recognized with awards including: Ernst-Jung Prize for Medicine, Keio Science Medical Prize and the J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine. Early in his career, an American Cancer Society review panel voted to award him a three-grant to pursue his then-radical theory that tumors needed their own blood supply to grow larger. If doctors could attach the blood supply, he reasoned tumors would stare and new ones could not grow big enough to become life threatening. His groundbreaking research, which proved his theory correct and led him to identify the proteins the proteins that help tumors grow, the process of angiogenesis. His work has led to the creation of more than 20 antiangiogenesis drugs that are being used today tin human clinical cancer treatment trials.

A highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the Palm Beach Laureate Society Award to Palm Beach resident and ovarian cancer survivor and advocate, Jacqueline Liggett. Mrs. Liggett has waged a six year battle with ovarian cancer and has established a foundation to help with patient services, promote early testing and fund research in the area of ovarian cancer.

The American Cancer Society introduced the Laureate Society in Palm Beach in 2004 in order to recognize the most distinguished donors to the organization. Now a nationwide program since being established first in Palm Beach, it continues to honors those individuals who significantly invest in a future without cancer.

Among those attending the luncheon were John Brogan, Mark Cook, Phyllis and Richard Krock, Dr. Irving Sherman, John Rau, Paula and Nikita Zukov, Michele Kessler and Mac Schwebel. All guests left with a beautiful gift donated to the Laureate Society by Tiffany & Co. and the firms regional vice president, Jeffrey Bateman.

For additional information about the Laureate Society contact Florence Bonsuk Seiler at 561-655-3449.