the torch Summer 2017, Issue 2 | Page 14

Jamie Lee Curtis to speak at 18th annual Celebrating Women luncheon

Emmy and Golden Globe awardwinning actress, New York Times best-selling author and advocate in the fight against breast cancer, Jamie Lee Curtis, will be the featured speaker at the 18th annual Baylor Health Care System Foundation Celebrating Women luncheon on Thursday, October 26, at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. The announcement was shared with an excited group of Celebrating Women committee members at the Kick-Off Tea, held at the home of Peggy and Leonard Riggs Jr., M. D.
Jamie Lee has appeared in such acclaimed films as Freaky Friday, Trading Places, A Fish Called Wanda and True Lies, for which she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance. Among her numerous roles in television, Jamie Lee co-starred opposite Richard Lewis in the sitcom Anything But Love and the CBS telefilm Nicholas’ Gift, for which she earned an Emmy nomination. She recently appeared on NCIS and New Girl and is currently starring on Fox’ s new hit series, Scream Queens. In addition to her onscreen roles, Jamie Lee is also an author of bestselling children’ s books, having sold more than 5 million books under the
Jamie Lee Curtis
banner Books To Grow By.
At age 40, Jamie Lee experienced the same terrifying fear that hundreds of thousands of women face each year: the fear that she may have breast cancer.
“ There is not a woman alive who hasn’ t had some contact with breast cancer, either through a friend or through her own experience with it,” she said.“ I had my own personal moment of truth when I had a biopsy done on a small, questionable lump in my breast. It was scary.”
Thankfully, she said,“ everything turned out fine, but it brought me very close to understanding how lucky I am to have access to all these resources and great doctors.”
Jamie Lee has a history of involving herself in causes she cares about in an effort to give back. The fight against breast cancer is no different.
“ You get involved because of your heart,” she said.“ For me, there is no more important work— besides being
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a good mom to my kids— than using my celebrity to get more exposure for a specific cause such as this.”
Since the first Celebrating Women luncheon in 2000, more than $ 28 million has been raised to help Baylor Scott & White Health fight breast cancer in North Texas.
“ This is a disease that continues to impact thousands of families, friends, neighbors and colleagues each year,” said Rowland K. Robinson, Foundation president.“ Thanks to the generous support we’ ve received over the past 17 years, the women battling breast cancer in our community have access to quality care, advanced treatments, innovative research and clinical trials, right here in North Texas.”
Tom Thumb will serve as presenting sponsor for the 13th consecutive year, and this year’ s luncheon will be chaired by Tucker Enthoven with Ola Fojtasek serving as underwriting chairman. Peggy and Leonard Riggs Jr., M. D., will serve as this year’ s honorary chairmen. Each year, approximately 1,200 passionate men and women attend the Celebrating Women luncheon in a show of support for Baylor’ s efforts to fight the disease in North Texas.
For information about Celebrating Women, call 214.820.4500 or email CelebratingWomen @ BSWHealth. org. Sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are available.