News Release

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Benefits from QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale”

Aug. 25, 2016 — The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) got a boost in the fight against breast cancer with funds generated by QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale,” held in October 2015.

Supporting breast cancer research and education institutions nationwide, the Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) and QVC selected the UAMS Cancer Institute as one of the nine beneficiaries of the 2015 event. FFANY and QVC representatives presented a check in the amount of $320,000 to Kent Westbrook, M.D., Cancer Institute co-founder and distinguished professor in the UAMS College of Medicine, along with other UAMS representatives.

“It’s an honor to be one of only nine cancer centers across the country chosen to participate in this annual event. Support such as this helps us educate women in Arkansas about the importance of breast cancer screening while also continuing our search for better treatment options,” said Cancer Institute Director Peter Emanuel, M.D. During the course of 17 years, the UAMS Cancer Institute has received more than $5.6 million in donations resulting from this sale.

Since its inception, QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” has sold more than 1.8 million pairs of shoes and generated more than $50 million to benefit leading breast cancer research and education institutions. Designated as the event’s “Special Pink Benefactors,” Nine West Group, Caleres, Camuto Group and Marc Fisher Footwear each donated shoes worth more than $500,000. Their contributions included brands such as Nine West, Anne Klein, Easy Spirit, Via Spiga, Franco Sarto, Naturalizer, Vince Camuto, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Jessica Simpson, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and Ivanka Trump.

QVC, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation (NASDAQ: QVCA, QVCB), is the world’s leading video and ecommerce retailer. QVC is committed to providing its customers with thousands of the most innovative and contemporary beauty, fashion, jewelry and home products. Its programming is distributed to approximately 358 million homes worldwide through operations in the U.S., Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France and a joint venture in China. Based in West Chester, Pa. and founded in 1986, QVC has evolved from a TV shopping company to a leading ecommerce and mobile commerce retailer. The company’s website, QVC.com, is ranked among the top general merchant Internet sites. QVC, Q, and the Q Ribbon Logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.

The Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation was created to support ongoing research and education programs in the fight against breast cancer and is supported by members of the Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY). Donated footwear is sold on live television through QVC during the Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation’s annual charity benefit, QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale.” Funds are distributed to leading breast cancer research and education institutions across the United States, including beneficiaries for the 2015 event: The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, The Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Breast Oncology Program, The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, The Margie and Robert E. Petersen Breast Cancer Research Program at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. The Fashion Footwear Charitable Foundation makes its home at 274 Madison Avenue, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10016, www.FFANY.org.

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Foundation Elects New Board Members

LITTLE ROCK — The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Foundation at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) announces the election of its new board members:

Remmel T. Dickinson, of Little Rock, producer with Big Rock Productions, LLC

Lloyd Garrison, of Little Rock, president and CEO of CDI Contractors

Barbara Hoover, of Little Rock

Lenka Horakova, of Little Rock, director of business development – Europe at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Mandy Macke, of Fayetteville, associate director of the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation

Carol Rodgers, of Little Rock

Trip Strauss, of Little Rock, senior vice president – investments at Merrill Lynch

Horakova and Strauss, a married couple, hold one board seat. Win Rockefeller Jr. is the 2016-2017 board chair. Members are elected for three-year terms and may serve up to three terms total.

Free Skin Cancer Screening Offered at UAMS Cancer Institute on Sept. 10

LITTLE ROCK — People concerned about spots on their skin are invited to participate in a free skin cancer screening from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sept. 10 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). The screenings will take place on the second floor of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Patients will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis and are encouraged to arrive no later than 3 p.m. Free parking is available in UAMS Parking 3 at Cedar Street and Capitol Avenue. For information, call (501) 686-7546.

Signs and symptoms of skin cancer include new spots on the skin or spots that change in size, shape or color. Potential signs also include bumps, patches or sores that don’t heal after two to three months.

Fellowship-Trained Palliative Care Physician Clark L. Smith, M.D., Joins UAMS

LITTLE ROCK — Fellowship-trained palliative care physician Clark L. Smith, M.D., has joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). He sees patients at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and is an assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine.

Smith earned his medical degree from the UAMS College of Medicine and completed his residency in family and preventive medicine at UAMS. He was fellowship trained in the UAMS Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care. Smith previously served as medical director at Arkansas Hospice.

He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine with a certificate of added qualification in hospice and palliative care

Palliative medicine focuses on improving quality of life and relieving pain and other symptoms in seriously ill patients. It can be provided to patients who continue to receive treatments to cure or control their disease, regardless of the stage of their illness.

UAMS and Chicot Memorial Medical Center to Offer Free Skin Cancer Screenings June 25 in Lake Village

LITTLE ROCK — Dermatologists from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will offer free skin cancer screenings from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 25 at Chicot Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, 2729 S. Hwy 65 and 82, in Lake Village.

No appointment is necessary. Patients are asked to arrive no later than 1:30 p.m. For information, contact AnnClaire Hayes at (870) 265-9395 or hayesa@chicotmemorial.com.

The screenings will be conducted by physicians from the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Dermatology under the leadership of Thomas Jennings, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor and director of dermatologic surgery.

UAMS to Host Cancer Moonshot Summit in Conjunction with Vice President Biden June 29

LITTLE ROCK — A local summit hosted by the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) on June 29 will give Arkansans the opportunity to learn about and participate in the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative led by Vice President Joe Biden.

The summit is set for 12:30-2:30 p.m. June 29 on the 10^th floor of the UAMS Cancer Institute. Registration will begin at noon.

There is no cost to attend, and pre-registration is not required. Lunch will be provided to the first 100 attendees. Limited parking is available in parking deck 3 at the corner of Cedar and Capitol.

The UAMS event is being held in conjunction with the National Cancer Moonshot Summit hosted by Biden on June 29 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Cancer centers and other organizations across the country are offering simultaneous events to give the entire cancer community — researchers, doctors, nurses, philanthropists, advocates, survivors and others — an opportunity to discuss progress in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

During his 2016 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced the establishment of a National Cancer Moonshot Initiative to accelerate cancer research. The initiative, led by Biden, aims to bring about a decade’s worth of advances in five years, making more therapies available to more patients, while also improving the ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage.

UAMS Cancer Specialists to Speak at May 19 Event in Hot Springs Village

LITTLE ROCK — You are invited to hear about Arkansas’ only allogeneic bone marrow transplant program for cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma at an event featuring specialists from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

The panel discussion will be held at 11 a.m. May 19 at Diamante Country Club, 2000 Country Club Dr., in Hot Springs Village, and will include members of the allogeneic transplant team at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and UAMS Myeloma Center. Featured speaker will be Yogesh Jethava, M.D., director of the UAMS Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant program. An allogeneic stem cell transplant replaces a person’s stem cells with new, healthy ones from a donor.

There is no charge to attend, and lunch will be provided. To make a reservation, call (501) 526-2277 by May 11. This event is presented by the UAMS Cancer Institute in conjunction with the Hot Springs Village Walk for Cancer Research.

UAMS to Host Cancer Survivorship Workshop April 16

LITTLE ROCK – A workshop at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute will focus on the needs and concerns of cancer patients, survivors and caregivers.

I Am a Survivor: Cancer Survivorship Workshop is set for 8 a.m. – noon April 16 on the 10^th floor of the UAMS Cancer Institute. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and sessions begin at 8:30 a.m.

Interactive sessions will be led by a UAMS physician, physical therapist, social workers and cancer survivors. Topics include:

Female Sexual Health
Depression and Anxiety
Physical Activity and Rehab
You are the Teacher: Question and Answer Session

Pre-registration is requested by April 14 at (501) 603-1612 or wilsonavisf@uams.edu.

Free parking is available in Parking Deck 3 at the corner of Cedar Street and Capitol Avenue. Snacks will be provided.

Internationally Known Physician-scientist to Chair Radiation Oncology at UAMS

LITTLE ROCK — Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., M.S., an internationally recognized radiation oncologist and physician-scientist, is joining the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology in the College of Medicine.

Xia, who will join the faculty on July 1, 2016, currently serves as a tenured professor and director of translational research in radiation oncology at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. She specializes clinically in radiation treatment of central nervous system benign and malignant tumors. Her research focus is in DNA damage response and repair and the impact of these processes on genomic stability, aging, carcinogenesis, tumor response and normal tissue injury in cancer treatment.

“Dr. Xia will be a tremendous asset to our educational, research and clinical enterprises,” said Pope L. Moseley, M.D., UAMS Executive Vice Chancellor and College of Medicine Dean. “She brings considerable expertise and oncologic leadership to our team and will also be invaluable as the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute prepares to apply for designation as a National Cancer Institute-designated center.”

Xia received her medical degree at Suzhou Medical College in Suzhou, China, in 1983 and a Master of Science in radiation toxicology at Suzhou in 1986. She received her doctorate in cancer biology in 1996 at Harvard University, where she also completed postdoctoral training. Xia completed her radiation oncology residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, becoming one of the few physicians in the nation to earn an R01 research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during residency training.

After her residency Xia served on the faculty of Vanderbilt’s departments of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Biology for five years, directing the Central Nervous System Clinic for 15 months prior to her recruitment to Ohio State in 2011. She was promoted to tenured professor at Ohio State and named director of translational research in radiation oncology in 2014.

Xia has remained continuously funded with multiple R01 grants since her residency training. She is also the principal investigator on an established investigator-initiated clinical study of cancer predictive biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategy. Xia is a charter member of an NIH/National Cancer Institute (NCI) study section and has served on many other national and international grant review sections for funding organizations.

Xia serves as editor, associate editor and editorial board member for several scientific research journals. She also serves on the American Board of Radiology/Radiation Biology and is active in the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Science Council’s Research Evaluation Committee and ASTRO’s Research Direction Committee. Other recent national posts include the scientific program committees of the American Association for Cancer Research and the Radiation Research Society.

Xia has mentored many successful undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, medical students and residents, and junior faculty members.

Madonna Tribute Artist to Headline UAMS Cancer Institute’s RockStar Lounge April 21

LITTLE ROCK — “Get into the Groove” when Madonna tribute artist Chris America takes the stage April 21 at Little Rock’s hottest rock ’n roll party, RockStar Lounge.

The show starts at 7 p.m. at Club Level, 315 Main St., Little Rock. Tickets are $50 in advance and $75 at the door. Order tickets at www.therockstarlounge.com or by calling (501) 526-2277. Proceeds benefit cancer research at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Presenting sponsors are Natalie and Win Rockefeller and Little Rock Soirée.

Ticket price includes beer, wine and selections from local food trucks, and Little Rock DJ G-Force will entertain the crowd with pre- and post-show dance music. Guests are invited to participate in a Madonna-inspired costume contest.

In her 30-year career as a Madonna tribute artist, Chris America has performed at venues around the world, including the White House and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in Times Square. She can be seen in two documentaries: “Just About Famous,” which looks at the inner workings of the celebrity impersonator industry, and “Mad for Madonna,” a film about Madonna’s fan base.

RockStar Lounge is hosted by the Envoys, an advocacy group of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Foundation whose mission is to advance the outreach efforts of the Cancer Institute by promoting its physicians, scientists, programs and vision. Membership is free, and volunteering hours are flexible.