The Black & White Cancer Survivors Foundation (BWCSF) was co-founded by Dr. C. Keith Melvin and "DJ Bill" William Mabrey.   The two were sharing their personal experiences at a party that Bill was hosting for his wife, Debra, who by then was in remission for nearly two years after her diagnosis and treatment, but still found it difficult to cope with the realities of her experiences.  Other cancer survivors, including Dr. Melvin (for over 13 years) and his wife, Cassandra, (who had two bouts with cancer) were in attendance.  The casual sharing of information and experiences was cathartic.

 

At this party, Dr. Melvin and Bill decided to make this an annual event "a celebration of life" of community cancer survivors, their families, friends, and the business community.  We assessed our individual and collective strengths to determine how we could bring this endeavor to the wider community, and we have been blessed to hold the annual Black & White Cancer Survivors Gala.

 

 It is our goal to celebrate many more birthdays by encouragaing our community to:

 

--  Practice preventive care

--  Get scheduled screenings

--  Consult with healthcare providers

--  Use cancer support systems and agencies

 

We appreciate all of the generous support from the community.