This History of Women In Medicine and Law
Combining a group of doctors with a group of lawyers would normally cause tension to rise. Yet, the Women in Medicine and Law breast cancer fundraiser does just that with beneficial, philanthropic results. The concept for this fundraiser started in 2003 when Jean Holt, MD, and Pam Otto, MD, were invited to a luncheon in Dallas for breast cancer that was organized by Strasburger Law Firm. It was at this meeting that Pam Otto, MD, a radiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center, presented the Top 10 Reasons to Have a Mammogram. Good humor and fun was noted as the San Antonio doctors survived in a room filled with Dallas lawyers.
After this dinner, Jean and Pam felt inspired to start a fundraiser in San Antonio. At that time, there were several organizations that raised money for breast cancer research which contained either doctors or lawyers but not in combination. Jean contacted her friend Judith Blakeway of Strasburger & Price who greeted the idea enthusiastically and Women in Medicine and Law for the Cure was born.
The first year that the dinner was held was 2004. We had 109 women attend and raised $26,800. Most of the invitations that year were sent to close friends and associates. The number of attendees grew the second year to 290 ladies, and the donation rose to $46,000. Elizabeth Harris, MD, became a member of the organizing committee, and a silent auction was added that year as well. The third year, 2006, had 290 ladies in attendance, and the donation rose to $87,000. In 2007, 360 women attended and the money raised was $115,000. In 2008, 390 ladies attended, and a donation of $124,000 was raised. Last year we continued to grow with 475 attendees, and a donation of $146,000 was reached.
Our volunteers organize the silent auctions, the live auction, the decorating and all of the services needed for a fundraiser of this size. We are proud that we are able to keep costs low while maximizing the donation to Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Because this fundraiser is organized for and by women lawyers and doctors, an important stipulation that 100% of all proceeds must be allocated to breast cancer research was added as a part of our donation to the Komen Foundation. In other words, the money that we raise goes towards finding a cure for breast cancer.
As the years go by and we continue to grow, all of us who volunteer for this noteworthy fellowship develop closer bonds and ties. Our numbers grow, and our original membership stays strong. Our speakers have included both doctors and lawyers, and great fun has been had as we bring women together from these two noble professions for the purpose of putting aside our differences to raise money to find a cure for breast cancer.