Christophers Lloyd & Friends Pool Their Talent to Honor Revered Oncologist

Actors Christopher Lloyd and Kathleen Chalfont, Writer/Musician Bill Burnett,
Comedian Mallory Lewis and Legendary TV Writer Bernie West Pool Their Talent to Honor Revered Oncologist
Saar Porrath MD, Celebrated with Laughter

LOS ANGELES- On March 12, Emmy award-winning TV writer Bernie West (whose credits include All In The Family, Maude and The Jeffersons) serves as the MC for The Porrath Foundation for Patient Advocacys (PPFA) first fundraising event: Outwitting Cancer: A Tribute to Saar Porrath MD. Wests tribute to his long-time friend celebrates the late Dr. Saar Porraths legendary sense of humor.

The evenings program continues with a scene from the award-winning Broadway play Wit" performed by Kathleen Chalfont, star of the Broadway hit and Christopher Lloyd, who stars in the upcoming HBO production, with Emma Thompson. Comedian Mallory Lewis performs with Lamb Chop in the adult show" and musician Bill Burnett performs a song he wrote for the fundraiser Ive Got My Wits About Me."

The theme of the event is humor, in honor of Dr. Porrath, a nationally and internationally prominent medical visionary and breast oncologist. Dr. Porrath developed a pioneering model of breast care for the nation. In addition, he combined humor and humanity with cutting-edge breast healthcare. He lost his battle with plasma cell leukemia in 1999. Before he died, he and his wife Toni Bernay PhD founded the PPFA. The foundation provides programs wherein cancer patients and caregivers can access professional cancer patient advocates who can be informed partners for them throughout the cancer process. These advocates help them get answers, make decisions, and make sure they get what they need to help them outwit cancer.

According to PPFA co-founder and practicing psychologist, Dr. Bernay, laughters therapeutic results are well known; its healing effect breaks the stress cycle and reduces depression. It lowers blood pressure and helps the body to stop producing destructive stress hormones." Bernay says that her husband had the largest repertoire of jokes of anyone I know. Saar used humor as one tool in the medical and psychological toolbox he carried to outwit cancer. Humor helped to build trust and put his patients at ease. His patients still talk about the running jokes that they had with him and how that joke showed them he cared, that he remembered them and their concerns. Their laughter helped raise their spirits and inspired them as they struggled through treatment and recovery."
Event Information:             Monday, March 12, 2001         
$175 for individual tickets         6:30 p.m. cocktails and dinner                        For reservations, call 310/788-9786