This year North Ranch Country Club is Partnering with The Wellness Community and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes.

It is not too late to join us for:

ProAm dinner with catering provided by Marmalades, Vitello's Trattoria, Larry Schalk, North Ranch Country Club, and the Cheesecake Factory including a live and silent auction and music on Sept. 16th. For a description of live auction items, please click here.

ProAm Tournament at North Ranch Tennis Club September 18th

Your participation in these events can make a big difference in the lives of many youth here in our community. Your participation supports access to supervised development programs through the Boys & Girls Clubs and support programs for children with cancer and children who have a parent or grandparent with cancer through The Wellness Community.

We also would like to acknowledge our sponsors:

• Presenting Sponsor: State Farm Insurance
• Gold Sponsor: Wells Fargo Private Bank
• Silver Sponsors: Marla and Arnie Schwarz, Jen and Barry Wishengard, Dennis Predmore State Farm Agency, Manchester Financial, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, State Farm Conejo-Simi Agency Field Office Agents

Please note, gate access is required to attend the September 16th dinner. Please be sure to RSVP, in advance. To RSVP for dinner on September 16th, please contact Jessica Tutsock, Executive Assistant for The Wellness Community, at 805-379-4777 or via email at maddy.sattler@wellnesscommunityhope.org

To download a flyer for the dinner, please click here.

Evening of Music in the Garden
Date: September 25, 2011
Time: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location: 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village, CA 91361

Join us for an evening of music and community in the Garden of Hope. Bring a picnic basket, lawn chair, and your favorite beverage and help celebrate the completion of our Garden of Hope.

The Wellness Community thanks all of the individuals, families, businesses, and volunteers who helped create a healing space for cancer patients and their loved ones through their support of the Garden of Hope. For a complete list of donors and local businesses who supported the project, please click here.

For pictures of the August 14th donor dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting, please click here.

For additional Garden of Hope naming opportunities, please contact Maddy Sattler, VP of Development at 805-379-4777 or visit our website.

Garden of Hope photo courtesy Judi Bumstead Photography.

Please RSVP via email or at 805.379.4777.

David Wank became a supporter of The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura after seeing how much the organization helped his father during his experience with bladder cancer more than ten years ago. David was elected to the Board of Directors of TWCVV in 2003 and has chaired the Building and Grounds Committee since 2006.

David's unwavering perseverance and dedication helped make the Garden of Hope a reality. His wife Tami and their three children, Justin 14, Hayley 12, and Morgan, 9, have all found their own ways to help support the cancer patients and families who rely on TWCVV for hope. David was kind enough to share his family's story with us.

Your connection to The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura is through your father, who benefited from their services during his fight with cancer. How did TWCVV help him?

I think this could be said best in my father's words. My father, Melvin, was a strong proud man who would not ask anyone for help, yet, he turned to The Wellness Community for support when he found out he had bladder cancer in 1998. In early 2000, after an MRI reported that his cancer was gone (unfortunately this was false), he wrote a note to The Wellness Community. Unfortunately, he was never able to send it.

After his passing, I found the note while cleaning out his desk. The note thanks Marty, Tony, Peggy and others for their love and concern for him. He goes on and says, "The most important things are love of family, friends, positive attitude, doctors, medicine, and The Wellness Community." He ends his note by saying, "Tell my fellow cancer patients never give up."

For my father to thank The Wellness Community for their love and support showed me how important The Wellness Community is in helping others.

What made you go from being an appreciative family member of a participant, to a dedicated supporter of The Wellness Community's mission?

I felt I wanted to help those who helped my father during the toughest battle of his life.

To read more of our interview with David, please click here.

Photo of David and Tami Wank taken at TWCVV's 20th Anniversary Gala courtesy Judi Bumstead Photography.

For more photo's from our 20th Anniversary Gala, please click here.

The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Fighting Prostate Cancer
with Susan Speer, MS, RD
Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011
Time: 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Location: 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village, CA 91361

Susan Speer is a registered dietitian with a master's degree in nutrition and is also a certified oncology nutrition specialist, one of only 350 in the entire country. Susan will be speaking about the role of diet and nutrition in the fight against prostate cancer. Topics will include Ornish's vegan diet and supplement regimen, dairy foods, calcium and the China Study.

This seminar is a special presentation of the Prostate Networking Group, a monthly support group for men with prostate cancer. Family members are also welcome. The group meets every third Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and provides information and emotional support in fighting prostate cancer.

In addition, The Wellness Community offers a support group twice a month for prostate cancer survivors. The group meets the second and third Wednesday of the month at The Wellness Community in Westlake Village from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

In recognition of Prostate Cancer Awareness month, TWCVV is featuring two members of our prostate cancer networking group, Phil and Marilynn DiPaola, on our homepage. Please click here to read their inspirational story.

Please RSVP via email or at 805.379.4777.

Re-evaluatiing your Career after Cancer
with Clair Levy
Date: Friday, September 23, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village, CA 91361

According to the organization Cancer and Careers, 80% of cancer survivors return to work after treatment. Transitioning back into the workforce or into a new career after surviving cancer can be challenging.

In discussing the goals for the workshop Clair stated, "Whether you decide to continue a career or embark on a new path, it is important to be prepared for your journey. The goal of this workshop is to give people the opportunity to re-evaluate their desires, expectations, and goals for their career after surviving cancer."

Class size is limited to 25. Please RSVP via email or at 805-379-4777.

'tis the season for...
our 20th annual Holiday Homes Tour
to be held

Saturday, Dec. 3rd and Sunday, Dec. 4th,
10 am - 6 pm

This season, open the door to HOPE for cancer patients and their families!

To purchase tickets online or to download a presale flyer and order by mail,please click here.

Drum Circle and Ice Cream Social
for Families Affected by Cancer
with Brad Anderson, HealthRYTHMS Facilitator
Date: Sunday, September 18th
Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura
530 Hampshire Road
Westlake Village, California 91361

For years, researchers have studied music-based therapies as a treatment for a wide range of chronic, painful, and emotionally distressing diseases, including cancer. Singing or playing music can be "empowering" for patients who feel victimized by cancer.

For more information on drum cirlcles and HealthRYTHMS, please click here.

Please RSVP via email or at 805.379.4777.

The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura (TwcVv) recently held it's 11th annual Mujeres Unidas en Celebracion; a conference for women with cancer, at any stage in their journey. It is a day of hope, inspiration, camaraderie, education and joy! The conference includes lunch, entertainment, educational and inspirational speakers, free wigs, gift items and more! The ladies look forward to this event every year.

TwcVv receives many in-kind donations of wigs from participants and local community members. The wigs are taken to St. Michael's Church to be cleaned and styled so they can be given to the attendees of Mujeres Unidas each year. "I loved Mujeres Unidas. I waited for months to attend because I knew that I would have a chance to get a wig. I lost all my hair and it has been the hardest part of having cancer. I felt so ugly and undesirable. When I got my wig at Mujeres Unidas and saw myself in the mirror I felt that the cancer was erased. I was beautiful again! I never take off my wig now," said Rosa Barrios, a TwcVv participant.

Rosa's continued attendance at the Chatsworth support group has given her "a place to let out all of my worries, fears, and thoughts. I feel that in some ways it's better to go to the support group for help than to family members because no one judges me there and no one tells me it's going to be fine and not to be afraid. The support group lets me feel whatever it is I'm feeling without stopping me." Rosa's daughter, Rosie also attends the Kid's Circle program in Chatsworth.

TwcVv's Latino Outreach Coordinator, Jacqueline Nederlk, MSW, spent months preparing for Mujeres Unidas. Jacqueline says she would like the women who attend the event "to have a better understanding of cancer but most of all a renewed spirit filled with hope for life. I want them to remember that each day and each experience is what really makes life worth living. I also want them to allow for happy moments in the company of other women who provide each individual with the strength to face challenges with dignity and a sense of accomplishment. Overall, I want them to allow themselves to just have a good time."

Over 280 women shared stories of strength and challenges during the very successful one-day workshop. Over 100 wigs were distributed by St. Michael's Church as well as 114 bras, 31 Breast Prosthesis, and 35 Post-Surgical bras, donated by Beth Higgins of Intimate Image. It was truly a day of giving!

An Evening of Feng Shui Beauty with Billy Yamaguchi
Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village, Ca, 91361

For over two decades, Billy Yamaguchi has shared his philosophy of honoring the individual and showcasing the beauty within. Understanding your health, energy and its role in your appearance, business, personal, and social life is valuable for achieving harmony and balance in your life.

Please RSVP via email or at 805.379.4777.