The Board is comprised of no less than three (3) and no more than seven (7). The majority of the Board members shall be breast cancer survivors. There must be at least one Director representing each of the following professional categories: medical (physician, physician's assistant, registered nurse, etc; legal (Attorney, Paralegal, etc; and financial (Accountant, Bookkeeper, etc; A Director may be a breast cancer survivor and also represent one of the professional categories.
Our next Board meeting is scheduled for January 2012. Thank you for your support!
Jamie Ledezma, SurvivorMy name is Jamie Ledezma and I am honored to be serving on the Sisterhood of Survivors Board of Directors. As a young breast cancer survivor, I value the efforts of all the women who volunteer with SOS to enrich the lives of our fellow sisters in the community. Mary Ann Rogozinski, SurvivorMary Ann Rogozinski is a retired Fresno County employee and a five-year survivor of breast cancer. Mary Ann has been an active member of Sisterhood of Survivors for three years with two years of service on the Planning Committee. She was involved in realizing the dream of making Sisterhood of Survivors a non-profit organization and committed to educating the community about breast cancer and helping those recently diagnosed. Julie TippsJulie
Tipps, RN, BSN, MSN Retired RN "The fact that S.O.S. can help touch and support breast cancer patients in our community on a one to one basis is a very special role…..my mother's, my sister's, and my own diagnosis of breast cancer last year have moved me to reach out and offer my time and energy." Jule Tipps, now retired, had a diverse nursing career spanning the past forty years. Her professional experience included: teaching at the University of Nebraska and Hartnell College in Salinas, California; public health nursing; administrative and management positions at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel; and children's psychiatric nursing. The past seventeen years she was employed by St. Agnes Medical Center in home health nursing, oncology floor nursing, and as a post anesthesia recovery nurse. Mrs. Tipps received her BSN from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska and her MSN from University of California, San Francisco Medical Center. | Debbie Garrett, CDPDebbie Garrett serves as the Program Manager for the California Health Collaborative which is the Regional Contractor for the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Cancer Detection Program: Every Woman Counts (CDP: EWC). She manages the Clinical and Health Education components of the program for 22 counties in the Central Valley and Gold Country regions that promotes breast and cervical cancer awareness, as well as provider training and technical assistance. Although Ms. Garrett is still considered a fairly new initiate to the arena of women’s health issues having been with the Collaborative for almost three years, she is experienced with the devastating effects of the disease process due to losing her mother to breast cancer. Additionally, she comes from a background of social work and long-term care, where commitment and vigorous pursuit of collaboration with community-based organizations is essential to educate and empower the community in addressing their individual health issues. In addition, she is an active member of the Kern County Comprehensive Cancer Awareness Program, the Community Wellness Collaborative, and several other committees and taskforces throughout the Central Valley and Gold Country region that address breast and cervical cancer awareness to underserved communities. Ms. Garrett has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and a Masters’ in Health Administration. Susan Gonsalves, SurvivorSusan Gonsalves is retired from Fresno County after a long career in Mental Health Services. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and since retirement has been an adjunct faculty at California State University, Fresno, in the Department of Social Work Education. Each spring semester she teaches a Public Mental Health Services class which focuses on the Recovery Model.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2009. During her career she learned first hand from mental health consumers what being a survivor entailed, as she witnessed consumers survive incredible psychiatric challenges everyday. Also, the importance of peer support in providing hope and helping each individual learn more about their own inner strengths. She found this hope and support from the wonderful and brave heroines she met at the Cancer Treatment Center while waiting for her treatment. She also had the support and love from friends and family.
She is looking forward to serving on the Sisterhood of Survivors and it is her desire to provide hope and support to others diagnosed with breast cancer.
Terry Elrod, SurvivorTerry Elrod is a five-year survivor of breast cancer. She learned of SOS by meeting a friend from high school in the oncologist waiting room during her treatment and has actively volunteered to help where needed for the last 4 years. Terry has assembled and delivered totes, organized events, networked throughout the community on behalf of Sisterhood of Survivors, developed the first website, active with the Planning Committee, helped man educational booths at community events and served as Chair person for SOS for the last 2 years. Her past experience as a Bookkeeper will enable her to work with the budget and track the income and expense of SOS. Janet Ames, SurvivorJanet Ames started her passion for community service as a member of her church, Sierra Vista Methodist Church, while in her 20's. The church encouraged community involvement and she served on many committees and held leadership roles on several of them. In 1980 Janet founded the first chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) after her friend Debbie was killed. Later, in 1991 she developed the program "Experience In Reality". Teens, that have had a traffic violation, are sent by the court system to attend this program to get educated about the dangers of driving under the influence, and safe driving skills are taught. She has served on The Board of North American Traffic Seminars for the past several years. Janet, along with 5 other breast cancer survivors, started Sisterhood of Survivors in the spring of 2003. She has witnessed survivors supporting each other, and survivors developing leadership skills that have benefited both members of SOS and our community at large.
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