We Speak Events
THE HOWARD UNIVERSITY CANCER CENTER BRUNCH TOPS $100,000 FUNDRAISING GOAL
Howard University Cancer Center’s annual Rosemary Williams Breast Cancer Brunch exceeded its $100,000 fundraising goal, furthering the center’s mission to eliminate breast cancer disparities for minority women.
The Oct. 15 brunch honored the late Rosemary Williams who was a tireless advocate for equal access to quality health care for underserved women. To honor Williams’ legacy, proceeds raised through the brunch support the center’s critical breast cancer disparity programs which include screening and other patient-centered services.
Howard University, Howard University Hospital, and the Cancer Center have for decades spearheaded programs to help meet the needs of women lacking access to care in the metro region. Major event sponsors included: The Dana Foundation, Amgen, Inc., the Charmettes, Inc., and the Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.
More than 300 guests attended the Rosemary Williams Breast Cancer Brunch. Andrea Roane, WUSA 9 News Now Anchor and medical reporter served as honorary chair and MC for the event. Fundraising activities were boosted this year through the work of a committed team of women who served as honorary co-chairs and as co-chairs for the event (pictured).
“We were very excited that this group of dynamic and dedicated women embraced the mission of the Cancer Center and used their time and talents to help us not just achieve, but exceed our fundraising goal,” said Dr. Carla Williams, interim director of the Howard University Cancer Center.
At the brunch, HUH radiologist Dr. Estelle Cooke-Sampson, who served as one of the event co-chairs, donated a 10-day stay at a vacation home in Hawaii for the silent auction. HUH Chief Nursing Officer Dr. Shirley Evers-Manly spearheaded the silent auction and generously donated several original art pieces, jewelry and other items. Ricardo Mavin, son of Howard University Hospital Director of Nursing Sandra Mavin, created an original art piece for the event. The final total of brunch proeeds is still being calculated.
Brunch proceeds support vital services to women in the region, including the Rosemary Williams Mammoday Breast Cancer Screening Program. The program provides free and low cost breast cancer screening, diagnostic services, and patient navigation for uninsured women. For 14 years, Mammoday has been a consistent community resource for women who face a variety of barriers to accessing health care. To sign up or learn more about screening, call (202) 865-4655.
Potential sponsors interested in supporting next year’s brunch can call or email Cherie Spencer (202) 865-5399 or [email protected]
Proceeds also support the Cancer Center’s Transdisciplinary Breast Clinic which provides a patient-centered approach to breast cancer care. Women receive same day, coordinated care from an elite team of cancer specialists. This approach reduces patient burdens and enhances the overall quality of care. In addition, proceeds support the Equal Access to Genetic Testing Fund which assists patients for whom genetic testing is indicated and recommended but not covered by insurance, and/or for patients who are uninsured.
What do cowboy dicks, milk pistols, and public toilet walls have in common? They all find a strange kind of poetry in The Writing on the Stall, the wildly inventive musical comedy from US performer Caitlin Cook, landing in the UK this summer. After sold-out runs Off-Broadway, at Edinburgh Fringe, and in London, the New York Times Critic’s Pick returns for a short UK tour—playing Brighton’s Komedia (31 May & 1 June) and Soho Theatre, London (4–7 June).
Set entirely in a public bathroom, The Writing on the Stall is anything but private. In this whip-smart and wickedly funny one-woman musical, Cook dives into the scrawled messages and mysterious wisdom etched on cubicle walls and turns them into something bold, bizarre, and unexpectedly moving. The songs are catchy, the jokes are razor-sharp, and the show isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty—literally.
Armed with a guitar and a knack for digging gold out of the obscene, Cook crafts a genre-defying hour that’s part stand-up, part cabaret, and all catharsis. This is confessional comedy with clever hooks, pitch-perfect melodies, and enough surprises to keep your eyebrows permanently raised. Expect satire, sincerity, and some surreal props—rumour has it a pair of slingshotted knickers makes a cameo.
Caitlin Cook isn’t your average musical comic. She’s Oxford-educated, New York-hardened, and streaming in the tens of millions. She’s also collaborated with some of comedy’s finest, directed offbeat hits, and performs as one-half of the musical duo 2/3rds of a Threesome. With this new UK run, she’s not just touring a show—she’s building a movement that blurs the lines between comedy, theatre, and performance art.
If you missed her during her Edinburgh frenzy, this is your chance to catch the musical everyone’s been whispering about in pub toilets and shouting about in five-star reviews. You might come for the laughs, but you’ll stay for the songs that (fair warning) may live rent-free in your head for months.
Caitlin Cook: The Writing on the Stall
🗓️ Brighton Komedia: May 31 & June 1 at 2:30pm
🗓️ Soho Theatre, London: June 4–7 at 7:15pm
🎟️ Tickets available via venue websites:
https://sohotheatre.com/events/caitlin-cook-the-writing-on-the-stall/
https://www.komedia.co.uk/shows/caitlin-cook-the-writing-on-the-stall/
Photo credit: Mindy Tucker
-
We Speak Entertainment5 days agoThe Unconventional Path of a Musician Without Boundaries
-
We Speak Music3 days agoDead Tooth Drops New Single ‘You Never Do Shit’
-
We Speak Music5 days agoLimahl ‘A Horse With No Name’ – A dusty classic, reborn with synths and swagger
-
We Speak Sports5 days agoLA Rams Bolsters Defense With Bold Move to Draft Ole Miss Linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul