(l-r) Dr. Jill Waibel, Dr. Michael Zinner, Nancy Brinker, Dr. Domenech Asbun and Dr. Manmeet Ahluwalia

On March 28, the Promise Fund of Florida hosted over 100 South Florida business and community leaders at its annual Scientific Forum luncheon in partnership with Baptist Health Cancer Care in Palm Beach. Cancer care experts from Miami Cancer Institute (MCI) and Baptist Health Cancer Care (BHCC) shared the latest insights on novel therapeutic approaches transforming cancer care, advances in surgery for pancreas cancer, as well as the role of imaging and artificial intelligence in skin cancer. Experts included Drs. Manmeet Ahluwalia, Domenech Asbun, and Jill Waibel. Dr. Michael Zinner, CEO and Executive Director of MCI and BHCC, moderated the panel discussion, which also included Ambassador Nancy Brinker of the Promise Fund of Florida.

Brinker founded the Promise Fund in 2018 to help women throughout South Florida overcome cultural, financial, and language barriers to improve health outcomes – including a reduction in deaths from breast and cervical cancers. In Palm Beach County alone, each year an estimated 1,400 women are confronted with breast cancer and another 50 women learn they have cervical cancer. Many have no health insurance and have limited income to pay for health care.

Since 2020, Promise Fund patient navigator programs have educated, screened, treated, and navigated over 22,000 women. Through local, state, and national partnerships stakeholders, the Promise Fund has created a streamlined system of care to provide access to life-saving cancer resources for underserved women.