Researching the Family Tree--to Fight Cancer

Until the news came six years ago, Carol Krause was having “a pleasant life,” she told the hundreds of women gathered at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.

“I had a happy marriage, a career as a television journalist . . . a life that was pretty uneventful, until, BOOM!”

She learned that her younger sister, Susie, 38, had ovarian cancer. For Krause, 46, who spoke at the Circle 1000 benefit for the Hoag Cancer Center in Newport Beach, it was more than horrible news.

It was confirmation that the cancer that plagued her family--15 of her family’s 21 members have fought it--was also going to hit her generation.

Krause said that following the news of the diagnosis, she and two other sisters were advised to have preventive surgery. Each had a total hysterectomy in the hope they could sidestep the cancer that had taken their mother’s life at age 56.

For good measure, doctors would also perform a colonoscopy to screen their colons for cancer.

“I had my surgery, praying they wouldn’t find any malignancies . . . and that’s when my personal genetic map took a very bizarre turn,” said Krause, author of “How Healthy Is Your Family Tree?” (Simon & Schuster, 1995. $12).

Her uterus and ovaries were cancer-free, but doctors found a malignant tumor in her colon. “In the cecum--the exact resting spot of the tumor that killed my paternal grandfather when he was 33,” she said.

There was more to come. Last year, after an annual mammogram and subsequent biopsy, Krause, a mother of two young children, learned she had an early malignancy in her left breast.

It was surgically removed. Chemotherapy was unnecessary, and her prognosis is excellent.

But she might not be alive today, said Krause, a former Newport Beach resident, “if I had not carefully studied my family tree.” And taken preventive measures.

During her address, Krause invited members of the audience to participate in the Hoag Cancer Center’s free Richard J. Flamson Hereditary Screening Program. Flamson, former CEO of Security Pacific Bank, died in 1991 of leukemia.

“With your cancer center and your screening program, you are building a reputation that is known around the country,” said Krause, who lives in Maryland.

Before the brunch--chaired by Flamson’s widow, Arden Flamson--Krause spoke privately about her philosophy of life.

“My life is so complicated,” she said softly. “I’m a single mother of two children. My husband left me after all of this happened.

“So, I’ve become very focused on the practical things I have to do in my life.

“The whole issue of values has become very important to me. I’ve learned values are much more important than fame,” she said.

“Maybe this hits everyone in midlife, but I was on a fast-track television career, winning Emmys and sticking microphones into people’s faces. I realize now that none of that is very important.”

What is important, she believes, is doing what gives her the most satisfaction. “What brings me satisfaction is simply being alive and trying to identify those values and things that truly make me happy,” she said.

“So many people have a set of personal values but violate them every day because of the job they are in or the relationship they are in. I won’t let myself do that any more.”

Proceeds from the $100 per person event, including underwriting donations, was $250,000.

Also serving on the committee were Circle 1000 founder Sandy Sewell, and underwriting chairwoman Judy Steele. Since it was founded in 1987, Circle 1000 has raised nearly $2 million for the cancer center.

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Fighting breast cancer: Members of the Orange County Chapter of High Priority celebrated their 10th anniversary last week with a concert by the Four Freshmen at Bistro 201 restaurant in Newport Beach.

In line with the ‘50s theme, guests wore get-ups that ranged from blue jeans with T-shirts to waitress uniforms, such as the one sported by Connie Murphy. “My daughter bought this for a Halloween costume,” said Murphy. “It’s me. I’ve always been a ‘50s kind of girl.”

Last year, Murphy and her husband, Don, bid $2,000 for the Four Freshmen during an auction staged by High Priority--a group of women who raise funds for breast cancer research and services.

“What better use for the concert than our chapter’s 10th?” asked Connie.

Indeed. Four Freshmen founder Bob Flanigan was on hand to sing a couple of songs with the group he now manages. The foursome may not be the original. But they’re close enough.

“This is the song that made me what I am today--retired!” Flanigan joked as he took the stage to sing, “Day by Day.”

Honored at the event for their efforts on behalf of breast cancer awareness were Ginny Ueberroth, Virginia Knott Bender, Wanda Cobb (who did not attend), Mary Anne Mang, Marion Knott Montapert, Toni Knott Montapert and Betty Belden Palmer. Ed Arnold was emcee.

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A night at the opera: Talk about a gala in three parts. It was dinner before and dessert after the Orange County premiere last week of “Orfeo and Euridice” at Segerstrom Hall.

Opera lovers dined on New York steaks at the Center Club in Costa Mesa before watching the 18th century French opera performed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus.

After the performance, it was back to the club for champagne and cheesecake for supporters of Opera Pacific and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County--opera co-presenters. And the chance to rub elbows with Morris himself.

“Your theater is miraculous acoustically,” the 39-year-old choreographer told guests. “And the stage is certainly big enough for dance.”

As for the challenge of creating modern dance for a 200-year old opera, Morris said: “The big challenge is that people took dance out of opera. Now it has become a specialty act, and I don’t think it should be. Opera should be a big experience--combining all of the art forms.”

Margo Chamberlin of Newport Beach was gala chairwoman. Also among guests were Dean Corey, director of the philharmonic, and Gayle Widyolar, president of the Opera Pacific board.