October 11 – On Saturday, October 1, the Vanguard Cancer Foundation hosted “Cancer is Not Contagious but Laughter Is!,” an event honoring the work of Dr. Robert Nagourney, founder of Rational Therapeutics. More than 300 guests, many of them cancer survivor patients of Dr. Nagourney, enjoyed an evening of food and drinks as well as a silent auction. Actor John Stamos, whose mother founded Vanguard, also made an appearance along with comedians Allen Stephan, Craig Shoemaker, Jimmy Brogan and Frazer Smith. Founded in 1995, Rational Theraputics specializes in devising personalized cancer treatment programs through its use of ex-vivo analysis – programmed cell death, a platform that creates a functional profile of a tumor’s sensitivity and its resistance to various drugs and combinations. This profile, which equips an oncologist with the most accurate information, allows a patient’s cancer to be treated accordingly. For more information, visit www.rational-t.com. Pictured, from left, are: Dr. Nagourney; Loretta Stamos, founder of Vanguard; and John Stamos. (Photograph courtesy of Rational Therapeutics)