Best Strokes 2018, “A Celebration of Life”

Formerly known as Breast Strokes, this unique event, whose presenting sponsor is Northside Hospital Cancer Institute, will raise funds for breast and ovarian cancers and genetic research programs at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and education, advocacy and prevention in the United States. BestStrokes’ new focus is the addition of ovarian cancer.

Open to the community, Best Strokes, Hadassah Bares All for Awareness, Research, Treatment (A.R.T.) will be held on Sunday, March 18, 2018, from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. at The Southern Exchange (the Old Macy’s Building downtown), 200 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets can be purchased online.

Best Strokes is a one-of-a-kind celebration honoring and demonstrating the resilience of breast and ovarian cancer survivors. It all began with Paint Day, held in November 2017. Sharing the most private and painful aspects of their respective cancer journeys, 36 volunteer models, all breast or ovarian cancer survivors, revealed themselves from collarbone to navel for body paintings that were photographed and transferred onto beautiful canvases. For the first time this year, a male breast cancer survivor was also painted. Artists, photographers, and volunteers donated their time and talents to create a day of healing and unique works of art, which will be displayed for the first time and some sold to raise funds at the March 18 celebration of life.

One of the artists, Dawn Michelle, said, “Words cannot express how thankful I am. It was truly an emotional, moving experience and I would LOVE to be a part of this event for years to come!”

Model Pamela J. added, “Paint Day is filled with layers of pleasant surprise throughout the day.” Of her artwork, which depicts a large, glittered butterfly, she noted, “Beauty from the struggle; the struggle makes you stronger.”

Dale Bearman, MD, Chosen as Honoree

This year’s Best Strokes honoree is an Atlanta-based leader in promoting genetic testing as a means to identify early on the risk of cancer. Dale Bearman, MD was selected because his work epitomizes the breast and ovarian cancer Awareness, Research and Treatment that Hadassah and BestStrokes support. “With the addition of ovarian cancer as a Best Strokes focus, Dr. Bearman is the perfect representative of our work. His focus and advancement of genetics testing to diagnose the risks of ovarian, breast and other women’s cancers demonstrate the purpose of Hadassah and this fundraiser,” said Sheila Dalmat, HGA president.

“I am honored to represent such an important organization and institution,” Bearman commented. “Hadassah Medical Organization is known around the world for its leadership in medical research and genetics testing, a subject that I began to explore more than 10 years ago and have since integrated into my practice. Genetics testing prevents cancer for women and men of all ages. I want patients and medical practitioners alike to embrace the significance of genetic testing to prevent cancer for themselves and their patients.”

Read Our Models’ Powerful Stories


More about our Honoree

Meet Dr. Tamar Peretz, Honorary Chair

After an academic career at Duke, Dale Bearman entered private practice in Atlanta in 1988. He has served in many medical leadership roles at Northside Hospital including chief of staff, chair of OB-GYN, chair of the Credentials Committee, and many others. He currently is a member of the Northside Hospital board of directors and serves on the board’s Quality Improvement and Planning Committees. Clinically, Bearman’s practice is in gynecology – with an emphasis on laparoscopic and vaginal surgery.

Tamar Peretz, MD, is this year’s Honorary Chair. Peretz is known for her cutting-edge cancer and genetic research at Hadassah Hospital and has been the director of the Sharett Institute of Oncology at the Hadassah Medical Organization for the last two decades. She served for almost two years as Interim Director General of Hadassah Medical Organization. Dr. Peretz’s clinical work focuses on breast cancer, cancer genetics and personalized cancer therapy.

About Hadassah Greater Atlanta

One of the largest women’s volunteer organizations around the world, Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc.®, is a 330,000-person strong global membership organization supporting medical care and research at the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) in Jerusalem. The first university-related medical institution in the Middle East, HMO is a leader in immunotherapy, genetics, trauma and Phase 1 and 2 trials that have led to groundbreaking research and treatments.

In Greater Atlanta, Hadassah spearheads important women’s health education and advocacy initiatives including the Check-It-Out® educational program, which teaches high school teens about body awareness, breast cancer and healthy lifestyles; the G.E.M. (Gender Equity in Medicine) advocacy program for women’s health; and the Planning Medical Seminar, which convenes like-minded and complementary healthcare and public health professionals in advancing collaboration. Find out how you can get involved with Hadassah and advocacy, education, and social initiatives on the Hadassah Geater Atlanta web page at www.hadassah.org/atlanta.

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