Lineberger Club event includes win over Virginia, inspiring talks and a great time

More than 300 people attended the 2009 Lineberger Club event on Saturday, February 7. The event honors the more than 450 Lineberger Club members who annually donate $1000 or more to UNC Lineberger’s cancer treatment, research and prevention programs.

Guests at the lunch included Lt. Governor Walter Dalton and his wife, Lucille, Speaker of the House Joe Hackney and his wife, Betsy, and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and his wife, Karen.

This year’s program featured patient Christina Gianoplus, from Wilmington, NC, who shared her inspiring story of her treatment for colon cancer by Dr. Richard Goldberg, UNC Lineberger associate director. Christina introduced her husband, Greg, and her two sons, Nicholas and Alex. She was one of three patients featured in Parade magazine in September 2008. Read more about Christina. Read Christina's speech.

Participants enjoyed a lunch at the Carolina Club and then cheered the Tar Heel men’s basketball team to victory over the University of Virginia. During halftime at the Smith Center, Charlotte Smith, UNC’s assistant women’s basketball coach, participated in Hardee’s Shoot Out Against Cancer. Charlotte sunk five free throws worth $500 each and one 3-pointer worth $2,500!

Bill Boddie, president and chief executive officer of Boddie-Noell Enterprises, the largest Hardee’s franchisee in North Carolina as well as the U.S, presented a check for $14,500 to Lineberger director Dr. Shelley Earp. This check included the money Charlotte raised as well as money raised for every 3-point shot made by a UNC men’s or women’s basketball player so far this season. Read press release about the Shoot Out Against Cancer and the check presentation.

(l - r): Alex Gianoplus; Greg Gianoplus; Nicholas Gianoplus; Christina Gianoplus and her physician, Dr. Richard Goldberg, UNC Lineberger associate director and physician in chief of the North Carolina Cancer Hospital.	Dr. Goldberg and Christina Gianoplus at the end of her talk
(l - r) North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton; Dr. Shelley Earp, UNC Lineberger director; Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand; and UNC Health Care CEO Dr. William Roper	Dr. Tom Shea, UNC Lineberger associate director, shares a moment with his patient and UNC Lineberger Board of Visitors member Patricia Gerrick.
(l - r) Don Steinberg; Dr. Stuart Gold, chief, pediatric oncology; Joan and Dr. Chip Satterly from Wilson, NC	Sam Poole, former member of the UNC Lineberger Board of Visitors, and current member, the Honorable Sarah Parker
(l - r) Back Row: Roberta and Jim Copeland, former director of the Medical Foundation of North Carolina (l - r ) Front Row: Virginia Hester and Dorothy Hubbard	(l - r) Dr. Shelley Earp; Jennifer Hodshon, co-founder of Bookmark My Word, and her mother, Debbie