Wilmington’s Cancer-Fighting Dream Team

Mother-son duo leans on love of blues music to raise money and spread awareness.

When breast cancer survivor Carla Briccotto learned that her son, Peter, had gotten the job as organizer of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in Wilmington, she was thrilled—but also concerned.

Would she have to resign her position on the volunteer committee for Making Strides—volunteer work that she loves? Would it be a conflict of interest?

Absolutely not! Instead, she and Peter are a dream team fighting breast cancer.  

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Carla was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 after she discovered a small lump.

“I wasn’t diligent about doing self-exam, but I saw a poster about it at a grocery store and decided to do it. It was random. That’s how I found the lump,” says Carla, who was 38 at the time. She was treated with a lumpectomy and, for a year, received the medication Tamoxifen as a clinical trial.

Tamoxifen, which has saved millions of breast cancer patients’ lives since then, was developed by Dr. V. Craig Jordan, now the scientific director of the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University, who was funded as a young researcher by an American Cancer Society grant.

“If it wasn’t for American Cancer Society research, I wouldn’t have had this lifesaving treatment,” says Carla, who is walking in Making Strides with her team, “Blues for the Boobs,” for the third year.

Her team shares a love for blues music and, for the second year, is auctioning a pink-and-white guitar donated by Middletown Music to raise funds for the breast cancer fight. The guitar will be signed by a music celebrity yet to be chosen. Last year, the pink guitar was autographed by Derek Trucks, formerly of the Allman Brothers Band, and his wife, blues guitarist Susan Tedeschi, and brought in $2,500.

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“This year’s auction will be held Sunday, Oct. 19 at the Jonathan’s Landing Golf Course International Blues Festival competition for the state of Delaware,” says Carla. 

Before coming on board the American Cancer Society as an event specialist, Peter was a volunteer, serving as the team events chair for Relay For Life in Middletown, his hometown, for many years.

“I’m excited to lead Making Strides in Wilmington and use my experience to help the society finish the fight against breast cancer,” says Peter.  “I stood by my mother during her fight, and I’m passionate about helping to wipe out this disease and celebrating survivorship.”   

“It’s rewarding to watch Peter attain new sponsorships for Making Strides and watch the hard work he’s putting into the success of the walk,” says Carla.


Making Strides Wilmington Post-Event Party

Kid Shelleen’s, 1801 W. 14th St., Wilmington
Saturday, Oct. 11, noon-4 p.m.
Food, refreshments and fun!

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Special promotions will go to support  the American Cancer Society’s fight  against breast cancer.

The American Cancer society offers free services to breast cancer survivors that include:

24/7 Phone Line
Reach to Recovery
Road to Recovery
Look Good, Feel Better

Call 1-800-227-2345 or go to www.cancer.org.

Our Best of Delaware Elimination Ballot is open through February 22!

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