Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Lorna Brunelle

LORNA Brunelle: will be honored at the Massachusetts
General Hospital's The 2012 One Hundred Gala Event.  

MIDDLEBORO MASS — Middleboro native Lorna Brunelle was nominated and selected for The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center's fifth annual the one hundred event. Planned for Thursday, June 7 at the Boston Westin Waterfront at 7 p.m., the one hundred gala will honor 100 individuals and groups from across the country whose diligence and discoveries, philanthropy and passion and messages of hope have helped advance the fight against cancer.

Funds raised at the gala support research, patient care, education and community outreach programs. Since 2008 the one hundred has raised nearly $3 million to support the Cancer Center's innovative research, comprehensive suport care prorams, and community outreach initiatives. Academy Award winner Matt Damon will be returning to the event this year as a special guest.

Lorna Brunelle was diagnosed with thyroid cancer seven years ago at the age of 33. During her recovery, she became a thyroid cancer patient advocate. Upon invitation of her thryoid surgeon Dr. Gregory Randolph, she has spoken several times at The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, was featured in a national Nerve Monitoring PSA to educate thyroid cancer patients, was featured in several of the M.E.E.I. documentaries, can be seen in a testimonial in the M.E.E.I. website, has sung at M.E.E.I. benefits and has shared her story in several Massachusetts Eye and Ear CONTACT magazine articles.

Lorna has raised over $35,000 for The Chernobyl Children Project USA (a Boston based group that helps children with cancer and other medical problems) and served as a community coordinator and member of the management team.

For three years Lorna helped place children from the contaminated Chernobyl region in the care of host families in Massachusetts while they received free treatments and surgery in Boston. She has raised and donated money to the Dana Farber arts enrichment program to provide theatrical performances for the children undergoing treatments in the Boston hospital.

As a consultant/coach in the Miss America Organization, Ms. Brunelle has volunteered to help raise thousands of dollars for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. She has participated in the Making Strides Walk and co-produces the Designer Couture For A Cure fashion show twice a year to raise money for Team Chuckel of the Pan Mass Challenge, The Make- A -Wish Foundation and The Gregory Randolph Thyroid Cancer Research Fund.

Through her website www.dirtybombshell.net, Ms. Brunelle has fostered relationships with cancer patients from all over the globe. In 2011 she released her book "Dirty Bombshell - From Thyroid Cancer Back to Fabulous." As a volunteer, Ms. Brunelle speaks at colleges, hospitals and women's groups on the topic thyroid cancer and patient care. Last June, she was the key note speaker at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton and was part of the Healing Garden ceremony.

For the past six years she has opened the Relay for Life ceremony in Bridgewater by singing The National Anthem. In December she was featured in South Shore Woman magazine. She is featured in the spring issue of Living with Cancer magazine. Lorna has been seen on FOX CT and heard on several local radio shows.

Tickets to the one hundred 2012 gala event are $500 per person. To purchase tickets or to make a donation to support Mass General's mission to eradicate cancer visit http://www.theonehundred.org or call Raquel Morales, assistant director, special events at the Mass General   617-724-2818.