2 SCNG columnists among those honored at Long Beach Cancer League gala
The “cancer stars” were out this weekend.
The Long Beach Cancer League hosted its Reach for the Stars Gala on Saturday night, June 3, during which the nonprofit honored eight people who have been touched by cancer. And those folks also got to tell their stories — including two longtime Southern California News Group journalists.
Columnists Rich Archbold and Harry Saltzgaver were among those who spoke about their experiences with cancer during the nonprofit’s annual fundraising gala, which took place at the Museum of Latin American Art.
Archbold, the Press-Telegram’s former executive editor and current public editor, was diagnosed with melanoma in January 2022. It’s been a bumpy journey these last 18 months. But Archbold, who chronicled that journey in a series of columns, is now cancer free.
Saltzgaver, meanwhile, is the former executive editor of the weekly Grunion Gazette, and he has continued penning his “Pinch of Salt” column for that publication and the P-T. He lost his father to cancer in 2009. A day after father and son learned of the cancer diagnosis, the elder Saltzgaver died.
They both shared their stories in recent columns.
Rich’s column: “My roller-coaster cancer journey has a happy ending.”
Harry’s column: “I was with my Dad when he died from lung cancer. Here’s the story.”
As for the Cancer League, for much of its existence, it raised money — more than $11 million — for the American Cancer Society. But earlier this year, the nonprofit announced the money it raises will now be reserved for geriatric and youth cancer treatment programs at MemorialCare’s Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital.
Saturday’s gala is the league’s marquee fundraiser.
The other people who were honored for their contributions in the fight against cancer are:
- Fay Abed, whose mother died from stomach cancer in 2006. Her elder sister died from colon cancer in 2017, at 60 years old. Abed has been a member of the Long Beach Cancer League since 2015.
- Michael Barr, a Torrance native who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma when he was 6 years old. His parents were told Barr had a slim chance of survival, but he received treatment at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital — and ultimately beat the odds.
- Dr. Cindy Gotz, who is a senior program specialist at Long Beach Medical Center’s Todd Cancer Institute and an adjust professor at Cal State Long Beach. Multiple family members have been diagnosed with cancer. Gotz was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 20 years ago, when she was 42.
- Dr. John S. Link, a San Diego native who graduated from USC’s Keck School of Medicine, and completed an internship and residency there. He also completed residency at Long Beach Medical Center and a fellowship in medical oncology at USC.
- Susan Shannon, whose career helping those with cancer began as a nursing student in Washington, D.C., during which time she cared for pediatric patients. She was also a member of the first-ever bone marrow transplant team, and has a master’s degree in nursing and a pediatric nurse practitioner’s certificate. After moving to Southern California in 1997, she became the coordinator of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship program at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital.
- Dr. Mariusz Wirga, who is the medical director of psychosocial oncology at the Todd Cancer Institute and is the chair of the psychiatry department at Long Beach Medical Center.
For more information on the Long Beach Cancer League, go to lbcancerleague.org.