Local Mad Hatters host their biggest ‘Tea Party’ ever

More than 200 turn out to celebrate breast cancer survivors

It was an affair of finery this year at the 18th annual Mad Hatters Tea Party on Friday, Oct. 9, at Sunland Golf & Country Club in Sequim.

Instead of hats for comic relief as in years past, the 235 women who attended were decked out in a profusion of pink head gear from cloches to cowgirl hats. There were hats with classic lines and boisterous flower-powered ones as well.

Mistress of ceremonies Jan Kummet said this was the highest attendance ever for the nonprofit that raises funds for Olympic Medical Cancer Center in Sequim and Operation Uplift in Port Angeles, which helps breast cancer patients in need.

“We’re celebrating the heck out of people who have survived cancer,” Kummet said, her voice tinged with emotion.

“It was a banner year for contributions, too,” said Thelma Sullock, a Mad Hatter team member. “The wishing well raised $1,900, a record.”

Wearing his requisite pink visor and pink tie, Dr. Tom Kummet, medical oncologist, director of OMCC and the featured speaker, gave a tongue-in-cheek presentation on genetics and cancer, telling the women in his audience, yes, yes, he knew they possessed a vast knowledge of molecular biology, but he’d just do a little reviewing just the same.

The audience played along but also learned some basic facts of the role of gene mutations in cancer.

“There are 180 billion chemical reaction chances in your cells for everything to go right but when it doesn’t, mutations happen and the genetic information in cells tells them to grow and grow — that’s cancer,” Kummet explained.

He noted that two groups of women should be tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes: If they’re under 40 and have had breast cancer and if they’re under 50 and have a close relative who’s had breast cancer, such as a mother, sister, aunt or grandmother.

“It’s a miracle that we all don’t have cancer — it’s a tribute to ourselves because our bodies put up a fight to maintain our DNA in a normal fashion,” Kummet said.

Inspirational speaker Ranay Yarian, a health care professional diagnosed in June 2013 with breast cancer, told her story, which she called “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride,” through a poignant slideshow chronicling her journey through discovering a lump, then diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy that resonated with the many breast cancer survivors in the audience. Yarian is the community outreach manager at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Gilbert, Ariz., part of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

“I knew dealing with cancer was going to be a head game and I learned social circles are very important to your health, laughter is the best medicine and exercise is a wonder drug.”

Janice Parks serenaded the audience in her powerful soprano voice with “Broadway Baby” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.”

Mad Hatter team members were Elaine Barnhart, Pennie Dickin, Ginny Friess, Helga Greer, Joni McKeta, Gail Nelson, Vonnie Putnam (chairman), Thelma Sullock and Stephanie Swensson.