Cancer Advocates Regis and Joy Philbin Emcee Awards Ceremony NEW YORK, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At an awards finale hosted by Regis ("Live with Regis and Kelly") and Joy Philbin at New York's Metropolitan Pavilion, "This is Not a Dress Rehearsal," by Anne Wilson of Morganton, North Carolina, was named Best of the United States in the 2006 Lilly Oncology on Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey International Art Competition and Exhibition, presented by Eli Lilly and Company in partnership with the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS). "This is Not a Dress Rehearsal" features Wilson's late daughter Katherine just seven months after Katherine, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer at the age of 23. The photograph portrays a smiling Katherine and her dad playfully removing their hats to display their bald heads -- Katherine's from her cancer treatments and her dad's a result of his sympathetic shaving. Wilson's photograph was selected by an independent judging panel that reviewed 492 submissions from the US and Puerto Rico. The judges' selections were based on artwork and narratives that best depict what gives the cancer journey meaning. "Katherine's cancer diagnosis changed our family in unexpected ways," said Wilson. "From the earliest days, Katherine proved that she would not let this disease negatively impact the rest of her life. She always felt that life was for living and you only had one chance at it. The photograph shows how much she believed that -- even in those early days after learning about her diagnosis." Following her diagnosis, Katherine not only earned her nursing degree from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill School of Nursing but was also inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honors society. In addition, Katherine traveled extensively with friends and family who considered her an inspiration. In February 2005, Katherine succumbed to her illness, five years after diagnosis, at the age of 28. At the finale event hosted by the Philbins, Wilson accepted a $10,000 donation to the cancer charity of her choice -- the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Lilly President and COO John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., and Ellen Stovall, NCCS president and CEO, presented the award at a ceremony that marked the debut of the U.S. art exhibition. The event included remarks from competition judge and breast cancer survivor Geralyn Lucas, author of Why I Wore Lipstick (To My Mastectomy), and ABC "20/20" correspondent Lynn Sherr, author of Outside the Box: A Memoir, part of which is devoted to her own survival of colon cancer. "We started out wanting to do something for the patient," said Lilly's Lechleiter about the origins of Lilly Oncology on Canvas. "In the end, we created an emotional forum for many people affected by cancer, and learned much in the process. We are at once proud and humbled." This is the second Lilly Oncology on Canvas competition. It was launched by Lilly in 2004 to help people affected by cancer express their emotions about the disease, an important part of the healing process. The art has since toured the world. The 2006 global competition received more than 2,000 entries from 43 countries. The judging panel awarded second place in the U.S. competition to JoAnn Coleman of Baltimore, Maryland, for her photograph, "Tranquility." Coleman has been a nurse at the Johns Hopkins Hospital's Department of Surgery since 1974 and now serves as coordinator of the Multidisciplinary Pancreatic Cancer Clinic at The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. "Tranquility" shows a serene fountain in Hawaii containing water lilies with a reflection of a Japanese Tea House. Coleman took the photograph while in Hawaii for a nursing conference. "The photograph reminds me of how we treat patients when they go into surgery for the removal of cancerous tumors," said Coleman. "We should accept and respect patients as they journey through the cancer experience." Third place was awarded to Isabel Quinones-Martin of San Juan, Puerto Rico, for her acrylic painting, titled "Embrace Life." Quinones-Martin, who has lost many loved ones to cancer, was inspired by her friend's positive outlook following her cancer diagnosis. "The painting shows my friend who decided to embrace life," said Quinones- Martin. "After learning she had cancer she first thought her days were numbered, but the painting shows how she looked out at the world and decided to keep her spirit strong." Lilly Oncology on Canvas invited people from all over the world to put their feelings about cancer on canvas and in narrative. People diagnosed with any type of cancer, their families and friends, cancer advocates, health care providers, artists and art students were all eligible. Art was accepted in the following media: acrylic, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor and "other," which included one-dimensional mixed media. In all, Lilly Oncology on Canvas awarded prizes to a total of 36 winners from more than 2,000 global entries from 43 countries. In addition to the three U.S. winners, there were three global winners and 30 category winners. Global winners were announced on November 3, 2006, at London's Royal College of Art. "Lilly Oncology on Canvas brings us all closer to the heart of the cancer journey, enabling us to walk the path of emotions that cancer survivors, their families, friends and caregivers experience," said NCCS's Stovall. "Today all entrants are winners for inspiring and encouraging others through these beautiful works of art." Free Public Exhibition Entries from the U.S. and Puerto Rico, along with selections from the global competition -- about 600 artworks in all -- will remain at The Metropolitan Pavilion for free public viewing through December 8, 2006: Lilly Oncology on Canvas Free Public Exhibition The Metropolitan Pavilion - The Level 123 West 18th St. New York, NY 10011 December 6-8, 2006 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. The World Tour Lilly Oncology on Canvas is a biennial competition. In 2007, the art entries from the 2006 Lilly Oncology on Canvas competition will begin to tour the world, as the cancer journeys portrayed in art and narrative inspire millions of people. The Charities Chosen by the Winners Lilly Oncology on Canvas will make the following contributions on behalf of the U.S. competition winners: * $10,000 to the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina * $5,000 to the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland * $2,500 to San Jorge Children's Foundation, San Juan, Puerto Rico To learn more about Lilly Oncology on Canvas, log on to http://www.lillyoncology.com/ and click on the Lilly Oncology on Canvas logo. National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) NCCS is the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country and a highly respected authentic voice at the federal level, advocating for quality cancer care for all Americans and empowering cancer survivors. For more information about NCCS and its advocacy for quality cancer care, please visit http://www.canceradvocacy.org/ or call 1.877.NCCS.YES. Lilly Oncology, a Division of Eli Lilly and Company For more than four decades, Lilly Oncology has been collaborating with cancer researchers to deliver innovative treatment choices and valuable programs to patients and physicians worldwide. Inspired by the courageous patients living with cancer, Lilly Oncology is providing treatments that are considered global standards of care and developing a broad portfolio of novel targeted therapies to accelerate the pace and progress of cancer care. To learn more about Lilly's commitment to cancer, please visit http://www.lillyoncology.com/ . About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at http://www.lilly.com/ . O-LLY (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061206/DEW001-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061206/DEW001-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061206/DEW001-c http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/OOCLOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050921/NCCSLOGO ) http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061206/DEW001-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061206/DEW001-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061206/DEW001-c http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/OOCLOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050921/NCCSLOGO DATASOURCE: Eli Lilly and Company; National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship CONTACT: Christine Van Marter of Lilly, +1-317-651-1473, ; Neil Hochman of CPR Worldwide, +1-212-453-2067,

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