History

In the early nineties, despite the fact that so many female judges, court employees and lawyers were being diagnosed with, in treatment for or dying from breast cancer, no one talked about the subject.

In March of 1992, the Hon. Sondra M. Miller called upon a small group of judges and lawyers to address the epidemic of breast cancer in the legal community. The group formed an association and came up with the acronym: JALBCA, which stands for Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert.

They decided that if they did not help themselves, no one would. The newly formed association decided to use their acumen and position in the legal community to raise awareness about early detection and treatment. They resolved to raise money to provide critically needed services to their own profession regarding the myriad legal, insurance, financial and emotional issues faced as a consequence of diagnosis.

In the first year JALBCA began presenting symposiums on regulatory, industry and legal considerations pertinent to the research for a cure and access to treatment for cancer. Those symposiums were subsequently renamed the Annual Ellen P. Hermanson Memorial Symposium and continue to date.

In a further effort to educate judges and lawyers, JALBCA brought education to the places most accessible to judges and lawyers — the courthouses. In conjunction with WBASNY [the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York], they began Courthouse Alerts to supply literature with information about resources in each courthouse. Initially the Alerts were held in only a few Counties in New York City but now have expanded both upstate and downstate and are usually held to coordinate with the scheduling of mobile mammography vans [known as “scan vans”].

In an effort to encourage early screening, JALBCA began raising money to sponsor scan vans. JALBCA partnered with the American Italian Cancer Foundation and Project Renewal [formerly known as Women’s Outreach Network] to provide the vans. Although some of the founders recall that the vans were initially intended to provide screening for busy lawyers and judges who didn’t have time to go off site, it has developed into a program which provides under and uninsured women with a viable source for screening in their own community. Each year mammographies performed on these vans detect cancers that might otherwise have gone unnoticed and patients are referred for treatment to appropriate facilities.

For many years JALBCA had a confidential hotline that was created by its members to provide emotional support and share information with members or potential members of the profession about the trauma of diagnosis and the rigors of treatment. Many JALBCA members who are survivors are now being (re)trained by SHARE and its new hotline is being launched. If you are a lawyer or a judge and you want to speak with someone in a similar position who has been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer, JALBCA hopes to be there for to you.