May 15, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio – At precisely 7:07 a.m. Saturday (5/14), a flash mob featuring more than 200 people affiliated with the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) started dancing in the streets shortly before the start of the 19th annual Komen Race for the Cure.
Since mid-April, the members of the flash mob have been attending secret practices on campus to polish their moves to Whoopi Goldberg's cover of "Dancing in the Streets."
The flash mob featured physicians, researchers, nurses, staff, Ohio State University students and cancer survivors who wore pale pink hats and charcoal gray T-shirts bearing the message "Prevent, Detect, Treat, Cure" and "JamesCare Comprehensive Breast Center" in pink and gray lettering.
"The fight against breast cancer is won with research," says Dr. Michael Caligiuri, director of Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, who participated in the flash mob along with Brutus Buckeye and members of the Ohio State Spirit Program. "We wanted to do something fun to raise awareness about the need to fund breast cancer research to get us closer to a cure, and ultimately to creating a cancer-free world."
The flash mob was produced by Ohio State students Jordan Davis and Luc Nutter, who have successfully organized flash mobs in the past. A team of 10 professional videographers captured the action at the intersection of Broad and Front streets in downtown Columbus, and the final edited video is now available on YouTube.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (cancer.osu.edu) is one of only 40 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States designated by the National Cancer Institute. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top cancer hospitals in the nation, The James is the 205-bed adult patient-care component of the cancer program at The Ohio State University. The OSUCCC – James is one of only seven centers in the country funded by the NCI to conduct both phase I and phase II clinical trials.
Eileen Scahill
Medical Center Public Affairs and Media Relations
614-293-3737
Eileen.Scahill@osumc.edu