I have met the machines, and they have made me love them.

Mammograms, ultrasounds, an MRI, a PET scan and heart scans – and the people who conduct them – located the lump I didn't notice. They searched out cancerous lymph nodes. They located the outlier cells building up for an attack behind my breastbone.

The machines triggered the response that is saving my life through surgery, chemotherapy and, come the fall, radiation.

In the midst of my personal gratitude, the Canadian National Breast Screening Study has posted findings of a 25-year clinical trial. It followed 90,000 women, of whom half got regular mammograms and half got breast exams by trained nurses. Both groups had about the same rate of death from breast cancer. The big discussion now is whether mammograms are valuable lifesavers, or tools that don't make much difference and sometimes lead to unnecessary treatment.

We should all be listening to that discussion, learning more about the study's guidelines, and thinking about how closely they fit our personal experience.

In my Lucky Woman's journey into breast cancer treatment, this study is one more thing for which to be thankful. I've written two columns so far, and both of them have been about me, me, me. Though that works for introductory purposes, and though it has delivered to me the great gift of your good wishes, it's no way to go forward. If this column is to do any good, it will be as a discussion. Why write about breast cancer if we can't share our experiences, opinions and advice?

Here's my proposal: I'll use my treatment path as our outline. We're wrapping up the diagnosis in this installment, and will move on to surgery, through chemotherapy for a few months, then radiation and a clinical trial as the grand finale.

We'll talk about lumpectomies and mastectomies, singles and doubles.

We'll explain chemo ports, and reveal the mystery behind those inch-long scars you see on so many upper torsos. We'll propose a Survivor Girl band: A Port in Every Girl. We'll have a photo of a port in action in an infusion suite, which, Dr. Who fans, will remind you of an Ood Glee Club.

We'll talk drugs. Just say yes.

We'll go wig shopping, and revisit R. J. Palaccio's “Wonder,” last year's Tacoma Reads book, for insight on what it feels like to see, or be, a person – especially a woman – walking around with the incorrect amount of hair.

We'll do all of this together, if it works the way I hope it does. The stories, in print, on-line and on Facebook will be the starting point each week. You can then log in your thoughts in the comments section, or in e-mail to me at kathleen@tacomaweekly.com. I'll pick up the discussion as part of the next installment. It may be as part of the main column, or as a sidebar, or as part of a quote box. If you log a comment and don't want your name used, please let me know.

For anticipated lack of journalistic manners, please allow me to ask your forbearance in advance. Surgery, just a simple lumpectomy, slammed me onto my backside. I expect chemo to whomp me into the ground, then do squat jumps on me. I'll be operating on low battery, and I may not have the energy to get back to you personally. Please know that I appreciate what you are bringing to the discussion.

And now, back to the discussion of that Canadian study. Back to the machines.

Call me Science Girl.

I love data, and I love technology that catches stuff that touch and intuition can't.

That's why I love mammograms, especially the one's I've gotten at the Carol Milgard Breast Health Center. It's not that the place is spa-peaceful, with white bathrobes and old People magazines. It's that it's aggressive in reaching out to women for whom breast health is not a habit. It educates women in breast self-exams, similar to the manual exams in the Canadian study. It also provides tech back-up, images of masses.

I want both. I want them because I'm fallible to the point of sloth. I have never been a good breast self-examiner. Raise your hand if you're with me here. Give yourself a personal Brava if you're not. I missed my lump. The mammogram caught it.

Once caught, other machines got closer to it in a sonogram and ultrasound. “Whatever it is, it's manageable,” the radiologist said.

But the machines looked even deeper.

An MRI recorded slices of my body, and found trouble in the lymph nodes. A PET scan lit up those breastbone bad boys.

Without that technology, we might have thought I was good to go with a lumpectomy followed by radiation.

It would have been a cheap victory, and a short one. Now we're ready for the real war.

Call me Science Girl.

And let's talk cancer.

Self-Care Tip of the Week:

The weekend after you start chemotherapy, DO NOT binge-watch “House of Cards” on Netflix. Francis is cancer, just spelled with different letters. He's no good for your brain. While we're at it, don't read Scandinavian crime fiction, either. Even when there's sun, it's dark. You don't need it.

More than two dozen community leaders from various businesses, churches and civic groups in Hilltop gathered last week to brainstorm how to provide books and literacy programs to the neighborhood’s children in the wake of the Martin Luther King Jr. library branch’s closure two years ago.

More community meetings are in the works, but this first meeting marked the beginning of the journey ahead.

“It was a great meeting of community leaders,” organizer Al Nurse said. “We were able to tap into some great resources.”

The community has lacked a library since the Martin Luther King Jr. branch of the Tacoma Public Library at 19th and Cedar was sold to a medical center in 2012. The closest branch now is the Main Library in downtown, which would require children to walk along busy streets and run the gauntlet of homeless people that often congregate outside its doors.

“It’s more than just about the books,” Nurse said. “It’s about the reading comprehension and the literacy programs too. A library is an essential part of a community. When you don’t have a library, you are telling kids that they don’t matter.”

Ideally, the current effort would like to have the return of a library and its educational programs, specifically for early readers from kindergarten to third grade. But with library budgets being what they are these days, all sorts of options are being examined to provide educational programming, resources, computers and reading materials to the youth in the Hilltop.

“We are open to any suggestions,” Nurse said. “It might not be a brick-and-mortar library.”

The effort could begin as a lending library with donated books as a way to provide the foundation of things to come and add literacy programs as volunteers step up and other resources are found and added.

The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 26 at the Peace Lutheran Church, 2106 S. Cushman, with a third meeting planned for 6 p.m. on March 6 at the Hilltop Regional Health Center, 1202 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. A spaghetti dinner will be provided at both events.

For further information, contact Bil Moss (253) at 759-1437 or Al Nurse at (253) 307-1660.

We REALLY need you to join us Saturday for the Special Olympics Washington Polar Plunge in Tacoma at Owen Beach/Point Defiance presented by Waste Connections, Inc. Almost 300 plungers, including 100 Pierce County Law Enforcement Officers, will brave the frigid water in support of Special Olympics Washington. There will be live music, Taco Time and a post-event festival. Pledge, plunge and win prizes, including roundtrip Alaska Airlines tickets, in support of 10,000 athletes across the state.

Too chicken to plunge? Cheer on Polar Plungers from the sidelines in the “Chicken Coop.” Chickens can still raise money and support Special Olympics…all while not getting wet! Fircrest Police Chief John Cheesman surprised Pierce County Detective Ed Troyer last year when he pushed him into the water from a boat as they checked to see how cold it was. You can expect some payback this year. Troyer says, “It’s all in good fun and even though it’s called the Polar Plunge, the wonderful feeling you get afterward knowing how much it helps the athletes makes it all worthwhile.”

Ruston Police Chief Jeremy Kunkel, University Place Police Chief Mike Blair, Fife Police Chief Brad Blackburn and yours truly will lead a contingent of over 100 law enforcement officers plunging Saturday but without good citizens like you, the event won’t achieve the goal of $75,000!

When:

Saturday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (opening ceremony 11 a.m., Plunge at noon)

Where:

Owen Beach, Point Defiance Park in Tacoma

Who:

Nearly 300 plungers and you!!

Registration:

http://SpecialOlympicsWashington.org

Tacoma is a lucky city. Great food is abundant in so many areas of the city. But few restaurants can hit the trifecta of great food with a fantastic view and friendly atmosphere. A few years ago, Laura Carlson took steps to open a restaurant that fulfilled all three of these sweet spots.

Carlson opened Laura’s Bayview Bar and Grill at 229 St. Helens Ave. in 2009 with great food, service and sights in mind.

The restaurant presides over a fantastic view of Commencement Bay while offering an eclectic mix of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods.

“We’re not Italian, we’re not bistro and we’re not deli. We do a little bit of everything,” Carlson said.

If you want to catch the sunrise over the Bay, the breakfast menu at Laura’s offers a ton of variety, including artisan French toast. Other popular choices are fresh hash browns with a side of bacon, buttermilk biscuits and fresh omelets. Laura’s is avoiding the popular trend of using carton eggs to make omelets, instead opting to use real, fresh eggs on the order.

“We’re known for cooking from scratch, including our dressings,” Carlson said.

The lunch menu from Laura’s contains a true treat in their fish and chips. Voted the best fish and chips in the city by the Tacoma News Tribune last January, the meal is a perfect complement to the view of the Bay in mid-day.

The dinner menu offers classic meals from a swath of different cultures, including Chicken Parmesan and Black Angus Burgers.

Along with the food and the view comes a staff that works well together, and treats patrons as part of the family.

“A lot of our customers are on a first name basis. It’s almost like a Cheers type feeling,” Carlson said.

The last pillar of Bayview’s success lies in their affordable pricing, including $3.50 well drinks during happy hour from 3-6 p.m.

“You’re not breaking your bank to have a meal here,” Carlson said.

Laura’s Bayview Bar and Grill is open Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To make a reservation, call (253) 327-1015.

Stadium has seen its fair share off drama early in the playoff season. But the Tigers have come out unscathed so far, notching victories over SPSL South foes Emerald Ridge and Curtis last weekend to advance to the district semifinals.

The Tigers held on for a 45-44 win over Emerald Ridge at home in their opener on Feb. 13, surviving after the Jaguars charged back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Marcus Harris – who scored 16 of his game-high 22 points after halftime – drove for a layup with 33 seconds remaining to cut it to 41-39, but Bobby Moorehead and Mark Galanesi clinched the game with two free throws apiece in the final seconds.

“My shot wasn’t really falling tonight, so I knew I had to take it to the hole, and maybe get fouled,” said Moorehead, who scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half.

Ben Cottrill’s three-pointer midway through the third quarter had given Stadium a 28-17 lead, as Emerald Ridge missed their first 10 shots of the half and scored four points in the period.

“I think that’s what won us the ballgame,” said Stadium head coach Doug Cocke’.

The Tigers gutted out a 39-37 overtime win over Curtis on Feb. 15, as Lucious Brown fed Moorehead for the game-winning layup with 33 seconds remaining.

“Lucious is the best passer I’ve ever coached,” Cocke’ said, “and Bobby does a great job of dive cutting like that.”

The Tigers had taken a 17-10 lead into halftime, outscoring the Vikings 7-1 in the second quarter. Curtis’ Tory Causey hit four three-pointers in the second half, the last of which gave the Vikings a 33-31 lead with 1:48 remaining in regulation. Brown – who finished with 13 points and nine rebounds – hit a tying jumper with 24 seconds left, sending the game to overtime. Malik Mayeux added 11 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and three steals for Stadium in the win.

The Tigers were set to face Todd Beamer in the semifinals at Auburn High School on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.

BELLARMINE PREP STUNS UNION LATE

Bellarmine Prep provided quite an encore to Stadium’s strong finish the game before. Mar’kese Jackson converted a three-point play with four seconds remaining, helping the Lions charge back from an eight-point deficit for a 46-45 win over Union on Feb. 15 at Auburn High School.

“We just always want to stay together,” said Jackson, who scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter. “We stuck to our defense…our defense won us the game.”

Jackson’s late dramatics came after Malachi Flynn poked the ball away from Union’s Micah Paulson, Garrett McKay corralled the steal and passed to Carson Hollyoak, who fed a charging Jackson in the lane. Jackson’s first attempt missed, but he grabbed the rebound and sank a layup while being fouled by the Titans’ Riley Hawken. Cameron Cranston’s three-pointer at the buzzer was off the rim, giving the Lions the win.

Paulson had given the Titans a 41-33 lead with a driving layup with 5:23 remaining, but the Lions slowly crept back. Jackson’s three-pointer at the 2:37 mark pulled them within 41-39, and Flynn followed by tying it with two free throws on the next possession.

The Lions found it tough going in the middle against Union, as 6-foot-8 forward Isaiah Robinson had nine blocks for the Titans. Hawken was an inside monster as well, finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds for Union. But the Lions’ Will Wolf tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Rex Bodoia added six points and 10 rebounds.

“Those two guys are warriors,” said Bellarmine Prep head coach Bernie Salazar. “They battle all the time. We are extremely proud of them.”

The Lions advanced to face Kentridge in the district semifinals at Auburn High School on Feb. 20 at 7:45 p.m.

FOSS ROLLS OVER PRAIRIE

Minus a small hiccup in the second quarter, Foss' district playoff opener went exactly as planned. The Falcons jumped all over Prairie in the first quarter, as their defensive pressure helped build a big lead on the way to an eventual 71-52 win on Feb. 17 at Rogers High School.

Senior forward Olashawan Miller scored all 13 of his points in the first quarter to lead the offense, as his layup after a nice pass from Ar’Mond Davis put Foss up 15-2 at the 2:54 mark.

“I think we go as Olashawan goes,” said Foss head coach Mike Cocke’. “When Olashawan Miller shows up and plays, we’re a different team.”

The Falcons led 22-8 at the end of the first quarter, as Prairie committed 12 turnovers in the period and had just six shot attempts. Prairie finished with 28 turnovers in the game, as Davis collected four steals and Michel Cocke’ and Dabalos-McMahon added three steals apiece.

“We really wanted to establish our tempo in the first quarter and then try to extend the lead,” Mike Cocke’ said. “It was just a good overall effort by a lot of different guys.”

Prairie’s James Phillips scored 10 of his team-high 21 points in the second quarter, helping cut the deficit to 27-22. But Foss finished the half on an 8-2 run that was capped by Davis’ lay-in at the buzzer.

Davis then took over in the third quarter, scoring 15 of his game-high 32 points – including 10 points during a 16-3 run by Foss – to put the game away.

Chris Reynolds added 14 points and seven rebounds in the win for Foss, who faced Kennedy Catholic in the quarterfinals on Feb. 19.

LINCOLN PUTS HAZEN AWAY EARLY

Lincoln decided to put the suspense of a loser-out scenario to bed early. The Abes started a monster run late in the first quarter, as a whirlwind of three-pointers created a sizable lead that allowed Lincoln to coast to a 66-47 win over Hazen on Feb. 17 at Rogers High School in their 3A district opener.

With the Abes leading 7-6 five minutes into the game, Trevion Brown drove for a layup to ignite a 27-2 run in just over four minutes of game time. Brown – who finished with a team-high 18 points – sank all four of his three-pointers during the run, the last of which put the Abes up 34-8 with 7:05 to go until halftime. Josiah Barsh added two threes and Ahmaad Rorie sank another trey during the stretch.

“We’ve got very good shooters, but as a team we’re a little bit streaky,” said Lincoln head coach Aubrey Shelton. “When you make one or two, it kind of snowballs and guys start feeling more confident. I think we were moving the ball well and finding guys, and getting stops. The defense led to offense.”

Hazen could never threaten the Abes from that point on, as the Highlanders finished just 15-for-52 from the field and 2-for-15 from three-point range.

Barsh and Rorie finished with 12 points apiece for Lincoln, while Justiss Warren added nine points and Justice Martion tallied seven points and 10 rebounds. Dominic Green led Hazen with 18 points. The Abes traveled down south to face Columbia River in the quarterfinals on Feb. 19.

GOLDEN GLOVES RETURNS TO ARMORY

The 66th Annual Tacoma Golden Gloves will return to the historic Tacoma Armory this year, and with it a number of local names return to try to claim a title once again.

Prelims for Golden Gloves will take place on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Al Davies Boys & Girls Club, with finals taking place at the Armory on March 1 at 7 p.m.

Normally held in mid-January, the Golden Gloves was pushed back to late February due to the USA Boxing National Championships – an event several local competitors participated in – being held in Spokane in late January.

Among the contingent of local returnees from the Tacoma Boxing Club is 19-year-old defending 132-pound champion Hector Rendon, who graduated from Chief Leschi High School last year.

“He can adjust really well, he uses his jab really well,” said Tacoma Boxing Club coach Tom Mustin. “He’ll be ready. He’ll be in shape.”

After falling in the super heavyweight championship at Golden Gloves last year, Tacoma’s Elvis Garcia – who recently took the silver medal in Spokane – also returns.

“He’s a hard-worker,” Mustin said. “He throws twice as many punches as (other boxers). Finishing second at U.S. championships just turned his hunger up.”

Strong-punching light heavyweight Dugan Lawton returns to try to defend his crown after winning the bronze medal in Spokane, and Golden Gloves veteran Nick Jefferson also returns and will look for another 141-pound title. Mustin noted that 17-year-old 108-pounder Edward Rojas is an up-and-comer and a former Junior Golden Gloves national champion.

Mustin expects strong competition this year from a group of boxers out of Prince George in British Columbia. “They’re going to battle with us because of the number of boxers they have,” Mustin said.

By Jeremy Helling

RAM SWIMMERS ADVANCE TO STATE

Wilson will have plenty of representation at the 3A state swim meet, thanks to the Rams’ performance at the district meet on Feb. 14-15 at Hazen High School.

Junior Conner Schell took third place in the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:11.48, and seniors Jesse Gayvoronski and Cody Dodge took third and fourth, respectively, in the 200-yard freestyle to qualify for state. Dodge, Gayvoronski, Alex Gayvoronski and Austin Lawrence teamed up to finish fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay in a time of 1:34.00 to earn a bid to state, where the quartet will also swim the 400-yard freestyle relay. Schell took fifth place in the 100-yard backstroke and will also swim in the event at the state meet.

The Rams put up 154 points as a team at the district meet to tie for second place with Peninsula, as Hazen ran away with the team title by scoring 233 points. The 3A state swim meet takes place at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, with prelims on Feb. 21 at 6:15 p.m. and finals on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m.

LION WRESTLERS HEAD TO MAT CLASSIC

Bellarmine Prep qualified three wrestlers for the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament at the 4A district tournament on Feb. 15 at Central Kitsap High School.

Junior 220-pounder Elliott Villars led the way with a second-place finish, getting a 9-7 win over Snohomish’s Alex Fairhurst and a 6-4 win over Olympia’s Alex Grant before being pinned by Snohomish’s Tristan Baus in the finals. Lions junior Hunter Taylor avenged an earlier loss to Mason Beaver in the consolation finals at 170 pounds, pinning the Lake Stevens junior to take third place after falling to him in the opening round. Bellarmine Prep sophomore 106-pounder Jed Klein got an opening-round 10-5 win over Edmonds-Woodway’s Sidat Kanyi, but fell to eventual champ Jeremy Nygard and was topped by Kanyi in the consolation finals to settle for fourth place. The Lions’ Josiah Mayo is set for a play-in match at state in the 120-pound bracket after topping Yelm’s Jacob Nolan 7-1 to place fifth, and sophomore 285-pounder Luke Yi was topped by Arlington’s Tyler Lindberg in the fifth-place match to be eliminated.

The Mat Classic takes place at the Tacoma Dome, beginning on Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-9:30 p.m., and continuing on Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m.

LOGGERS SIT IN THIRD PLACE

A couple of road wins have put the Puget Sound men’s basketball team in third place in the Northwest Conference with two games left in the regular season.

The Loggers traveled across town for a 61-57 win over Pacific Lutheran on Feb. 11, hanging on despite shooting just 38.3 percent from the field. Erin Barber led UPS with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Rex Nelson added 12 points and Dan Cheledinas came off the bench to score 10 points. Brandon Lester led PLU with 16 points, while Billy Kiel came off the bench to sink three three-pointers and tally 11 points.

The Loggers followed with a 67-63 win at Willamette on Feb. 15, again overcoming a poor shooting performance as they finished just 18-for-54 from the field. But UPS converted 27 of 33 free-throw attempts, as Nelson was 8-for-11 from the charity stripe and put up a team-high 14 points. Nick Holden scored 12 points and Barber added 11 points for the Loggers.

Puget Sound moved to 13-10 overall and 9-5 in conference play, and finishes the regular season by hosting George Fox on Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. and Pacific (Ore.) on Feb. 22 at 8 p.m.

LADY LOGGERS STAY IN FOURTH

The Puget Sound women’s basketball team also remains in playoff position in the Northwest Conference, notching two wins last week to sit in fourth place.

The Loggers topped crosstown Pacific Lutheran 70-57 on Feb. 11, shooting over 50 percent from the field in the second half. They outscored the Lutes 46-28 in the period, as Emily Sheldon scored 16 of her team-high 18 points after halftime and hit four three-pointers. Alexis Noren added 15 points off the bench and Katy Ainslie scored 14 points for the Loggers, while Sarah Barnes led PLU with 15 points and Samantha Potter added 14 points.

The Loggers ran away for an 85-58 win at Willamette on Feb. 15, as Ainslie was 13-for-17 from the field for a game-high 30 points. Sheldon added 18 points and eight rebounds, and Hannah Lekson scored 11 points off the bench.

UPS finishes the season by hosting George Fox on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. and Pacific (Ore.) on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m.

Lakewood’s Studio Hot Yoga & Wellness has found a niche in providing a holistic approach to wellness by providing sessions on mind, body and spiritual health. Classes include various types of yoga, functional fitness, strength, nutrition and dance through personal training and wellness programs as well as group classes for all ages and abilities.

In hot yoga, positions are done in a heated environment that enhances overall health. The primary benefit of practicing heated yoga is to warm the body and muscles more deeply than you would be able to in a non-heated environment. Practitioners say that warm muscles enable deeper stretching with less risk of injury. The heat also boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation as well as promotes rest, helps relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety, increases mental focus and clarity and improves flexibility.

In addition to the physical conditioning the studio provides, instructors focus on nutrition as a way to alleviate medical conditions.

“Food is medicine for the body,” said owner Glenda M. Shepard, an ARNP and Functional Lifestyle Practitioner with 30 years of training to her credit. “It provides a good foundation.”

Tips to getting the most out of your yoga session:

Arrive early: Arriving to class about 10 to 15 minutes early will ensure that you have time to sign in and settle in on your mat without feeling rushed. Having a few extra minutes will allow you to take a few deep breaths and set an intention for your session.

Stay hydrated: You want to arrive to class hydrated. The best time to hydrate is before class. Avoid large gulps of cold water during class as they may cause cramping. Follow up class with plenty of water or coconut water or a diluted electrolyte replacement drink. A banana or cup of orange juice may help.

Refrain from eating before class: Practicing on a full stomach could be uncomfortable and you may experience cramps or nausea especially during twists.

Leave your stuff behind: The yoga room is considered a sanctuary and, because of that, yoga students are asked to not bring shoes, cell phone and other belongings inside the yoga room.

Communicate injuries or conditions: Let the instructor know if you have any injuries or conditions that could affect your practice. If you are rehabilitating an injury, feel a little under the weather or tired, skip poses you can't or shouldn't do, or modify.

Be respectful: Having an extended or loud conversation can be distracting to others. Acknowledge friends and acquaintances quietly, knowing that you can catch up after class.

Bring a towel, water and mat: Studio Hot Yoga has mats and towels for rent and water for purchase. If you’re committed to a regular yoga practice, purchase a high quality mat made for the heat.

Embrace the sweat: Yes, you are going to sweat, a lot, especially during hot yoga sessions. While it’s tempting to wipe it away, it is helping your body cool down. Wiping the sweat away may make you feel hotter. Listen to your body: Stay centered and focused on your own mat and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Modify and rest as needed. You'll go farther faster if you have patience with yourself and work from where you are, not from where you think you should be.

Studio Hot Yoga and Wellness is located at 7504 86th St. SW,

Lakewood, WA 98498. Call (253) 582-2244 or e-mail studioyogawellness@gmail.com.

The Dr. Gordy Klatt Recognition Project took a giant leap forward on Feb. 18 when Mountain View Funeral Home, Memorial Park and Crematory presented the project committee with a check for $20,000. These funds will go toward the construction and installation of a permanent memorial in honor of Klatt to be installed at Baker Stadium on the University of Puget Sound campus. This location is significant in that it was on the stadium’s running track where Klatt singlehandedly started the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life 30 years ago. Today, this fundraising event for cancer research has surpassed the $5 billion mark and is firmly established as a worldwide movement to end cancer.

To formally present the check, a gathering of project committee members, managers from Mountain View and Relay for Life supporters gathered at Water Concepts on South Tacoma Way for a meet-and-greet with Klatt and Beth Ravitz, the artist tasked with creating the memorial.

“He is a local hero who has touched the world over,” said Clarke Thomson, general manager of Mountain View Funeral Home, Memorial Park and Crematory. During the check presentation, Thomson praised Klatt for his passionate vision. “Cancer is something that has impacted all of our lives in one form or another. I look back at the years that I’ve been a part of Relay for Life and not knowing that one day I’d be standing in the same room with the very person that kicked it off for the entire world. It is a great honor for me and the entire staff of Mountain View to publicly thank you for your work.”

In 2012, Klatt was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach. As a survivor, he continues to push forward in working for a cure for cancer. He addressed this at the Feb. 18 event. “Even though we are making some progress, we’re seeing more cancer cases because there are more people in that age group now. It touches all of us.

“It’s a real struggle, but we are making progress. It’s just a matter of time.”

Klatt thanked those who are helping to make the memorial possible. “I really thank the community and UPS for their involvement to do this for me and for the American Cancer Society.”

Committee member Tony Anderson agreed. “UPS has been fabulous to work with. We can’t commend them enough for their cooperation.”

Longtime Relay for Life supporter and UPS alumnus Harvey Rosen is one of the key movers behind the memorial, as it was his brainstorm to permanently recognize and celebrate Klatt’s personal contribution to the fight against cancer and the inspiring achievement of this one individual. The idea for a permanent marker on the UPS campus came to him before Klatt was diagnosed, making the Dr. Gordy Klatt Recognition Project all the more important now.

“They honor people after they’re gone and that’s always bothered me,” Rosen said. “This piece of art will be the cornerstone to the new entrance and walkway (at Baker Stadium). It’s really exciting. We’ve had a lot of great community support across the board.”

“Harvey is pretty humble, but he deserves a lot of credit for leading our committee,” Anderson said. “He really thought about this three or four years ago, then when Dr. Klatt contracted cancer, it was time to not wait any longer. We wanted to recognize him before the chance came that he may be no longer with us.”

Anderson is a great admirer of Klatt. “The great thing about this project is we’re helping recognize a person who has made a difference because of what his vision turned out to be in the lives of who knows how many millions of people.”

Anderson’s mom is one of those people. “My mother is a cancer survivor and Dr. Klatt operated on her two years ago and saved her life. She wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.” He said Klatt would visit her regularly while she recuperated. “That’s how devoted he is to his patients, and Relay for Life and cancer research.”

Artist Beth Ravitz was obliged to stay mum about details of what she’s creating to honor Klatt, as the three different examples she is proposing were due the next day to be presented to the university’s Campus Art Advisory Council. “They are going to be the first to see them,” Rosen said. The council will spend about a month reviewing the three before the selection process moves on to the next step.

“We hope to have it dedicated in the fall,” Rosen said, and the public will be invited to the dedication event.

Ravitz said of her work that she’s not partial to one over the others. “They’re really like my children – I love them all but I love them all differently. I don’t like any one better than the other. I’ll be happy with whichever one is selected because they’re all really strong.”

Rosen said project fundraising is at about 75 percent of the goal thanks to the project’s 130 donors that range from businesses and foundations to private individuals. “So far we’ve raised approximately $100,000.” Those who wish to contribute can call (253) 677-566 or send a check or money order made out to American Cancer Society, PO Box 11185, Tacoma, WA 98411 (indicate that the funds are for the Dr. Gordy Klatt Recognition Project).

Lincoln claimed two individual championships and qualified eight wrestlers for the Mat Classic at the 3A regional meet on Feb. 15 at Bonney Lake High School.

Senior 195-pounder Aliyas Fletcher won 15-5 over junior teammate Jeremy Lukosh, headlining the day’s success as the two will advance to the state tournament. Lukosh had outlasted Decatur’s Max Henry for a 9-8 win in the semifinals, while Fletcher squeaked past Peninsula sophomore Chance Stolz 3-1 in the other semifinal to advance. Senior Keidrick O’Bannon claimed the other championship for the Abes at 170 pounds, getting a 9-8 win over Decatur’s A.J. Sarno in the finals.

Senior 160-pounder Murad Vagabov was pinned by Decatur’s Brandon Zimmerman early in the finals, but had earlier scored wins over Bonney Lake’s Jared Miester and Jason Day to punch his ticket to the Dome. Lincoln senior Robert Mathews fell to Peninsula’s Kevin McPherson on a late pin in his opener, but recovered to claim third place and advance. Mathews edged Auburn Mountainview’s Yahya Mirazyi 4-3 in the consolation bracket, and got revenge with a 3-2 win over McPherson in the consolation final. Junior B.J. Hawthorne rattled off wins over Shelton’s Colton Paller, Foss’ Hien Ly and Peninsula’s Luke Holsinger to place third in the 182-pound bracket, and senior 285-pounder J.J. Saili took third with first-round pins over Bonney Lake’s David Smith and Peninsula’s Tre Starks. Abes freshman William Willsey pinned Decatur’s Joe Johnson in his opener and eventually qualified for state with a fourth-place finish at 220 pounds. Sophomores Marcus Wiley (138 pounds) and Solomon Sok (126) qualified as alternates to state for the Abes after taking fifth place.

After falling to Hawthorne, Ly qualified as an alternate for Foss at 182 pounds, pinning Enumclaw’s Levi Ward midway through the second round. Falcons teammates Clayton Nichols (160 pounds) and Joey Wurtz (132) fell just short of qualifying as alternates. Wilson’s Alex Gore fell 13-3 in the 152-pound fifth-place match to North Thurston’s Michael LaFrenier, who had earlier eliminated Wilson senior Brant Powers in the consolation bracket.

The Mat Classic takes place at the Tacoma Dome, beginning on Feb. 21 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 p.m.-9:30 p.m., and continuing on Feb. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Northwest painter Camille Patha is featured in a small retrospective in a recently opened show at the Tacoma Art Museum. Called “A Punch of Color: Fifty Years of Painting by Camille Patha,” the show relates a tale of how Patha exercised her passion for bright color despite initial resistance from her professors at UW. Presumably these were stodgy old adherents to the Northwest school of painting in which colors are very muted (think of murky, muddy Mark Tobey).

Patha seems to have been rather stylistically restless if not uncertain. The show gives an experience of compressed time and one can walk through the exhibition and track Patha’s zigzag course from abstract expressionism, minimalism, surrealism and back to abstraction. Throughout these twists and turns, however, Patha remained steadfast in her commitment to using bright color, which is the unifying feature of the show.

The story put forth is that Patha, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, discovered bright color during a sojourn in Arizona where she was exposed to the brilliance of desert hues. She then brought her love of color back to the Northwest where she earned her art degree at University of Washington.

Her color is indeed stunning. The brilliant yellow and orange “Space Game” is a minimalist-inspired work. It was this work that brought early success to the young painter with its inclusion in the Washington State Pavilion at the 1970 Osaka World’s Fair.

Patha’s surrealist period (much of the 1970s) is also marked by brilliant color. She painted apples that blend into purple brick walls and Roman arches that fade into the sky of Italian landscapes. Later, Patha became more grounded in the landscape of our region by painting beaches, islands, bodies of water and floating docks along with long-legged shore birds. Always Patha can’t resist notching up the loudness of her color. The landscape of the beach is variously done in orange sherbet, burgundy or dreamy, creamy pink.

Her most recent works are explosions of color. They are multi-layered, musical color jumbles with titles like “Tropican,” “Yella Thrilla,” “The Juicer and the Berry” and “Punch” (from whence the show title is derived). Detached from any shred of regionalism, these latest paintings are more citrus and sunshine than fir needle and fog bank. But in this post, post modern age in which we live, anything is fair game.

A curious feature of the show is that there is a 20-year gap in the chronology of the paintings presented. There is no work from 1985 through 2004. The subtitle “Fifty Years of Painting” is thus a little misleading. That being said, this is a great show. It is encouraging to see the work of an artist who, like a fine wine, has gotten better and better with age.

“Punch” runs through May 25. For further information visit http://www.TacomaArtMuseum.org.

Shoplifting cases are fairly routine around the 253, as some Tacomans apparently have sticky fingers when it comes to department stores. But some shoplifting cases are just sad. This is one of those stories.

Officers responded to a call from a loss prevention officer at the 23rd Street Target store concerning two people who had been caught trying to steal clothes and DVDs by first tearing off the tags of a backpack and filling it with items as they walked through the aisles. The man-and-woman team used the woman’s 8-year-old sister as a pack mule to carry the backpack while the couple stuffed items into the bag. Security officers watched them through cameras the entire time.

At first, the couple gave false names to avoid getting arrested for warrants and told security officers that they were homeless. The grandmother and legal guardian of the woman and her young sister arrived, and the truth came out. The man had an extensive record, including gang membership. The females went home with their grandmother. The man went to jail.

By Steve Dunkelberger

Last year on http://www.tacomaweekly.com, we had the Weekly Mix Tape, sort of a virtual compilation that showcased the best in regional indie rock and hip-hop. Now we've taken it up a few notches with our new Radio 253 channel, which you'll find at http://www.tacomaweekly.com/radio253.

Now we stream massive local mega-mixes – we're talking 50 to 80 songs with no repeats – that let you sample some of the best bands playing clubs around the Sound. We've got local pop, punk, metal, country and indie-rock; and we even pay homage to the classic bands that paved the way for all of that, the Sonics, the Wailers and the Ventures. Check it out at http://www.tacomaweekly.com/radio253.

And we're always looking for more fresh tunes to showcase. Send your band's mp3s for consideration to ejasmin@tacomaweekly.com.

T.E.D. is headed to Tacoma next week. You know, T.E.D., as in T.E.D. Talks, those lecture videos – on topics ranging from cultivating mindfulness to how to spot liars - that have become so popular on Netflix. Several such presentations will take over Broadway Center's Theatre on the Square on Feb. 28 for a conference dubbed T.E.D.x Tacoma.

T.E.D. is a non-profit group dedicated to “ideas worth spreading,” and it started in 1984 with a conference that brought together innovators from three worlds: technology, entertainment and design. The general idea is that everyone has at least one great idea that's worth sharing, and T.E.D. presenters are invited to give short talks on those topics that are then recorded and shared for free.

Lecture videos are distributed for streaming and download at http://www.new.ted.com, where you can find more than 1,500 of them. Among the topics du jour are philosopher Yann Dall'Aglio's “Love – You're Doing it Wrong,” sculptor Aparna Rao's “Art that Craves Your Attention” and British film producer David Puttnam's “Does the Media Have a Duty to Care?”

Among those presenting at T.E.D.x Tacoma is cellist Emily Ann Peterson, a member of local indie-rock band Goldfinch and co-founder of the Coda School of Music. Her talk will focus on holistic teaching, shared experience and the idea of “resonance.”

“Resonance, to me, means making action happen, or making movement occur,” Peterson explained. “In the cello, that means the bow has movement, and the movement of the bow makes the string vibrate, which makes the bridge buzz, which makes the front of the cello vibrate … and everything comes out of the two holes in the front and you have sound.”

People and communities can similarly connect to create harmony. “My idea, with global resonance and building community,” Peterson said, “is that if you can teach, perform or live your life really trying to make movement happen … then the world can be a better place. You have world peace and beautiful humans and all that good jazz.”

Peterson will also perform a musical piece with Vicci Martinez, the Tacoma singer-songwriter who became a national sensation when she finished second on NBC-TV's “The Voice” in 2011.

Technology speakers at T.E.D.x Tacoma include Milenko Matanovic, who runs the non-profit Pomegranate Center, a group that specializes in community problem solving; Tony Blau, founder of the University of Washington's Center for Cancer Innovation; and iQ Technologies founder Jim Tisch.

Joining Peterson and Martinez from the entertainment world are Seattle radio veteran Bob Rivers, host of “The Bob Rivers Show,” which airs mornings on KJR-FM (97.5); Becci Crowe, known for wildlife art inspired by her travels in Africa; and Muh Grog Zoo, a Tacoma group that specializes in improvised, one-act plays.

Design speakers include Adam Argyle, a web developer for Lively, an innovative company that brings fans and artists together.

T.E.D.x presentations will run from 3-9 p.m. on Feb. 28. Tickets are $79. Presenter bios and other information can be found at http://www.broadwaycenter.org.

T.E.D.x Tacoma

3-9 p.m. Feb. 28

Theatre on the Square

901 Broadway, Tacoma

$79

http://www.broadwaycenter.org

http://www.new.ted.com

DIAPHRAGM BLUES

"Singing the Diaphragm Blues" is a compelling comedy-drama about chickens, diaphragms and female sexuality. Directed by Dale Westgaard and written and performed by Rebecca Lea McCarthy, the play is based on the book “Writing the Diaphragm Blues and Other Sexual Cacophonies.” "Singing the Diaphragm Blues" offers a critical and humorous investigation of female sexuality, from childhood to menopause. Plays March 13-15, 8 p.m., at 4th Wall Players, 15019 Meridian E., #A, in Puyallup. Tickets are $10.50 at the door and at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/581308. Info: (253) 229-9741. Visit http://www.4thwallplayers.org.

WHAT ABOUT GRANDMA?

Elliot Weiner, local playwright, will be presenting a world premier performance of his one act play “What About Grandma?” as a performance to benefit the Tacoma Humane Society's Cinderella Program for Spay and Neuter as well as the Northwest Spay and Neuter CFOUFS. Classified as a "slightly dark comedy," “What About Grandma? shows the lengths one feisty grandmother will go to ensure the happiness and safety of those near and dear to her. Plays Friday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door on a donation bases. Info: outwiththedogs@gmail.com.

GOSPEL OPRY

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 3315 S. 19th St. in Tacoma, will host the very entertaining eight-piece bluegrass group Gospel Opry for a free, all-ages concert on Feb. 21 starting at 7 p.m. A reception with the band will follow in the social hall. Hailing from Port Townsend, Gospel Opry takes the Grand Ol' Opry and adds a gospel flare.If you like good gospel music, hand clapping, and a good time, you'll want to be here. The band includes local artists such as JJ Jenkins, Jon Parry on fiddle, Bill Wolfe on pedal steel, Jack Reid and many others Info: (253) 383-5515.

TEA PARTY

Proctor Art Gallery is cooking up a different kind of Tea Party where, instead of politics being the order of the day, it will be a “Let Them Eat Cake Tea Party” with a Downton Abbey theme on Feb. 22, 2-6 p.m. Wear your Downton Abbey attire or jewelry for an extra bonus and fun. Peruse the gallery’s beautiful jewelry and art and be there for the drawing at 3 p.m. 3811 N. 26th St. Visit http://www.proctorartgallery.com.

HOWARD LEVY

Multiple Grammy Award winner Howard Levy will be the University of Puget Sound Jazz Band's guest artist on Wednesday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall on campus. Equally at home with jazz, classical music, rock, folk, Latin, and world music, Levy brings a fresh lyrical approach to whatever he plays, making him a favorite with audiences worldwide. Tickets are $9 and can be ordered online at http://www.tickets.pugetsound.edu or by calling Wheelock Information Center at (253) 879-6013.

MAXWELL’S: Lance Buller Trio (jazz) 7 p.m., NC

B SHARP COFFEE: Ryan Heffner (acoustic) 8 p.m., NC, AA

GREAT AMERICAN CASINO: Nite Crew (dance) 9 p.m., NC

GRIT CITY COMEDY: Greg Kettner (comedy) 8:30 p.m., $15

JAZZBONES: Randy Hansen (Jimi Hendrix tribute) 8 p.m., $12

LOUIE G'S: Fan Halen, Sin Circus (Van Halen tribute, rock) 5 p.m., $10, AA

NEW FRONTIER: NWCZ Radio showcase with Garage Heroes, Black Nite Crash, Thomas Mudrick (rock) 9 p.m., $5

STONEGATE: Jonny Smokes (rock) 9 p.m., NC

THE SWISS: Kry (top 40 covers) 9 p.m., $5-$10

TACOMA COMEDY: Josh Wolf (comedy) 8, 10:30 p.m., $15

UNCLE SAM'S: Violent Hallucinations, Skinwalkers (metal) 8 p.m.

UNCLE THURM'S: Urban Rhapsody (jazz, funk) 7:30 p.m., NC, AA

LOUIE G'S: Darklight, Above Ground, Ashes of Eden, Seventh Science (metal) 6:30 p.m., $5, AA

B SHARP COFFEE: Kareem Kandi Band (jazz) 7 p.m., NC, AA

BOB'S JAVA JIVE: Blackstone Rangers (rock) 9 p.m.

DOYLE'S: Velocity featuring Cliff Colon (jazz fusion) 9:30 p.m., NC

GREAT AMERICAN CASINO: Nite Crew (dance) 9 p.m., NC

GRIT CITY COMEDY: Greg Kettner (comedy) 8:30, 10:30 p.m., $15

JAZZBONES: Ben Union, The Breaklites, James Redfern (pop-rock, hip-hop) 8 p.m., $8

ROCK LODGE: Everclear's Art Alexakis, True Holland, Demure (rock) 8 p.m., $20

THE SPAR: Red (classic rock) 8 p.m., NC

THE SWISS: The Hipsters (covers) 9 p.m., $5-$10

TACOMA COMEDY: Josh Wolf (comedy) 8, 10:30 p.m., $15

UNCLE SAM'S: Justice Creek, Abate (rock) 8 p.m.

URBAN GRACE: Tacoma Youth Symphony “A Trip to the Bull Fights” (classical) 7 p.m., $7-$17 adults, free for children, AA

THE SWISS: Radio On, The Dignitaries, Gold Records (garage-rock, alternative) 5 p.m., NC, AA

CLIFF HOUSE: Kareem Kandi Band (jazz) 6:30 p.m., NC

DAWSON'S: Tim Hall Band (open jam) 8 p.m.

IMMANUEL PRESBYTERIAN: Blues Vespers (blues) 5 p.m., NC, AA

NEW FRONTIER: 40 Grit (bluegrass jam) 4 p.m.

PANTAGES: Tacoma Symphony Orchestra “Verdi & Friends” (classical) 2:30 p.m., $19-$77, AA

THE SPAR: Rod Cook (blues) 7 p.m., NC

STONEGATE: Bobby Hoffman Allstars (classic rock) 8:30 p.m., NC

TACOMA COMEDY: Battle of the Sexes (comedy) 8 p.m., $10, 18+

TACOMA COMEDY: 1,000th show special featuring Jubal Flagg, Brad Upton, Duane Goad and more (comedy) 8 p.m., $10, 18+

JAZZBONES: Rockaraoke (live band karaoke) 11 p.m., NC

NEW FRONTIER: Jazz & Beyond (live jam) 7 p.m., NC

STONEGATE: Rafael Tranquilino, Brooke Lizotte (experimental jam) 9 p.m., NC

THE SWISS: Hambone Blues Band (blues) 8 p.m., NC

UNCLE SAM'S: Blues jam, 8 p.m.

DAVE'S OF MILTON: Jerry Miller (blues, rock) 7 p.m., NC

ANTIQUE SANDWICH CO.: Open mic, 6:30 p.m., $3

JAZZBONES: Ralph Porter hosts Ha Ha Tuesday (comedy) 8:30 p.m., $5

STONEGATE: Leanne Trevalyan (acoustic open mic) 8 p.m., NC

CLIFF HOUSE: Champagne Sunday (folk, pop) 6:30 p.m., NC

DAVE'S OF MILTON: The Rubber Band (jam night) 8 p.m., NC

TACOMA COMEDY: Comedy open mic, 8 p.m., NC, 18+

STONEGATE: Dave Nichols' Hump Day Jam, 8:30 p.m., NC

TOWER BAR & GRILL: Michelle Beaudry (jazz guitar)

THE SWISS: Vicci Martinez (singer-songwriter) 9 p.m., $15-$20

502 MARTINI: Kim Archer (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m., NC

B SHARP COFFEE: Lucas Smiraldo (spoken word) 7 p.m., NC, AA

DAWSON'S: Billy Shew Band (open jam) 8 p.m., NC

GRIT CITY COMEDY: Comedy open mic, 8:30 p.m., NC

STONEGATE: Billy Stoops (open jam) 8 p.m., NC

TACOMA COMEDY: Andy Haynes (comedy) 8 p.m., $10

TREOS: Scot Desart (singer-songwriter) 9 p.m., NC, AA

TRIPLE PLAY: Comedy open mic, 9 p.m., NC

UNCLE SAM'S: Jerry Miller (blues, rock) 7 p.m., NC