College Physician and His Family Volunteer Their Home for 2008 Showhouse
May 15, 2008 College News - Sean Tutton, MD, Associate Professor of Interventional Radiology, and his family are moving out of their home to help raise money for breast cancer research. They’ve given up their lakefront property and moved into an apartment for two and a half months. The Tutton home is this year’s Showhouse for a Cure.
“We decided it would be a great cause—a bit of an adventure for our large family,” said Dr. Tutton. He and his wife, Coleen, have three sons ages 6, 8 and 13, and an 11-year-old daughter, plus a dog and two cats.
The 2008 Showhouse for a Cure, at 3580 N. Lake Dr. in Shorewood, will be open for public tours from May 31 through June 15. The Showhouse and its related events throughout the year benefit breast and prostate cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“It was a bit of a fire drill in order to move all of those people and all of our stuff out, but it was obviously for a great cause,” said Dr. Tutton. “And it’s really exciting to see the transformation of the house, to see all these talented designers working among themselves and also with my wife and me to help design the house.”
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Tour hours:
Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. and Sat. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thurs. from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sun. from noon to 4 p.m.
The last tour of the day begins 30 minutes before closing.
Tickets:
$20 at the Showhouse or $18 at Showhouse ticket outlets, including: Boston Stores, Ozaukee Banks and Milwaukee Street Gallery.
Please note: Children under age 10, including infants, will not be admitted.
For details: call (414) 297-9152, or see the Showhouse Web site.
Plan a meal and a bit of gift shopping around your visit to the Showhouse, and you’ll be increasing the impact of your contribution to breast and prostate cancer research:
· Showhouse Boutique
Sponsored by Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation) –Before or after your tour, visit the boutique for unique treasures from favorite past vendors and exciting new ones. Among our unique gift items will be affordable and unusual art pieces, outdoor sculptures, jewelry, floor cloths, handbags and more. Take this opportunity to shop for the holidays, birthdays and other celebrations. Open for the Preview Party and during Showhouse hours. Also open to the public without a ticket.
· Dining Opportunities to Benefit WBCS – During the run, show your Showhouse program book during lunch at Café 1505, 1505 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon; and during dinner (entrée only) at Harvey’s, 1340 W. Towne Square Rd., Mequon; or for lunch and dinner at Jack Pandl’s Whitefish Bay Inn, 1319 E. Henry Clay, Whitefish Bay. Enjoy your meal knowing that these restaurants will contribute 20 percent of your bill to the 2008 Showhouse.
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Constructed of Milwaukee’s own Cream City brick, with tile hip roofs and arched windows, this year’s Mediterranean Revival style house was built in 1923 by Waldermar R. Helmholz and his wife, Irene. The Helmholz’ cherished the natural surroundings of the property and created several terraces, a vegetable garden, fountains, tennis court, pool and boathouse, and a stream with waterfalls leading to the Lake Michigan beach. After several interior and exterior remodels of the house throughout the years, the Tuttons, have rediscovered and embraced several of its original hidden treasures.
“We have been rehabbing it since we bought it three years ago,” said Dr. Tutton. “It had been redecorated and remodeled with all sorts of modern features that made no sense to its original architecture. We’ve tried to, within reason, bring it back to a traditional Mediterranean Revival home.”
Lake Drive mansions have been very successful as showhouses, observed Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse Board Chair Jan Lennon.
“Our partnership with owners during redesigns is always a value-added experience for both volunteers and designers. Dr. Sean Tutton’s innovative treatment protocols for cancer adds a special dimension this year for those of us who are survivors,” she said.
“My wife and I cannot say enough nice things about the Showhouse board of directors and the people who volunteer their time to make this happen,” Dr. Tutton said. “It’s really tremendous. We’re hoping that it’s going to be a big success for breast cancer research.”
Dr. Tutton is no stranger to breast cancer care. As an interventional radiologist, he is often involved in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer patients, from performing biopsies to placing portacaths so that patients can get their chemotherapy safely and conveniently.
"Radiologists have always played an important role in the diagnosis of breast cancer, utilizing mammography, MRI, and breast biopsy,” said Dr. Tutton. “In recent years, interventional radiology has developed an oncology sub-specialty, which focuses on the many minimally invasive, image-guided procedures available for cancer patients today."
For breast cancer patients, interventional therapies are often used to treat liver metastases where chemotherapy is not working. Interventional oncology also plays a part in pain relief during palliative care.
“When people think about cancer care, they think of the classic big three, which is medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology,” said Dr. Tutton. “More and more, interventional oncology is participating in the care of cancer patients.”
The Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse is an all-volunteer, charitable organization organized in 1998 by breast cancer survivor Nance Kinney. Its mission is to support breast and prostate cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In 2007, the Showhouse and supporting events made possible a $425,000 donation to the Medical College, which funded three, two-year grants in breast and prostate cancer research projects.
To date, the Showhouse has donated more than $3 million to fund Medical College research. Promising research by past recipients of Showhouse grants has led to more than $11 million in additional extramural research grants awarded to the College by the National Institutes of Health and other foundations.
If you have questions on any of these events, or would like to purchase tickets, please contact Karen Goller in the Office of Development, 456-4503 or kgoller@mcw.edu
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Upcoming Showhouse Events:
Friday, May 30
Preview Party at the Showhouse: 6 to 9 p.m.
The 11th annual Showhouse for a Cure is unveiled at this event. Guests are the first to tour the Showhouse and also enjoy a festive dinner and voice auction. Reservations are $125 per person. Mail checks (payable to WBCS Preview Party) by May 21 to WBCS, P.O. Box 170588, Milwaukee, WI 53217.
Sunday, June 1
Designer Day at the Showhouse: 12 to 4 p.m.
Meet the designers in the rooms they created. Designer Day offers a unique opportunity to discover how Showhouse spaces are planned and executed and to increase your decorating knowledge. Designers generously provide substantial unreimbursed services and products to make each year’s Showhouse a success.
Friday, June 13
Luck of the Irish Party at the Showhouse: 6 to 9 p.m.
Enjoy an evening of Irish fun with a casual buffet, Irish music from our finest local musicians and an Irish dancer exhibition. Silent auction includes authentic Irish gifts and more. An “Irish Ramble” super auction features a rare opportunity to bid on a week’s stay at a lovely private home in Ireland. Reservations are $60 per person. Mail checks (payable to WBCS Irish Party) by June 6 to WBCS, P.O. Box 170588, Milwaukee, WI 53217. For additional information contact Jan at 262-786-2818
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