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FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Dr. Vincent Scarpinato is producing and directing “The World Goes ‘Round,” Oct. 12 and 13, a performance that benefits the Breast Cancer Compassion Fund. The show is a joint effort by Portsmouth Little Theater, Southern Ohio Medical Center. SOMC Service Guild donated $5,000 for the production of the event.

“I’m glad we can put on a benefit that’s fun and interesting and funny,” Scarpinato said. “All the money, 100 percent of the money raised from this really incredible musical that we have been working on goes to the Breast Cancer Compassion Fund, which is something we started in 2009. Through benefits like these we raise $30,000, $20,000 which is great because we can use that money for gas expenses, for medication, for all the things that Medicare and Medicaid do not cover, and sometimes it’s someone to babysit. People who live a little way out, for them to come for radiation treatments, gas is expensive and time is expensive, and so we pay for that. We pay their gas. We pay their babysitter, sometimes we pay their rent, so they don’t have to think about that this month. And it’s great to have $50,000 in the bank and to give it out to women who need it.”

Scarpinato said the show will be performed at the Portsmouth Little Theater at 7:30 p.m. each night.

“There’s a song called ‘The World Goes ‘Round,’ and it talks about sometimes life kicks us in the shins. Sometimes your friends are there for you and sometimes they’re not,” Scarpinato said. “But, you know what, the world goes ‘round, and we survive, and we do well, and part of it is because we have a good support system, and part of it is that we’ve got a higher power on our side, and our own faith, and a great community here at SOMC that helps support the journey that these women have to go through.

“The World Goes ‘Round will allow audiences to see great local talents performing some of their favorite songs, but it also supports a great cause in the SOMC Breast Cancer Compassion Fund,” Dr. Scarpinato said. “The fund helps breast cancer patients cover the costs of basic necessities. It can help pay for utilities, medications, transportation or whatever else the patient may need.”

General admission tickets are $25 each and are currently on sale at Hatti Beasley’s, Market Street Café and the Port City Café and Pub. Anyone interested in information about the show, or about special VIP ticket packages, can call Glenda Cordle at 740-356-2552.

“I think it is very important, when I created this fund that we have our own account,” Scarpinato said. “I don’t want checks written to SOMC, because it gets lost in the conglomeration of this amazing process, and I wanted this money not to go to the American Cancer Society, or even Susan (B.) Komen. I wanted it to go to our women in our community, and 100 percent of it does.”

Scarpinato said SOMC goes all out for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is obvious everywhere you look.

“SOMC is sort of painting all of Scioto County pink,” Scarpinato said. “You will see lots of pink. There’s pink lights on the (SOMC) Cancer Center and there will be pink T-shirts everywhere, pink balloons and everything.”

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or flewis@heartlandpublications.com