Melanie Griffith and LillyTartikoff stopped by AOL Live to chat about their lives, families and Revlon's 8th Annual Run/Walk for Breast and Ovarian Cancer, which raises funding for breast and ovarian cancer research, awareness and prevention programs. See what they had to say below!
AOLiveMC7: Good evening, everyone. We are chatting live with Lilly Tartikoff and Melanie Griffith. Good evening, Lilly. How are you tonight?
Lilly Tartikoff: I'm very well, thank you! I'm a little nervous, because I've never been part of a live chat. LOL.
AOLiveMC7: Well, you're here promoting a very worthy cause.
Lilly Tartikoff: Thank you.
AOLiveMC7: Let's get started with our questions, Lilly.
Question: How did you get involved in the Revlon Run/Walk for Breast and Ovarian Cancer?
Lilly Tartikoff: My late husband, Brandon Tartikoff, had been repeatedly misdiagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. By chance, we found our way to a brilliant scientist named Dr. Slamon, who treated Brandon with drugs that were hot off a clinical trial. I decided that I would raise money for this scientist one day. Again by chance, I met Ronald Perelman, who owns Revlon. I convinced him to join this cause. Dr. Slamon's research started to make -- or evolve in the area of breast and ovarian cancer. We first created the Fire and Ice Ball, and if you had $25,000 dollars, you were invited to come, but I wanted to have an event that was more accessible to a larger number of people, so we created the Revlon Run/Walk. I'm so sorry that took so long. LOL.
AOLiveMC7: Thank you, Lilly. Here is our next Question:
Question: Will you participate personally in the run/walk?
Lilly Tartikoff: Absolutely! I have walked seven walks in LA, four in New York and two in New Orleans. I wouldn't miss it for the world!
AOLiveMC7: That is great, Lilly. Here is our next question, from CuginaAnn:
Question: What is the best part about being involved with the run/walk?
Lilly Tartikoff: "Inspiring" is not even a big enough word to describe how it feels to look out at 60,000 people wearing signs on their back in memory or support of someone they loved dealing with cancer.
AOLiveMC7: Here is our next question, Lilly:
Question: What is involved in becoming a charity fund-raiser?
Lilly Tartikoff: A lot of hard work! LOL! I think it really takes an obsessed person to do this work, and that would be me. LOL!
AOLiveMC7: Lilly, you're obsessed for a good reason! Here is our next Question:
Question: If you don't live in New York or LA, how can you get involved to help fight breast cancer?
Lilly Tartikoff: I'm almost positive that there is a Web site. I can find that out for certain.
AOLiveMC7: Here is our next Question:
Question: How much money has been raised through the Run/Walk?
Lilly Tartikoff: Close to 20 million. Melanie has embraced this cause from the very beginning. I have photos to document Melanie at the first Fire and Ice Ball, Melanie at the second Fire and Ice Ball, and Melanie at so many Run/Walks. She has been dedicated. She is almost as obsessed as me.
Melanie Griffith: Hi, everybody. Thank you, Lilly, for those very sweet compliments she just gave me. But if I had half of the courage and energy that she has, I could probably change the whole world.
Lilly Tartikoff: Thank you, Melanie... I love you.
Melanie Griffith: I love you, too. It's interesting doing this. I just flew here from LA, and my father is dying. It's not breast cancer, obviously -- and the powerlessness that you feel when someone is sick is just terrible. I don't know if people know how tough it has been for Lilly in dealing with the cancer of her husband, and I just admire you so much, Lilly, because you have made such a difference.
Lilly Tartikoff: Thank you, Melanie.
AOLiveMC7: Melanie, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. You both are a real inspiration! Here is our next question.
Question: Melanie, if there is one thing you could tell women to help them fight breast cancer, what would it be?
Melanie Griffith: To go to the doctor regularly and get checked.
Lilly Tartikoff: We always say that information empowers you. It really can save a life.
AOLiveMC7: Here is a comment from Imsomeoneelse123:
Question: I just want to say that I will be walking for my mother and my aunt. They both had breast cancer.
AOLiveMC7: Here is our next Question:
Question: Lilly, what do you think about Suzanne Somers and her natural therapy? And how long do you think it will take to find a cure for cancer?
Lilly Tartikoff: As a result of the money that we've raised at these Run/Walks, we have a new nontoxic treatment for one-third of the cases of breast cancer, and this trial has taken 11 years to become a treatment that all doctors can access. It is not FDA approved. This is a start; this is a big advancement for all of us, for the whole health field. This sets up a model.
Lilly Tartikoff: As far as Suzanne Somers, who is such a wonderful lady, Suzanne and I talked in November about the fact that she had breast cancer and that she had decided to go the natural route and to use homeopathic medicine. I say my prayers and have my fingers crossed for her, and in my wildest dreams, I hope that this treatment will be so successful for her.
Lilly Tartikoff: I was concerned that this would discourage or dissuade other people who are using a more traditional route of treatment, and I was hoping it wouldn't make people doubt their own medical care; but on the other hand, deep down inside, I do feel like we should question the therapy that's out there, and that we should hope and reach for something that is more nontoxic. And in addition to that, I want everyone to know that we are really moving in that direction. We have what we have, that's the best that we have right now, but I promise that science is moving forward and in the right direction, and I promise that there will be other treatments available in the near future.
Melanie Griffith: Lilly, but it's good that Herceptin is available to more people, because many people can't afford the homeopathic treatment route, and the fact that Herceptin is nontoxic...
Lilly Tartikoff: It works in one-third of the cases, and trust me, Melanie and I are still obsessing about the other two-thirds who aren't able to be treated with Herceptin.
AOLiveMC7: Here is our next Question:
Question: How can we find out more about the Revlon Run/Walk? Is there a Web site or a telephone number?
Melanie Griffith: I believe you can access it through OneWorldLive.com, but Lilly is going to find out the exact address.
AOLiveMC7: Melanie, we asked this question of Lilly before, and now it's your turn:
Question: Melanie, how did you get involved with the Revlon Run/Walk?
Melanie Griffith: OneWorldLive.com is the correct Web site that could direct you to the information. I got involved when I met Lilly.
Lilly Tartikoff: First we dragged her to the Fire and Ice Ball, and she looked so gorgeous.
Melanie Griffith: It was in 1995, and I had just started to be with Antonio. He said, "What would make you get up and go run for three miles at 7:00 in the morning?" And I said, "Lilly Tartikoff."
AOLiveMC7: Here is our next Question:
Question: When is the first time you should get checked for breast cancer, and if it runs in your family and you smoke, should it be sooner?
Lilly Tartikoff: The NIH changes their guidelines all the time. At least by 40, you should have your first mammogram. There are times that they change that and make it 35. If someone has it in his or her family, I would speak to my doctor at least by 35 years old.
Melanie Griffith: Or 30.
Lilly Tartikoff: Doctors aren't the biggest fans of smoking, but it's such a hard habit to kick... I know that.
Melanie Griffith: I think it's probably the hardest.
Lilly Tartikoff: I wish I could have everyone hypnotized.
Melanie Griffith: I think after I go in and see my father, I am going to quit -- he has emphysema. Lilly, are there certain areas of the world where breast cancer is more rampant?
Lilly Tartikoff: There are these very unusual statistics, and I will try to get them right. In Japan, very few women have breast cancer. When they come to Hawaii, the number increases like 50 percent, and when they move to America, their statistics fall into our category. They have found that in Japan, there is a very high incidence of stomach cancer. I am convinced -- but I am not a doctor, I am not able to back this -- there has to be something in our environment that makes these numbers so rampant and high in America. Don't you think, Melanie?
Melanie Griffith: Yeah. It's interesting, that possibly that is because of how polluted our world is.
Lilly Tartikoff: That's what I would think, but we are laymen. Until they prove that, we don't know. It sure makes you wonder.
Melanie Griffith: But that's why it's so great that you are willing to do the Run/Walk.
Lilly Tartikoff: When I first started to do this 11 years ago, women were almost frightened of the subject. And it's good that it has become more of an accepted topic, and the Internet has really helped. There is so much information out there. The event is May 12 at the LA Coliseum. It starts at 8:00AM, but get in your car at 6:30. And it is so filled with hope and love and courage, and special people like Melanie and Dylan McDermott, Megan Mullally -- and she is going to sing "Amazing Grace" -- and Karen Duffy. We love you, Melanie! I wish I could put my arms about you.
Melanie Griffith: I send my love to everybody out there. And if anybody in your family has breast cancer, I send you lots of love and hope, and go and have your checkups at your doctors.
AOLiveMC7: Thank you so much, Melanie Griffith and Lilly Tartikoff, for being here with us tonight to discuss Revlon's 8th Annual Run/Walk for Breast and Ovarian Cancer. Have a great evening!
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