Fran Drescher Discusses East Hampton Master Class Health Summit

Chronic illnesses are a plague, yes, but they shouldn’t have to be a death sentence. Fran Drescher, star of The Nanny and president of SAG-AFTRA, is bringing her Master Class Health Summit to the East Coast for the first time, with a roster of groundbreaking experts eager to enlighten attendees on the uplifting truth of the matter.

Coming to the Ross School in East Hampton on Saturday, July 29, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., the Health Summit raises funds for Drescher’s nonprofit organization, the Cancer Schmancer movement, which is dedicated to the prevention and early detection of cancer and to policy change that would see the country’s sick care treatment approach transformed into a more proactive heath care system. A gynecologic cancer survivor, Drescher and her team at Cancer Schmancer have developed holistic initiatives to help people identify and eliminate the causes of cancer and other diseases from their daily routines.

The Master Class Health Summit expands on this approach, featuring lectures, panels and interviews with a number of proactive wellness pioneers, including Dr. Dale Bredesen on “Alzheimer’s Is Now Optional,” Dr. Gerry Curatola on “The Surprising Risk Factors for Oral Cancers and How to Protect Yourself,” Dr. Antonio Jimenez on “Empowered Oncology: From Root Causes to Restoration,” Dr. Kelly McCann on “Healing from Lyme, Stealth Infections, Mold and Toxins,” Dr. Frank Lipman on “The New Rules of Aging Well,” Dr. Tom O’Bryan on “Before Biohacking: The Step Often Forgotten that Determines Mediocre or Outstanding Results,” Dr. Tia Trivisonno on “You Can Reverse Chronic Illness,” as well as McLaurine Pinover on “My Cancer Survival Story.”

The Health Summit also features an organic breakfast and lunch, sustainable vendors and a post-event reception where attendees can meet Drescher.

We spoke with Drescher about the event coming to the Ross School on July 29 and about her Cancer Schmancer movement.

A Conversation with Fran Drescher

Why is now the right time to bring the Master Class Health Summit to the East Coast and the Hamptons?

We’ve held Health Summits on the West Coast for the past seven years and have been wanting to expand to the East Coast, and one of our medical advisors, Dr. Gerry Curatola, has a wonderful facility in the Hamptons. He helped us find a wonderful location at the Ross School, and it all just came together. Plus, so many people in the Hamptons are extremely active about taking care of their health, so we thought it was a wonderful fit for our first one in the east.

How does the Master Class Health Summit further the mission of the Cancer Schmancer Movement?

Our mission is to educate, motivate and activate people to take control of their health, and our Health Summits are an integral part of that mission. We are unique in that we focus on prevention and early detection rather than a cure. I always say, “Let’s not get sick in the first place. How’s that for a cure?”

We know so much more today about how disease starts in the body and how changes in your lifestyle — diet, movement, avoiding toxins — can prevent it. We talk about how to listen to your body, know early warning signs and get tested when you feel something is off. And the great thing is that all of these lifestyle changes don’t just prevent cancer. They prevent diabetes, heart disease and so many of the other chronic conditions that plague us.

How was the roster of Health Summit 2023 guest speakers curated?

For our Health Summit, we curate the most innovative, groundbreaking doctors who are on the frontier of this new way of thinking about disease. It’s whole-body health. For so long, medicine has been about treating symptoms and waiting until we get sick to do something. It’s like if your apple tree was producing brown apples, would you go around and treat each apple? No! You look at the whole tree — what’s happening at the roots — and treat it that way.

So these doctors that we curate all ascribe to that perspective. Many of them are on Cancer Schmancer’s Medical Advisory Board already, and we are constantly reading and searching for the best of the best. And the great thing about the Health Summit is that the attendees get access to these brilliant minds that they likely would not have access to. So we’re very proud of that.

What excites you most about the upcoming Health Summit?

The list of doctors, of course, is just a who’s who. We’re going to be talking about chronic illness as the modern-day epidemic, explore the root causes and provide some answers about how to prevent it or reverse it if you’re already suffering from a chronic condition. Our current medical system isn’t really set up to help people with chronic illness. It’s more about slapping on a Band-Aid and onto the next patient, I’m sorry to say. And that’s not necessarily the fault of their doctors. They’re just overworked and overwhelmed. So it excites me to help people find answers that they likely wouldn’t find on their own, or at least to point them in the right direction.

As a cancer survivor armed with the knowledge and research of organizations like the Cancer Schmancer movement, how different is your lifestyle now compared to what it was before your diagnosis?

It’s night and day. I have learned so much, and my eyes are so wide open now. I’m not happy that I had cancer, of course, but it did teach me a lot about how to take care of myself: the way I eat, the products I use on my skin and in my home and garden, my mental state and stress level. I’m so much more aware of the environment that I create around myself. And more than that, it’s allowed me to help other people not have to go through what I did. It’s turning lemons into lemonade. I find that turning pain into purpose is very healing.

Getting educated on healthy living is one thing, but can you offer any advice on how to stay committed to making healthier choices?

For me, it’s a daily practice. It’s small steps. Change one thing for the better. Then tomorrow, change something else. The first step of any journey is always the most difficult. Just take that step, and the next one is easier, and the one after that even easier. And also, don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. Be kind to yourself.

In what ways can people come alongside the Cancer Schmancer movement in its efforts to promote prevention, early detection and policy change?

Coming to the Health Summit would be the first thing. Learn about who we are and what we do. It’s an incredible, life-changing day. You’ll leave with so many new ideas about how to improve your life, and you’ll want to share it with everyone you know. And if you can’t make the summit, go to cancerschmancer.org and sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Instagram. And please, make a contribution if you can afford to donate. Any amount helps. 

What do you find most rewarding about the work that you do through the Cancer Schmancer movement?

Just knowing that we’re helping change lives for the better. I’m extremely proud of our youth program “Be the Change,” which teaches young people healthy habits early so that they live long, quality lives. We’ve helped thousands of kids so far and will be expanding it very soon.

Would you like to share any closing thoughts or additional information?

Just that I hope to see everyone at the Health Summit, to be well, and think peace!

For tickets to Fran Drescher’s Master Class Health Summit on Saturday, July 29, which are tax-deductible, visit cancerschmancer.org/summit.