The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Greater Sacramento Area Chapter Announces the 2016 Man & Woman of the Year

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Greater Sacramento Area Chapter recently celebrated the 20^th anniversary of the Man & Woman of the Year campaign, a fundraising competition that supports the fight against blood cancers, at its Grand Finale Gala on June 11, 2016. PBS host Rob Stewart emceed the black tie event at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, which honored the Boy & Girl of the Year, Sasan and Brooke, who are both local blood cancer patients. The evening culminated with the announcement of the 2016 Man & Woman of the Year winners, Jeff Anderson representing Coldwell Banker Residential Realty and Nolana Mymka Daoust representing Kaiser Permanente.

Along with Anderson and Mymka Daoust, this year's class of candidates vying for the title also included Rick Fergerson of Fergerson Financial, Lucy Garcia of Keller Williams Realty, Patrick Harbison of Patrick Harbison Public Relations, Kachet Jackson Henderson of Lipstick Giraffe, Lauren Kimzey of Internet Association, and Josh Palmer of Colliers International. All eight candidates participated in the annual 10-week campaign with the support of their individual teams.  Goals and funds were kept strictly confidential throughout the campaign and were tabulated at the Grand Finale Gala by the accounting firm CohnReznick.

2016 Man of the Year Jeff Anderson, who entered the campaign in tribute to his brother and best friend Tommy who died of lymphoma at age 12, was honored with the prestigious Bobby Dean Award for his exemplary campaign that included mission integration, volunteerism and community involvement. 2016 Woman of the Year Nolana Mymka Daoust, who is a breast cancer and leukemia survivor and credits her health to a lifesaving drug therapy funded by LLS, earned the 2016 Top Fundraising Award and naming rights to a national LLS research grant. She announced that she would honor both her family and her Kaiser Permanente oncologist, Dr. Lai Hui, by naming it the Mymka Hui Research Grant.

In addition to the Man & Woman of the Year candidates, students from the 2016 Students of the Year campaign were also recognized. Ten outstanding student pairs from high schools throughout the Sacramento area competed in a seven-week campaign that ran concurrent with Man & Woman of the Year, which concluded on May 21, 2016 at the Students of the Year Grand Finale at Niello Mini. St. Francis High School juniors, Jessica Gianulias and Natalie Woodruff of Team CUREageous, were announced the winners of the campaign. They received the Top Fundraising Award, the opportunity to name a national LLS research grant, and they each received a $1,500 scholarship to the college of their choice. First runners-up Kate Caraska and Kate Haines of Team Kates for Change from St. Francis High School received a $500 scholarship and the Bobby Dean Award. Second runners-up Sean Woods and Andrew Guillen of Team Relentless from Folsom High School received the 2016 Leadership Award and a $500 scholarship. As a group, this year's Man, Woman & Students of the Year candidates raised more than $455,000 to benefit blood cancer research.

In addition to recognizing the candidates for the Man & Woman of the Year and Students of the Year campaigns, several prominent members of the Sacramento community were also acknowledged with accolades. Sacramento Man & Woman of the Year Founding Chair Bob Dean, who started the campaign in 1997 to honor his son Bobby who lost his battle with leukemia at age 19, was awarded a Congressional Record Proclamation by Congresswoman Doris Matsui. Honorary Chair Roger Niello accepted The Niello Company's Community Partnership Award for their ongoing support of being the Presenting Sponsor of the Grand Finale Gala for the past 20 years, and Harv's Carwash also received a Community Partnership Award for cumulatively raising over $72,000 for LLS through its annual grassroots campaign.                                                               

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world's largest voluntary, nonprofit health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The Man & Woman of the Year campaign is an annual 10-week fundraising competition between community leaders united by one goal, to use their leadership skills to raise funds to help blood cancer patients live longer and more fulfilling lives.

For more information on the Sacramento Man & Woman of the Year campaign, contact Kathy Severson at [email protected] or 916-246-3325, or visit www.mwoy.org/sac.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.  The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services for patients and their loved ones.

Major LLS fundraising campaigns include Team In Training, Light The Night Walk, School & Youth, Man & Woman of the Year and Leukemia Cup Regatta.  To reach the widest possible audience, LLS partners with national and regional level companies and brands, including Nike, Disney, Burlington and others.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada.  To learn more, visit www.LLS.org.  Patients and caregivers should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

SOURCE Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Greater Bay Area Chapter

Related Links

http://www.lls.org/gba