FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award
In 2000, the FAIRWAY TO LIFE committee created the Progress Award to honor a cancer survivor whose work in the community to further the progress in finding a cure for cancer has been inspirational. It is someone whose commitment and/or personal sacrifice has made a difference in the life of others and inspires us all to give of ourselves.
- 2000 Recipient – Ronnie Footlick
- 2001 Recipient – Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum
- 2002 Recipient – Harriet Legum
- 2003 Recipient – Lillie Shockney
- 2004 Recipient – Mark Kolman
- 2005 Recipient – Victoria J. Cerami
- 2006 Recipient - Doug Ulman
- 2007 Recipient - Marie Bowers
2007 Progress Award Recipient
Marie Bowers
This year, FAIRWAY TO LIFE is proud to honor Marie Bowers, a 14-year cancer survivor who gives new meaning to the term “dedicated.” Marie has been instrumental in raising valuable funds to help open the doors of the FAIRWAY TO LIFE Breast Care Center at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. We can’t think of anyone who is more deserving of this honor than Marie.
Marie began her career in advertising where she worked for two different major New York City advertising agencies. Marie was recruited by the Noxell Corporation in 1974 and moved to Baltimore from Los Angeles to manage more than $100,000,000 in Cover Girl annual sales, as well as manage an annual advertising budget in excess of $20,000,000. After spending 11 years with Noxell, the final few years as Marketing Director on Cover Girl Cosmetics, Marie put her career on hold to become a full time mother to her then 4-year old son, Chris.
It was during this time that Marie put her marketing skills to use by raising money for non-profit organizations. Marie was involved in just about every fundraising project her son’s schools could conceive of- from nursery school through high school- and organized and executed the first major silent auction at his lower and upper schools.
Marie has held numerous committee and board positions, including board service to the Cloisters Childrens’ Museum. While serving in that capacity, she established and chaired the First Annual Fundraising “Ball” while also chairing the Auction for two consecutive years. Marie has also served on the Board of Camp Pu Tok, a Salvation Army camp that sponsors underprivileged kids with scholarships to attend the camp. Marie has held numerous volunteer positions with her ladies golf league, and currently serves on the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center’s Board of Advisors.
It is clear to everyone who knows Marie that her major passion is chairing the FAIRWAY TO LIFE golf tournament committee, which she has done for eight consecutive years. The event has raised nearly $1,000,000 for various cancer programs.
Marie is married to Michael Bowers and has a son named Chris. She spends her free time playing golf, desperately trying to lower her handicap. She also enjoys fly fishing in Montana which she and her family do on an annual basis. Marie reads as much as her busy schedule will allow and truly enjoys spending her time with her family.
2006 Progress Award Recipient
Doug Ulman
This year, the FAIRWAY TO LIFE Committee is proud to honor a cancer survivor from Columbia, Maryland as its Progress Award Recipient.
Now living in Austin, Texas and only twenty-nine years old, Doug Ulman is a three-time cancer survivor and national cancer survivorship advocate. Doug overcame Chondrosarcoma during his sophomore year in college, and malignant melanoma twice after that.
Doug founded the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a non-profit to provide support, education, and resources to young adults, their families and friends, who are affected by cancer.
Following his three cancer diagnoses, Doug returned to the soccer field and helped Brown University to three Ivy League Championships in four years.
Doug served as Executive Director of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults for four years, and he is now the Chief Mission Officer for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in Austin, Texas. The Foundation focuses its attention on public health, research and advocacy activities that impact the lives of those affected by cancer.
Sharing many of the same ideas about survivorship with Lance Armstrong, and a similar passion for athletics, Doug has participated in ten marathons including a 100-mile marathon in the Himalayan Mountains.
Doug currently holds numerous civic and charitable board positions across the country and he is serving a four-year term as the Chairman of the National Cancer Institute Director’s Consumer Liaison Group. He also sits on the executive board of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and is a founder of the LIVESTRONG © Young Adult Alliance.
2005 Progress Award Recipient
Victoria J. Cerami
Each year, the FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award is given to honor a breast cancer survivor or someone who has been greatly affected by this tragic disease. This year the Fairway To Life committee is proud to honor Victoria J. Cerami. Victoria has personally defeated cancer two times and is dedicated to helping fund cancer research and treatment.
At the age of 27, Victoria Cerami was left to assume the leadership of her father's small, but successful, acoustical consulting firm, Cerami & Associates. Victoria helped shape it into an internationally-recognized company with expanding offices and an ever-expanding client list. As her firm continued to develop, so did her family, and by 1995 Victoria was the mother of three boys.
Victoria has been able to use her own talents and the resources of her firm to give back to teens interested in achieving success in the building industry as a Board Member for the ACE Mentorship Program and the Salvadori Center. She has also played an active role in the Manhattan College Mentorship Program, New York City's Principal-For-A-Day Program and is currently a member of the Kairos Ministry Program which provides support and mentorship to women in prison.
Following the birth of her third son, Victoria was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Surviving the disease raised her awareness of the need for greater education and fundraising to fight cancer.
In 2002, Victoria's sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and then Victoria discovered that she, too, had the disease. The sisters weren't the first in their family to have struggled with breast cancer, their mother, an aunt and cousin had also faced the disease. Victoria approached the diagnosis with the same resolve she brought to her work and family life.
Following a mastectomy and radiation, Victoria was finally cancer free and she used this new lease on life to continue her work for cancer research and education.
For the past three years, Victoria's firm has sponsored a team in New York's Komen Race for the Cure, raising tens of thousands of dollars to find a cure for the disease that Victoria battled. She also participates annually in the Swim Across America and the Revlon Run/Walk for Breast Cancer.
Victoria is confident that with continued dedication, strength and love, fewer people will have to battle the disease that she was fortunate enough to have defeated twice.
2004 Progress Award Recipient
Mark H. Kolman
Each year FAIRWAY TO LIFE recognizes someone who has made a difference in the lives of others through dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice. This year's recipient of the FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award in an eighteen-year cancer survivor, Mark Kolman.
In 1986, Mark was diagnosed with leukemia and given only 18 months to live. Over the next five years, he endured many types of treatment. Eventually he found the needed strategies with Dr. Charles Schiffer at University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center. "I can't say I'm cured" says Mark, "but I've kind of lost interest in counting the days like I used to. I've been lucky."
He strongly believes in what Lance Armstrong has called, the obligation of the cured. Mark works tirelessly for the Leukemia Society and many other associations dedicated to the fight against cancer.
He serves on the national board of directors of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the Board of Governors of the Maryland Chapter of the Leukemia Society, the Board of Visitors of Greenebaum Cancer Center and is active with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He has donated his time to speak to the Howard County Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, a survivors symposium at Johns Hopkins Cancer Center for the Leukemia Society, and at Team in Training events before bicycle centuries for the Leukemia Society.
Not only does Mark talk the talk about being a cancer survivor, he bikes, walks and swims to help raise funds to fight this deadly disease. Mark and his wife, Susan, ride bike centuries (100 miles a day) to raise funds for the Leukemia Society. For the last two years, Mark has swum across Long Island Sound to raise funds for cancer support groups and Sloan Kettering for Swim Across America.
In Mark's own words, "to me, survivor is way different than cancer patient or victim. I live my life to reflect that every day."
2003 Progress Award Recipient
Lillie Shockney R.N., B.S., M.A.S.
The FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award was established to recognize a breast cancer survivor who, through dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice has made a difference in the lives of others. It is someone whose work in the community also inspires others to give of themselves. This year's award goes to Mrs. Lillie Shockney.
Mrs. Shockney is the Director of Education and Outreach at the Johns Hopkins Breast Center. In addition, she is also involved with numerous organizations dedicated to providing emotional support to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, raises money for cancer education and research, and is involved with groups promoting regulations to insure that all women have easy access to breast cancer screening for early detection and treatment. In March 1995 she co-founded and is the Vice President of a nonprofit organization called "Mothers Supporting Daughters with Breast Cancer" (MSDBC), which became a national nonprofit organization in August 1995 and in its first 4 years has provided assistance and support to more than 10,000 sets of mothers and daughters nationally and internationally covering the entire US, Canada, Ecuador, England, Australia, and Sweden.
Mrs. Shockney is a nationally recognized expert in the field of clinical quality improvement and utilization management and is a public speaker and published author on both of these subjects. Due to her own personal experience with breast cancer as a nurse and patient (having had 2 mastectomies, herself, since 1992), she has also become an accomplished speaker on the subject of breast cancer. She has appeared in television and radio numerous times over the last few years and has traveled across the country doing inspirational presentations on the subject of breast cancer.
She has won numerous community service awards for the work she has done on behalf of breast cancer patients and their families, including the National Circle of Life Award from Shape Magazine, Intel's Internet Health Hero Award, the American Cancer Society's Voice of Hope Award and was selected as an Unsung Hero for Breast Cancer, to name just a few of her many recognitions.
Lillie is a strong advocate of the value of humor as a beneficial form of complementary medicine and speaks on this subject often. She has a personal goal – to foster the development and implementation of national quality standards for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer here in the United States.
2002 Progress Award Recipient
Harriet Legum
The FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award was established to recognize a breast cancer survivor who, through dedication, commitment and sometimes personal sacrifice has made a difference in the lives of others. It is someone whose work in the community also inspires others to give of themselves.
This year's recipient embodies all that this award is intended to be. She exemplifies the meaning of giving of one's self, unconditionally. It is our privilege to present the FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award to Harriet Legum, wife, mother, breast cancer survivor, humanitarian.
A powerful advocate for breast cancer research and education, Harriet has chaired Johns Hopkins Oncology Breast Cancer Research Chair and Fellowship Campaign, raising $2.1 million, endowing the first chair and fellowship of this type in the country. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Oncology Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a member of the National Council for Johns Hopkins Medicine. Harriet has worked to fight breast cancer as a volunteer speaker for Hadassah's "Check It Out," a high school program for young women. She also serves as a resource for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients offering support and personal insight. Harriet co-chairs "A Women's Journey" a multidisciplinary educational program for women only. She was a founding member of the Baltimore Chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, is a board member of Kennedy Krieger Institute, where she helped to start a music therapy program for the children at the Kennedy Krieger School and also chaired the Festival of Trees, which raised over $600,000 that year.
In recognition of her strength, character and commitment to helping others, Harriet was named as one of "Baltimore's Most Powerful Women" by Baltimore Magazine. She was also honored in "Portraits of Hope," a photographic exhibition sponsored by the American Cancer Society, in appreciation and acknowledgment of her exemplary leadership.
Harriet's 34 year marriage to Jeffrey Legum and her children Laurie and Michael are her strength and foundation.
2001 Progress Award Recipients
Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum
Hope. Progress. Answers. This is the mission of the American Cancer Society, and it is the inspiration for the FAIRWAY TO LIFE committee. Each year the FAIRWAY TO LIFE selects an individual, or individuals whose work in the community to further the progress in finding a cure for cancer has been inspirational. The person(s) is also either a breast cancer survivor or has been touched by this disease in a profound way.
This year it is our distinct honor and privilege to present this award to Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum. Together, they exemplify the meaning of giving. They give of themselves, unselfishly and unconditionally.
The Greenebaums are lifelong Baltimoreans. He is president of the real estate development firm of Greenebaum and Rose Associates. The firm develops office buildings, shopping centers and residential communities in the Baltimore/Washington area. Marlene is very active with the Greenebaum Cancer Board of Visitors as well as volunteering with the Miriam Lodge, K.S.B, Oheb Shalom Sisterhood and the Baltimore Chapter of Hadassah and the Mildred Mindell Cancer Foundation. Mr. Greenebaum recently retired as Chairman of the Board of the University of Maryland Medical System.
Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum were instrumental in the formation of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) Foundation which Stewart chairs. The goal of the Foundation is to raise private funds to offer top-notch healthcare throughout the state and beyond, to everyone who has a need. The Foundation makes it possible for significant fund raising and private gifts to achieve this goal.
The University of Maryland Medical System has renamed their cancer center the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center in recognition of a landmark gift of $10,000,000 made in 1996. The Center is world renowned for cutting edge cancer interventions. It has pioneered intervention radiology and laparoscopic surgical techniques with many of the world's "firsts" occurring right at the center. The center has developed a three-dimensional imaging system for planning oncology treatment and has state-of-the-art methods of delivering radiation to cancer patients. The inspiration for the Greenebaum's generous gift was Marlene's triumph over breast cancer 11 years ago. They take great pride in the outstanding treatment that is available at the Greenebaum Cancer Center.
Their vision and dream is that this kind of world-class treatment will be available to all those in need, regardless of their means. Their dedication to the fight against all cancers is truly inspiring.
2000 Progress Award Recipient
Ronnie Footlick
Thirty years ago volunteerism was a way to fill Ronnie Footlick's days while her daughters were growing up and her Social Work acreer was on hold. Now all these years later as a working woman, her avocation has become her passion, her lasting legacy and her life's joy.
As all good mothers did in those days, she started working for the PTA and rose through the ranks to assume the leadership at her local high school. During this time, she spearheaded many fundraising efforts to benefit programs and facilities at the school as well as being a pivotal force in the establishment of a foreign language task force subcommittee of the PTA Council of Baltimore County.
Although her children grew up and Ronnie was no longer involved in school related issues, she continued her commitment to serve her community. She found herself deeply involved as a Board Member of Sinai Hospital and Lifebridge Health and The Jewish Vocational Service. As Chair of The Board Oversight Committee at Sinai, she has labored to achieve full inclusion of staff and lay leaders in the quest for the delivery of quality health care. As the first woman to chair this group in over 20 years, she is inordinately proud of the accomplishments of this group. To her credit, and as evidence of the confidence the hospital has in her as a leader, she has been nominated to the position of Vice Chair of the Hospital Board. While her dedication to Sinai goes back 30 years, her heart today is forever tied to the brand new Lapides Cancer Institute, where she is delighted that Sinai, with this Center is able to offer the best in cancer services that the region has to offer. Her involvement in its establishment has brought her untold joy.
Ronnie's years of service, her passion for volunterism and her dedication to helping others has brought her a great sense of pride and satisfaction. She is gratified by the changes she has been able to bring about, all with the common goal of helping those in need. Ronnie counts herself fortunate to have been able to achieve much, and her dream now is that her daughters will look at her life's work and then create their own paths to perpetuate the values that she holds so dear.
As a community, we have benefited from Ronnie's dedication and service to many causes over the years. As a breast cancer survivor and board member of the Lapides Cancer Institute, she has taken on a leadership role in the continuing fight against breast cancer. We applaud her unselfish commitment to our community and we are proud to honor her as our First FAIRWAY TO LIFE Progress Award recipient.