Roxanne Kramer Award
The Roxanne Kramer Award is named after Roxanne Kramer, a breast cancer survivor herself, who owns "Always a Woman" boutique in Moline that specializes in wigs, head wear, specialty bras and fits breast prostheses for breast cancer survivors. She also was one of the founding members of the Quad City Breast Cancer & Lymphedema Support Group, made up of hundreds of area women, and devotes countless hours coordinating survivor models for and emceeing the Trinity Health Foundation Stylin' Against Breast Cancer style show fundraiser. Download a Roxanne Kramer nomination form.
2012 Kramer Award Recipient
2011 Kramer Award Recipient
2010 Kramer Award Recipient
Recipient to be announced at the 2012 Stylin' Against Breast Cancer Style Show and Luncheon on April 26th.
The non-profit organization Midwest Hope & Healing was honored as the second annual Roxanne Kramer Award recipient at the Trinity Health Foundation’s 2011 Stylin’ Against Breast Cancer Luncheon and Style Show. Founded in August 2003, Midwest Hope & Healing provides support, hope, and non-medical healing to all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients in the Quad-City area. The organization consists of five Quad-City area women who work in partnership: Colleen Borts, Linda Watson, Marcia Youngvorst, and Cindy Jones, all of Moline, and Laura Danay of Rock Island.
After losing her mother in 2001, Borts decided to dedicate her free time to inspiring and encouraging recently diagnosed women with heartfelt mementos. She had heard of the “hope and healing” concept in Seattle and wanted to bring this concept to the Quad- Cities. With the help of the original founding partners, Laura Danay and Linda Watson, Midwest Hope & Healing was born.
Each “healing basket” is filled with supplies and materials specifically developed for the breast cancer patient undergoing treatment. Each breast cancer patient receives handmade items such as a chemotherapy hat, a knitted hat, a pillow case, and jewelry, a journal, and inspirational quote cards. They also receive a personal letter from Watson – a breast cancer survivor herself.
Today, the healing baskets reach 150-200 patients throughout the Quad-Cities annually through requests from physician’s offices, Always a Woman boutique in Moline, and the Trinity Cancer Center.
Pat Conway of Bettendorf, Iowa was honored at the Trinity Health Foundation's 2010 Stylin' Against Breast Cancer show as the inaugural Roxanne Kramer Award winner.Conway was honored for her outreach work with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and overall community advocacy. She was nominated by Barb Lynch, who co-founded the Quad City Breast Cancer & Lymphedema Support Group with Conway.
"Many of the ladies tell her how scared they are, and she tells them she understands and is there to listen and offer support and caring," says Lynch of Conway's work visiting those who have received news of their diagnosis. "Some of the ladies have joined our support group, and they all say that Pat was really the first person to give them hope that they might survive and return to normal life."
Diagnosed in 1992, Conway is an 18-year survivor of the disease that impacts more than 2.5 million U.S. women and is the second leading cause of death, according to the National Cancer Institute. "We're sisters in breast cancer," says Conway. "We're there for each other."
In addition to her work with the support group, Conway, 70, has volunteered or participated in a wide variety of activities in support of breast cancer fundraising, educational outreach and advocacy. Those include golf tournaments, Stylin' Against Breast Cancer (both as a model and volunteer), Race for the Cure, Reach to Recovery with the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life in both Scott and Rock Island County, among others.
Read the Roxanne Kramer Award guidelines and print a nomination form.