Announcing the 2009 Man & Woman of the Year

                  Ashley Mann                                      Darla Liles, M.D. 
          C. Ashley Mann, D.D.S.                      Leo Jenkins Cancer Center

Congratulations to Ashley and Darla and all of the 2009 candidates
for an amazing campaign!

This spring, ten dedicated individuals fundraised tirelessly for ten weeks in a tight competition to see who could raise the most money on behalf of LLS. Because cancer doesn't retreat during hard times and because cancer patients need help more now than ever, these incredible individuals were relentless in their pursuit of funds and support.  The campaign came to a close with a memorable Grand Finale event on June 4 where we celebrated a 2009 grand total of more than $151,000!! 
 
This small group has made a huge difference in the lives of nearly 900,000 patients and their families nationwide including our local honored patients, Boy of the Year, Charlie Morlock and Girl of the Year, Haidyn Reinhardt.

Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to our 2009 candidates, past candidates and the many friends of LLS who made our success this year possible!

The Man & Woman of The Year campaign is an ten-week fundraising competition between Triangle community and business leaders. They are philanthropic, ambitious, socially active, resourceful and passionate about making a difference in the lives of people touched by blood cancers. Their unstoppable ambition drives them to fundraise on a grand scale with life-changing results.

To nominate a candidate or to learn more, contact Emily Blust.   

Thank you to our 2009 Candidates

Taylor Bunnell - Best Buy Mobile
Taylor Bunnell is a store manager for Best Buy Mobile at Crabtree Valley Mall and has been in the wireless business for over ten years. After growing up in Sandwich, MA (on Cape Cod), she graduated cum laude from Westfield State College in Massachusetts with a degree in Communications. She moved to NC in 2007. She is an active volunteer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in the Triangle.

She was personally touched by lymphoma in 2008, when her grandmother was mis-diagnosed with the disease. She was later found to not have lymphoma, but, after learning more from LLS's publications and the staff, Taylor remains committed to the cause.

When not working, Taylor enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, yoga and Pilates at the Cary Family YMCA, and going to the beach. She is getting married in June on Cape Cod to her fiancé Eric Larsen. They live together in Cary with their spoiled dog Sophie.

Barbara Heathcote - IBM
Barbara Heathcote is a Human Resources Partner for the IBM Services Technology Group, located in Research Triangle Park - handling HR strategy and delivery for over 100 IBM Executives and line managers.   Prior to this assignment, she was the Program Manager for the RTP HR Employee Appeals and Concerns Program and an administration manager with the Real Estate and Site Operations division of IBM.    Barbara is also actively involved in IBM diversity-related activities - and is a member of the IBM Research Triangle Area Diversity Council - which is an internal team focused on the various IBM employee constituencies within the North Carolina employee population. Since 2007, she has chaired the annual IBM Take Our Children to Work Day event - held onsite in RTP.  This day long event is an opportunity to help spark children's interests in the world and the possibilities of careers as future technology experts. 

In April 2001, Barbara faced a life-changing event with the unexpected diagnosis of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia - a blood cancer that affects 4800 Americans each year.   She was able to learn more about her cancer from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's vast resources.   Barbara's current mission is to now help others as they navigate their own diagnosis of blood cancer.   She serves proudly on the Eastern North Carolina chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Board of Trustees.

Barbara has written for several health related publications which include ‘Coping - Living with Cancer' magazine,  ‘CML Update' - a global newsletter dedicated to patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia,  and contributed to the recently published book ‘Life, Work and Money - From a Woman's Perspective' which is an anthology on ‘life lessons from the hearts and minds of women'.

She resides in Durham, NC with her husband, Larry.   Barbara's endeavor is to continue her journey of being a ‘cancer survivor-in-training' and an advocate for other blood cancer patients who have just started on their own newly diagnosed paths.

Scott Jackson - 99.9 FM The Fan ESPN Radio
Scott Jackson is the Co-Host of The Insiders, which can be heard from 3-7p.m.weekdays on 99.9 FM The Fan ESPN Radio.  Scott and his family of four moved to the Triangle in October of 2007 to join the new Capitol Broadcasting owned station.  Yes, that means he gets paid to talk sports and yes, it is usually really fun!  Scott's job has taken him to ACC basketball tournaments, Final Fours, The Daytona 500, NHL, NFL, and NBA playoff games.  Really, it is work! 

After 16 years of broadcasting in four different cities, Scott has been involved in many charitable events, but none as personal and as challenging as this campaign with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Scott's grandmother, Jane Jackson, died of lymphoma in October of 2004.  Her death came just weeks after being diagnosed.

Since the move here to the Triangle, the Jackson's have met plenty of great friends and enjoyed the less hectic lifestyle they left in the Washington DC area. Over the last year and a half, the disease has hit close to home in their Cary neighborhood.  The Morlocks' son, Charlie, was diagnosed with ALL at the age of four years old in 2007.  Two years later he is doing better, but too many other children his age are not and money for research is still needed.

As a result of their neighbors' son and his close relationship with his grandmother, Scott and his family agreed to get involved in the Man of the Year fundraising campaign for LLS. 

Darla Liles, M.D. - Brody School of Medicine Leo Jenkins Cancer Center
Dr. Darla Liles was raised in the Midwest and attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City six year B.A. /M.D. program in 1986. She came to North Carolina in 1986 to pursue a residency in Internal Medicine at East Carolina/Pitt County Memorial Hospital and has stayed in Eastern NC since then. After her 3 years of residency and a year of Chief Residency at PCMH/ECU, Darla went to UNC-Chapel Hill for a fellowship in Hematology/ Oncology. Dr. Liles came back to the Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center at East Carolina University where she sees patients and teaches medical students, residents and fellows. She also works in an outreach clinic in Edgecombe County which is operated by Heritage Hospital in Tarboro, NC. The clinic serves patients with all varieties of blood and cancer diagnoses. Since 2004 Darla has also served as the program director for the Hematology/ Oncology fellowship program, which trains young physicians in the specialty of Hematology/Oncology.

Ashley Mann, D.D.S.
C. Ashley Mann, D.D.S. was born in Raleigh, NC and grew up in Cary. He attended Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, NC and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993 with an undergraduate major in Biology and Chemistry. Dr. Mann worked for two years for the North Carolina Eye and Human Tissue Bank obtaining eyes, skin and bone from donors to be used for transplant and research. He graduated from the UNC School of Dentistry in 1999 and established a general dentistry practice in downtown Cary. Ashley married his beautiful wife, Dana, September of 2002. They were blessed with a little boy, Bryan, who will be 3 this June. The Manns are also expecting another little one in July.

Dr. Mann is currently past president of the Raleigh Wake County Dental Society and serves on the board of directors for the Salvation Army of Raleigh and Wake Smiles, which is a dental volunteer group that provides free dentistry to those in need. Ashley's past-time fun includes playing with his little boy, boating, watching and attending UNC sporting events, golf and spending time with friends and family.

Michael A. Martin - WR Starkey Mortgage
Michael is a Branch Manager with WR Starkey Mortgage in Raleigh, NC, and has been in the mortgage business for the past eight years. He grew up in Alexandria, VA, but moved with his family to NC in 1990. Michael attended East Carolina University and graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business.  He is very active in many professional organizations throughout the Triangle, and serves as the current president of the Raleigh Mortgage Bankers Association. He is also an active member of Benson Memorial United Methodist Church where he serves on the Staff Parrish Committee.

Michael enjoys skiing, golf, and East Carolina football. He and his wife Tonya live in Raleigh with their dog Maggie.

Michael is honored to have this opportunity to support such a fantastic organization as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Kristy Richards, Ph.D., M.D. - UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Kristy L. Richards is an assistant professor in the department of medicine, division of hematology/oncology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She treats patients with a variety of blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma at the Lineberger Cancer Center at UNC. She also has a laboratory in UNC's Institute of Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy (IPIT) where her group focuses on finding new and better ways to treat lymphoma. Kristy earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University, followed by a Ph.D. in genetics and an M.D., both from Stanford University.  She did her residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and completed a hematology/oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  Her awards include a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, a Medical Scholars Fellowship, and being named chief fellow at MD Anderson.

Kristy grew up in rural Pennsylvania and is delighted to be living in Chapel Hill.  Since moving here about two years ago, she has been enjoying getting to know the area and the people here.  She has been involved with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society from early in her fellowship years in Texas, where she gave talks at several LLS meetings, and she has continued her involvement here in North Carolina. In her spare time she enjoys horseback riding, crossword puzzles, baking, and watching basketball (Go Heels!).

Sean Timmons - Smith Anderson
Sean Timmons practices law in the area of health care and regulatory law. His experience includes Certificate of Need issues, joint ventures between physicians and institutional providers, Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse, North Carolina anti-referral laws, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, and acquisition and other transactions involving health care entities. Mr. Timmons has advised numerous health care clients on the formation of business entities and physician buy-ins and buy-outs. His clients include large and small physician practices, ambulatory surgery facilities, oncology treatment centers, individual health care practitioners, and other health care provider entities.

Prior to joining Smith Anderson, Mr. Timmons spent several years playing trombone professionally.

In 1974, Sean's sister died of leukemia when she was eleven and he was six.  Sean is delighted to report that through the efforts of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and others, the survival rate for childhood leukemia is now very high. Sean is supporting LLS to help reach a day where families will no longer have to face the threat of the death of a child from leukemia.

Ben Woodward - Springboard Eydo
Ben Woodward has worked closely with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for the past four years, helping the organization develop its brand collateral and campaign materials for a variety of events each year.  After graduating from the Communication Arts department at East Carolina University in 2000, he moved back to his hometown of Raleigh to open his first graphic design company. He now serves as the Creative Director at Springboard Eydo, a graphic design, marketing 
and public involvement firm located in Apex, specializing in creative communications, including branding, website design and development, print collateral and public involvement.

Ben is participating in this year's Man & Woman of the Year campaign 
in honor of Kyra Powell, the daughter of a friend and colleague, who 
was diagnosed with a very rare type of Early B Cell Lymphoblastic 
Lymphoma in March of 2003. Since her latest treatment during early 
2008, Kyra has been doing well and keeping her 7-year-old spirits up, 
with the loving support of her close friends and family.

Being a part of this year's Man & Woman of the Year campaign is Ben's 
way of giving back to his community, and hoping to make blood cancers 
a thing of the past.

Taylor Faircloth - Honorary Youth Candidate
Taylor Paige Faircloth is  the daughter of Nolan and Beth Faircloth. She was born November 12, 1991 and was adopted five weeks later; December 17, 1991 was when her family officially began. Taylor feels that God has truly blessed her with an absolutely wonderful family.

Taylor loves to be outdoors. Taylor is very athletic and has a deep interest in sports. Taylor has been a cheerleader for approximately eight years all through Recreation Park leagues to middle school and is now a varsity cheerleader for Triton High School. Taylor has also taken tap, jazz, ballet, and clogging, as well as played softball, until the dedicated effort and many hours of practice for cheerleading forced her to concentrate only on cheering. Some of the other things that she enjoys include water sports such as wakeboarding, knee boarding, slalom skiing, and surfing. During the summer you will most likely be able to find Taylor boating at the lake, laying by the pool, or catching some waves at the beach.

One of Taylor's special passions is kids. At church she keeps the nursery during any play or choir practices. When she gets out of school, Taylor would like to have a career that involves working with kids and in the medical field because it causes her great despair to see sick or suffering children that are unable to live a pain free, care free, fun filled childhood as she has.

Thank You To Our 2009 Sponsors:

Candidates Only - Man & Woman of the Year candidates will find everything they need to know about how to be successful

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