IN JUST TEN WEEKS, TWO OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS ALONG WITH THREE OTHERS RAISE $32,000 FOR LIFESAVING CANCER RESEARCH

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Gateway Chapter Announces Local 2009 Man & Woman of the Year  

St. Louis- A St. Louis woman and a St. Louis man raised more than $13,000 for blood cancer research and patient services, making them the winners of this year's  Man & Woman of the Year Campaign for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Gateway Chapter.  

The two winners, Debbie Etter and Mike Pettit, were the top local fundraisers and will now be entered into the national competition for Man & Woman of the Year.

During a ten-week fundraising period beginning with a kickoff celebration, the candidates were judged solely on their success in generating funds to advance the Society's mission.  Every dollar raised counts as one "vote." Debbie and Mike were the candidates with the most "votes," and were awarded the title of 2009 Man & Woman of the Year at a grand finale celebration on June 11, 2009. The candidates competed in honor of the Society's Boy & Girls of the Year, local children who are blood cancer survivors and sources of inspiration to others. 

Debbie Etter is the administrative assistant for Nottelmann Music Company and this was her first time running for the prestigious title of Woman of the Year.  Mike Pettit is the Director of Retail Services for the Sansone Group and this was his second time running for the title of Man of the Year.  The other candidates competing this year include: Jules Karagiannis, owner of The Tenderloin Room with husband Dino; Renee Strutman with Heartland Payment Systems; and Matt Hall, Principal of Hill Investment Group.

"Man & Woman of the Year is a great opportunity for participants to network with other candidates while raising money for a great cause," said Jennifer Schroeder, the Gateway Chapter's Campaign Manager.  "Candidates gain personal and professional exposure in the St. Louis community, while expanding their philanthropic involvement at the same time."  Winners and runners-up will be featured on a couple of St. Louis billboards in October and November and in the August issue of Alive magazine.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS's mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $600 million in research specifically targeting blood cancers.

In 2009, LLS celebrates its 60th anniversary with the launch of a special Web site, lls.org/innovation. Moving forward, our goal for the future is one in which LLS has transformed the lives of people with blood cancer and the healthcare landscape that patients, families and caregivers navigate. Your stories are a part of our history and our future. We urge patients, caregivers and our fundraisers alike to share them and celebrate our mission.

For more information about blood cancer, visit www.LLS.org or call the Society's Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by master's level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC information specialists are available at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.