Jean Tenney
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. —July 21, 2011— Jean Tenney, a retired social worker from Webster Springs, W.Va., is one of twenty -five inspirational individuals who received the American Cancer Society’s St. George National Award for outstanding service to the community in support of the Society’s mission to combat cancer. Recipients were chosen based on ongoing leadership, time commitment, and dedication to areas such as fundraising, mission delivery, patient support, legislative advocacy, and event engagement.
All nominees for this award have dedicated at least six years of their time to the fight against cancer and the fight for more birthdays. They have all significantly contributed to advancing the Society’s mission, strategic goals and programs. Since conceived in 1949 by Dr. Charles S. Cameron, former Society medical and scientific director, the St. George award has been presented annually to Society volunteers nationwide.
“The American Cancer Society is proud to recognize and honor these volunteers for their exemplary service,” said Edward E. Partridge, M.D., national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. “Without such unwavering dedication, tireless support, and irrepressible passion as these awardees demonstrate, the Society would not be able to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”
Tenney currently volunteers with the Relay For Life of Webster County, the Webster County Cancer Coalition, Working on Wellness (WOW) and as a Volunteer Grant Coordinator.
With a master’s degree in social work, Jean Tenney has a heart for her community and makes this involvement a priority. Tenney has become a face for the American Cancer Society in her community and is seeking to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients on a daily basis. In 1998, she began serving the Society by transporting patients for their cancer treatments and recognizing the unmet needs of cancer patients and issues surrounding access to care. Her primary volunteer focus is eliminating youth smoking. She received a tobacco prevention grant in 1998 from the West Virginia Youth Tobacco Prevention Campaign on behalf of Webster County Hospital, and created a youth group named Many Agree Smoking Kills with this grant. With her second grant, she formed the Webster County Tobacco Control Coalition, which focused on clean indoor air regulations. She has continued to work on health-related projects and grants to better her community.
Throughout her 12 years with the Society, Tenney has given a face to the Society in her community, advocated for prevention, and encouraged survivors to tell their stories.
For her care for cancer patients, support of clean indoor air, fight against big tobacco, and commitment to the mission of the Society, it is an honor and privilege for the South Atlantic Division to present the prestigious St. George National Award to Jean Tenney.
In addition to Tenney, the Society also honored:
- Carol Baker of Cupertino, Calif., community volunteer;
- Jon M. Grief, D.O., F.A.C.S., of Oakland, Calif., Breast Cancer Surgeon, Bay Area Breast Surgeons, Inc;
- Stacy Matseas of San Diego, Calif., retired;
- Enrique Hernandez, M.D. of Philadelphia, PA, professor and chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Temple University Hospital;
- Robert M. Thompson of Toledo, Ohio, vice president and senior financial advisor, Merrill Lynch;
- Pamela Baxter of New York, N.Y., president and CEO, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics North America and Christian Dior, Inc.;
- Sally Froelich of New York, N.Y. volunteer, philanthropist, society leader; Nancy Graver of Endwell, N.Y. customer relationship manager, Source Corp.;
- Martin Larsen of Pembroke Pines, Fla., president and CEO, Community Redevelopment Associates;
- Catherine A. Roberts of Dearborn, MI, president, Legislative and International Activities, Community Choice Credit Union;
- Helen Davis of Albuquerque, N.M., volunteer;
- Russell Gillard of Mesa, Ariz., engineer, retired;
- Richard E. Spoonemore of Seattle, Wash., attorney, Sirianni, Youtz, Meier and Spoonemore;
- Lewis E. Foxhall, M.D. of Houston, Texas, vice president, Health Policy and Associate Professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center;
- Richard D. Pecard of Chicago, Ill., vice president, Investments, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney;
- Roy Duhe, Ph.D. of Jackson, Miss., professor, Pharmacology, University of Mississippi;
- Tina F. Gill of Maumelle, Ark., VISN 16 Cancer Care Program Manager, Department of Veterans Affairs;
- William Pressly of Crossville, Tenn., attorney, retired;
- James A. Bergeron of Minneapolis, Minn., vice president and managing director, RBC Wealth Management;
- Shirley D. Roof of Cedar Falls, Iowa, retired;
- Michael Lipton of Bloomfield, Conn., retired;
- AnnMarie Morse of Candia, N.H., teacher;
- Judith B. Rosenthal of Dedham, Mass., Learning Center teacher, Diagnostic/Evaluation Team, Newton Public Schools, Newton North High School;
- Irwin “Ike” Belk of Charlotte, N.C., president, the Belk Group, Inc. and retired officer and director, the Belk Group of Stores;
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end cancer for good. As a global grassroots force of three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping you stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early, helping you get well by being there for you during and after a diagnosis, by finding cures through groundbreaking discovery and fighting back through public policy. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
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For more information, contact:
Domenick Casuccio
American Cancer Society
(804) 527-3735
Domenick.Casuccio@cancer.org