Winners of the 2013 Man and Woman of the Year Campaign Announced

NEWPORT, RI – The Rhode Island Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) wrapped up its 2013 Man & Woman of the Year competition on May 4, with a Grand Finale in Newport with Lora Lopiccolo of Foster and Brian Trahan of Providence, coming out victorious in this 10-week fundraising competition.

Both the Man and Woman of the Year, Brian, the Managing Director of the Center for Phenomenological Leadership and Lora, owner of Yoga by Lora, both individually raised over $15,000 in is 10-week campaign.

Community leaders competed for the national title of Man & Woman of the Year, an honor surrounded with a great deal of fanfare, including a full-page ad in USA Today, but the most important reason candidates participated was for families like this year’s Boy and Girl of the Year, Lamar from Woonsocket, and Hannah from Portsmouth, both 10 years of age. Lamar and Hannah are local children who are survivors of blood cancers and who are sources of inspiration. Every dollar raised counted as one “vote.” The male and female candidates with the most “votes” were awarded the title of 2013 Man & Woman of the Year.

The money raised by candidates over the ten week period is used by LLS to fund research seeking cures and better therapies, and to provide information and support so that patients have the best possible outcomes throughout their cancer experience.

“We are thrilled to announce our 2013 Winners. Congratulations to Brian and Lora as well as our Runners-Up Steve Pitassi, of Janney Montgomery Scott and Jennifer Cervenka of Partridge Snow and Hahn. Even though there are winners, it is the collective total of the entire 15 candidates that is truly amazing. Over $104,000 raised in RI for blood cancer research and patient services program is amazing. What a wonderful group of candidates!” said Bill Koconis, the Rhode Island Chapter’s Executive Director. “We cannot express enough how lucky we are to have such amazing volunteers associated with the LLS. We could not do any of this without them.”

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®, headquartered in White Plains, NY, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The LLS mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to 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 leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. LLS has a local Patient Services Manager in 68 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. For additional information, please contact LLS at (800) 955-4572 or visit www.LLS.org.

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