Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has presented awards to local leaders and organizations who “have gone above and beyond to support the Cancer Center and its patients through philanthropy.” They were recently recognized at the Cancer Center’s “Our Community” celebration in Baton Rouge.
J. Terrell “Tee” Brown, Jr., was awarded the Hillar C. Moore, Jr., Memorial Outstanding Leadership Award. Each year, this award recognizes those whose service has made a significant and unique contribution to the Cancer Center’s philanthropic initiatives. Brown serves on the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Board of Directors, is a past board member of the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation Board of Directors, and currently serves as president of GMFS Mortgage.
The Louis D. Curet Memorial Volunteer Fundraiser Award was given to the Benjamin Blanchard Memorial Foundation. This award recognizes an individual, organization, or foundation that has launched or led a significant philanthropic effort in support of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.
Using gifts from this foundation, Mary Bird Perkins has been able to incorporate numerous cancer outreach services including a permanent source of funding to support St. Tammany and Washington Parishes and an infusion center named after Blanchard.
The foundation just recently donated $665,000 to Mary Bird Perkins, which led to the establishment of the Ben Blanchard Memorial Endowment Fund.
Board member, David S. Hanson, M.D., was awarded the D. Jensen Holliday Memorial Community Service Award. This award is presented annually to an individual whose vision and dedication have made a sustained and measurable difference in the fight against cancer.
Hanson is a retired medical oncologist in Baton Rouge who worked at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and was a member of Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates (LHOA) for 30 years advancing cancer care in our community.
Motivated to improve cancer care for the underserved, Hanson has played a major role in increasing access to clinical trials for minority and underserved cancer patients at Mary Bird Perkins.
“The work we do at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center would be impossible without the support of the community,” said Danielle Mack, vice president and chief development officer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “As a nonprofit organization, we are proud to recognize the extraordinary community leaders who have played such a profound role in our ability to fulfill our mission. The importance of their help, and that of the wider community, cannot be overstated.”