TV's Marcia Wallace Receives the Gilda Radner Courage Award at Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s All Star Night Gala

(BUFFALO, NY)— Marcia Wallace, a breast cancer survivor and one of America's most beloved comic actresses, was honored by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) on Saturday, January 27 with the Gilda Radner Courage Award at the Institute’s 17th All Star Night gala. The event was presented by the Roswell Park Alliance Community Advisory Board and lead sponsor, HSBC, at Buffalo's Adam's Mark Hotel

Wallace has helped carry on the legacy of the late Radner by educating Americans about the importance of early cancer detection, and inspiring cancer patients through her own 20-year breast cancer survivorship.

A sold-out crowd of 1,200 guests heard Wallace's keynote address, which was based on her recently published autobiography, Don’t Look Back, We’re Not Going That Way. Wallace candidly shared her moving story of her cancer struggles, while encouraging other women to become both vigilant and educated about cancer risks and treatment options. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985 prior to her successful treatment, and began speaking across the country to help educate other women about breast cancer shortly after losing her husband, Dennis Hawley, to pancreatic cancer in 1992.

Wallace joins a prestigious list of past awardees including Sam Donaldson, the late Robert Urich, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Senator Bob Dole, Scott Hamilton, Barry Bostwick, Joel Siegel, Rue McClanahan, Ted Kennedy, Jr. and others.

The following All Star Night awards also were presented:

• The Thomas B. Tomasi, MD, PhD Achievement Award – Presented for scientific achievement to Christine Ambrosone, PhD, Director of Epidemiology in Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s  Department of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences. An innovator in the field of molecular epidemiology, Ambrosone serves as the Chairperson for the Molecular Epidemiology Group of the American Association for Cancer Research. Her research contributions include studies of non-small cell lung cancer, the effects of antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy, and a landmark “Women’s Health After Breast Cancer” investigation. Ambrosone is also currently spearheading the development of one of the nation’s most comprehensive cancer research data banks and biorepositories (biological samples and lifestyle data from up to 60,000 cancer patients and 10,000 healthy adults). The project has been initiated with funds secured by the WNY legislative delegation and from individual gifts.
• The Katherine Anne Gioia Inspiration Award —Presented to Richard Suchan for his volunteerism with the Roswell Park Alliance Community Advisory Board. Suchan is credited with helping to boost corporate sponsorships of Roswell Park events including All Star Night and the Ride for Roswell—fundraisers he co-chaired in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Along with his fellow Ride volunteers and cyclists, Suchan helped to raise a record $1.1 million through the one-day cycling fundraiser last summer.
• A Special Recognition Award — Presented to David C. Hohn, MD, for 10 years of dedicated leadership and achievement as President & CEO of the Institute. Dr. Hohn is credited with spearheading the renaissance of Roswell Park as one of America’s premier comprehensive cancer centers. It was announced that a lecture hall will be named in his honor, and an annual lecture series will be initiated featuring national leaders in the field of health care policy. Hohn will assume the role of Executive Director of Health Policy & President Emeritus beginning on April 1, 2007. 

The All Star Night gala featured a "Primetime for a Cure" theme. Nearly $400,000 was raised through the evening’s activities to benefit lifesaving cancer research and prevention programs, and for support programs for cancer patients and their families.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center headquartered in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania and in China. For more information, visit RPCI's website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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About Marcia Wallace:
Gilda Radner Courage Award winner Marcia Wallace is perhaps best known for her comic portrayal of red-headed secretary Carol Kester on The Bob Newhart Show. She was featured in May 1994 on the cover of Life magazine as a breast cancer survivor, and in the October 1998 People magazine cover story on the American breast cancer epidemic. In-between a busy acting schedule in plays, commercials, TV shows and animated films and series including The Simpsons (for which she received an Emmy Award as the voice of teacher Edna Krabappel), Wallace has continued to make time to spread her hopeful message on talk shows and through regular speech appearances.