Subject: Barbara Kavanagh Receives Health Care Heroes Education Award; 11 Others Honored

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BARBARA KAVANAGH RECEIVES HEALTH CARE HEROES AWARD; 11 OTHERS HONORED AS 'UNSUNG HEROES'

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Aug. 21, 2008); Barbara B. Kavanagh, M.S.W., President and Founder of the Arizona Myeloma Network, received the Health Care Heroes Education Award at the 2008 Phoenix Business Journal's Health Care Heroes Awards breakfast. The Award was presented by Dr. Sandi Perez, Delta Dental Foundation, on behalf of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, the Presenting Sponsor for this event.

Ms. Kavanagh is the President and Founder of the Arizona Myeloma Network (AzMN), a grassroots cancer charity is located in Glendale, Arizona where Kavanagh and her husband, a myeloma patient, live. Myeloma is a rare form of incurable bone marrow cancer that destroys bone and strikes 20,000 people each year. Myeloma is often misdiagnosed and AzMN's mission is to provide awareness, education and advocacy for other myeloma patients and families who are fighting this deadly disease. With the help of volunteers, they are providing outreach and support to cancer patients and families in Arizona. AzMN brings together scientists, businesses, cancer specialists, and healthcare providers to work together to provide earlier diagnosis, new treatments, and research to benefit cancer patients and families.

Eleven other providers were honored in 10 categories at the event sponsored by the Phoenix Business Journal, Abrazo Health Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital, A.T. Still University, Delta Dental and The Plaza Companies.

Health Care Heroes Awards also were presented for the first time to honorees in three new categories:

First Responder: Chris Crockett, Commander Public Affairs Bureau, City of Phoenix Police Department;

Education: Barbara Kavanagh, President and Founder, Arizona Myeloma Network; and Craig Phelps, D.O., FAOASM, Provost, A.T. Still University

Service Philanthropy: Judy Mohraz, Ph.D., President, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.

Other winners by category were:

Community Outreach: James Washington, Director of School Based Clinics, Abrazo Health Care;

Dental: Doug Beischel, DDS, Chief of Staff, John C. Lincoln Children’s Dental Care;

Lifetime Achievement: Joseph Rogers, PhD, President and Senior Scientist, Sun Health Research Institute;

Nurse: Elizabeth Campbell, Clinical Program Manager, T-Gen;

Nurse Leader: Sue Hanauer, Vice President, Patient Care Services, John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital;

Physician: Dr. Oliver Harper, Senior Physician and Co-Founder, Banner Arizona Medical Clinic;

Research/Innovator: William Duckworth, VA Researcher, Phoenix VA Health CareSystem; and

Volunteer: Gary Held, President, My Guy Remodeling

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Media contacts:

Nancy Jenkins, Arizona Myeloma Network, 602-410-0498; azmyeloma@aol.com