COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 12th annual Stefanie’s Champions Awards is seeking nomination for caregivers who are helping improve the lives of cancer patients. Five Champions will be honored during an annual awards luncheon, to be held on April 13 in the Archie M. Griffin Ballroom at The Ohio Union on the campus of The Ohio State University. Stefanie Spielman, who died in November 2009, gave the first Champion award to her husband, Chris Spielman, a former football standout at Ohio State and the National Football League. He put his professional football career on hold to care for her when she was first treated for breast cancer in 1998 at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James). Since then, 70 other caregivers have been recognized as Stefanie’s Champions. One of last year’s nominators, Suzanne Kaszar of Worthington said, “Being able to nominate your caregiver means that you can try to thank her on an unimaginable scale. And if that person is selected as one of Stefanie's Champions (as was mine), an honor is forever bestowed upon that caregiver.” Each Champion must exemplify the qualities and values important to the Spielmans, including: Putting families first. Demonstrating acts of kindness and dedication to a cancer patient. Elevating a patient’s battle with cancer above all other personal needs. Cancer survivors or parents/guardians of cancer survivors younger than 18, can nominate a Champion by visiting www.spielmanfund.com. Nominations are due by Jan. 15, 2011. Net proceeds from the luncheon benefit the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research and the Stefanie Spielman Patient Assistance Fund at the OSUCCC-James. Since 1999, more than $7.9 million has been raised for the fund through activities, donations and events. # # # Related Links: Click here for a JPEG of Stefanie Spielman Jennifer Mutchler Medical Center Public Affairs and Media Relations 614-293-3737 mutchler.27@osu.edu