The foundation's name was chosen to honor a remarkable woman named Terri Brodeur. /
Terri Brodeur was born in New London, Connecticut at Lawrence & MemorialHospital on April 14, 1964.
Terri was the second child of six born to Anthony (Tony) and Frances (Fran) Sottile of Waterford Connecticut. In addition to raising six children, Tony and Fran were employed as elementary school teachers in the Mystic school system and active volunteers in a number of community and religious organizations including the Girl Scouts of America and The Knights of Columbus.
Tony and Fran taught Terri the most important lessons she would ever learn - among them, honesty, sincerity, respect for others and the importance of giving back. They also instilled a strong work ethic, deep faith and a general love for life, particularly the outdoors. These qualities which would define Terri throughout her life.
Her pleasant demeanor and steady work habits made Terri a perennial "teacher's pet" in grade school right through High School where, in addition to her studies, Terri enjoyed dance and band. She was a shy, quiet girl who wouldn't smile much (at least not 'til her braces came off). Terri kept a few close friends during her teen years. Ever the optimist, her senior quote in the Waterford High yearbook read, "When all else fails, smile."
Terri met her soul-mate and future spouse, Tim Brodeur, as a freshman at the University of Connecticut where the two, inseparable most times, ultimately graduated with business degrees in 1986. Jobs in the accounting and insurance industries led Tim and Terri to move to the Hartford area where they also pursued graduate degrees and where their first child, Ashley, was born in June of 1993.
An opportunity for Tim at Pfizer Research and Development Finance in Groton, Connecticut combined with a second child, Melanie, born in April, 1995 led to the decision to re-locate back to the shoreline area in Old Saybrook. Shortly after Melanie's birth, Terri decided to take a "time-out" from her career to focus on her greatest pride, her family, which a few years later (in March 1998) now included a son, Sean.
Arguably Terri's most important life-work would take place during the next five years when, in addition to being the best Mom and wife imaginable, Terri was an active volunteer in the elementary school system, local parish and Girl Scouts. Beyond the obvious enthusiasm for her volunteer work, Terri's impossibly big blue eyes, dazzling smile and open, genuine personality made her a magnet for friends and admirers throughout the community. The most common observation being that, "Terri was truly beautiful - inside and out."
So it was with great shock and sadness that family and friends received the news that Terri had been diagnosed with Stage-IV breast cancer in July of 2003. These emotions were matched only by the confusion of how this could happen to someone so young, so vibrant, and so healthy. Someone with none of the "normal" health or lifestyle contributing factors. Someone with no warning signs or family history of breast cancer. Terri was 39.
Over the next two-plus years Terri waged a battle that, in the end, was defined not by how the cancer impacted her physically but how she triumphed emotionally and spiritually. Terri rarely got down and she never, ever gave up. Her hope. Her faith. Her love for family, friends and community.
Terri left a legacy of courage and love that will never be forgotten by those fortunate enough to know her …a beautiful woman inside and out. Smile.
In Memoriam: Norma Logan, 1958-2006
Founding President
Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation /
New London - Norma Jean McPhail Logan, 48, wife of Michael Logan, died Thursday evening, April 20, 2006, at their New London home after a three-year fight against breast cancer.
She was born on April 15, 1958, in New London to Mary Mariani of Waterford and Norman McPhail of Boca Raton, Fla.
Norma was working as Director for Research/Technology at Pfizer Inc. prior to her death. Previously, she worked as a project manager for several breast cancer studies at the FredHutchinsonCancerResearchCenter in Seattle, Wash., where she and her husband lived for 10 years. While at Fred Hutchinson, Norma also managed a joint U.S. - Russian study assessing risks and rates of thyroid cancer in residents surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident, leading her to travel extensively in Russia and Europe. In Seattle, Norma became an accomplished, passionate ceramicist whose work was shown and sold in the gallery at the ceramic icon, Pottery Northwest.
In the last year, Norma and Sandy Maniscalco founded the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the goal of which is to dedicate 100 percent of gross fund-raising proceeds to breast cancer research. Norma named the foundation after her friend, the late and beautiful Terri Brodeur of Old Saybrook.
Norma also loved gardening, music, singing, dancing, traveling, interior design, and her nieces and nephews. She gave generously of her spirit and heart to the world, which amplified her grace and beauty.
A sister, Geralyn McPhail, of East Haddam, and a brother, Bert Bowden, of Port St.Lucie, Fla., survive her, as well as an extended family that includes Andrea Bowden, Susan Logan, Michael Garabedian, Steven and Jean Logan, Martha and Donald Logan, and Nate and Patricia Belcher.
The family would like to express their love and appreciation to the doctors, especially Richard M. Hellman, the staff, and her beloved oncology nurses at Oncology and Hematology Associates of New London, who carried her life like a precious flame, for their generosity of spirit, compassion, humor, and the great pool toys.
There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Research Foundation at PO Box 785, New London CT 06320.
The Thomas L. Neilan and Sons Funeral Home in New London is assisting the family.
Keeping Logan's Promise
Our organization's name was chosen to honor the beautiful life and fighting spirit of Terri Brodeur, a mother of three young children and victim of breast cancer. Terri's name is inextricably bound to that of Norma Logan, one of the founder's of the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation (TBBCF). What was and is the Logan's Promise of the title?
Norma named the Foundation after Terri because she felt that Terri represented the most dreadful aspects of breast cancer etiology and diagnosis. Terri was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer; there is no Stage V, thus Terri faced the worst odds possible. While seemingly quite healthy until diagnosis, effective treatment options did not exist to save Terri, and after a two-year battle she succumbed to the disease. Norma had herself been diagnosed with breast cancer just prior to Terri. While she originally was diagnosed at Stage II, a later metastasis spread to her liver and she succumbed to the disease in April of 2006.
Norma's desire to establish a non-profit organization was born of her frustration at having raised money for non-profit breast cancer organizations and participated in their events only to later discover, after requesting a disclosure of financials, that a large percent of fundraising dollars were being diverted from research to cover organizational overhead and administrative costs. Her anger and knowledge became a promise in two parts: 1). 100% percent of every dollar raised by the TBBCF would go directly to research and 2). The Foundation would be financially transparent so that all participants, from sponsors to volunteers, could plainly see that the organization was meeting its 100% target.
Between 2004 and 2005, Norma led a group of walkers in raising $200,000 for a nationally recognized breast cancer event. She later discovered that 40% of all the money her team raised went to overhead. Of the $200,000 raised by the group, $80,000 never made it to critical research programs. Norma felt, as a fundraiser and breast cancer patient herself, that this was unacceptable. She decided there had to be an organization that was more idealistically visionary with the gross proceeds it accepted from fundraisers.
Many organizations raise money for breast cancer research and awareness. The pink ribbons we see everywhere are evidence of their success. While monies directed towards awareness are useful, they are also donations lost to research. These dollars will never reach the scientists who are searching for the keys to unlock the mysteries of this disease. Most fundraising organizations have overhead costs that divert even more money from research. The National Institutes of Health and other government grant agencies, over the last few years, have substantially reduced the amount of money available to basic research scientists working on solutions to the problem of breast cancer therapies and treatment options. It is crucial that private philanthropic organizations fill the research dollar gap.
Thanks to Norma's amazing vision, the TBBCF is different. By working at a grass roots level, with committed volunteers who have a proven track record in fundraising, and with the support of key sponsors, we are keeping Norma's promise to devote 100% of gross fundraising dollars directly to research and provide transparent fiscal evidence to the 2006 donators to honor her and their commitment.
Terri and Norma became friends as a result of their shared illnesses and the fact Norma also became a Stage IV breast cancer patient. On October 14, 2005, Norma wrote an impassioned email letter to her band of committed walk volunteers from the previous year. She had just returned from Terri Brodeur's calling hours in Old Saybrook. That letter became the spiritual contract with the group who would become the foundation leaders. TBBCF was born on that day.
We lost Norma on April 20, 2006, just six months after losing Terri, but not before Norma had used every bit of energy she could muster to fight her disease and at the same time create the reality of a new and functioning non-profit foundation. In this first edition of our bi-annual newsletter we are pleased to be able to say we are keeping Logan's Promise.
This first issue is filled with stories about our business experiences and fundraising successes in 2006. But clearly, the biggest story for 2006 is that in a little over six months, through the amazing efforts of a small band of volunteers, the generous support of local sponsors, and the selfless commitment of Walk across Southeastern Connecticut walkers and crew members, TBBCF was able to award $300,000 toward breast cancer research. On January 5, 2007, The Board of Directors announced the names of the 2006 TBBCF research grant recipients. They are:
Dr. Andrea Oliver - Surgical Oncologist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Dr. Oliver will be studying molecular pathways conferring Tamoxifin and Herceptin resistance to metastatic cells. Her aspiration is to work in a multi discipline caregiver setting. The SAC describe Dr. Oliver as vibrant and willing to participate in TBBCF activities.
Dr. Erica Mayer - Clinical Research Oncologist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Dr. Mayer will be studying the vascular injury and hypertensive liabilities of Avastin which limit its therapeutic potential. Understanding this problem could improve treatment regimes and ultimately outcomes as well. The SAC describe Dr. Mayer as brilliant and driven. Regarding advocacy she says, "I let my research talk for me".
Dr. Samit Chaterjee - Molecular Cell Biologist at ColdSpringHarbor: Dr. Samit has been studying the molecular determinants of cellular polarity. It is thought that dysregulation in cell polarity may be a preamble to formation of early epithelial breast malignancies. This is a great proposal being executed at ColdSpringHarbor. The SAC describe Dr. Samit as someone who is quiet and reflective but who also enthusiastically embraces the foundation and its work.
Each of the three researcher recipients has been awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000. Good luck to them. Norma's, and our hopes and aspirations, are with them.
2006 Walk Across Southeastern Connecticut
The Faces & Places
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On October 14, 2006, the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation (TBBCF) launched its inaugural, annual Walk Across Southeastern Connecticut, a daunting 26.2-mile walk (the distance of a marathon) from Old Saybrook to Waterford's HarknessMemorialState Park. Walkers were required to raise a minimum of $1,000, every penny of which was guaranteed by the TBBCF's mission statement to be directed toward breast cancer research. No overhead or administrative costs would be subtracted from the monies raised by walkers, assuring them that the accompanying blisters and soreness from the physical effort was commensurate with the foundation's belief in them and breast cancer research.
The walk is difficult; soliciting donations to raise $1,000 is not easy. It was designed by the foundation leaders to be that way. Think of a woman suffering through the rigorous physical effects of chemotherapy to treat her breast cancer. The Walk Across Southeastern Connecticut was meant to metaphorically assume the difficulty of that burden, within the framework of compassionate, supportive community, and for one day to aim it at a brighter future where targeted therapies may alleviate chemotherapy's side effects or make it unnecessary due to newer, advanced therapies.
After a brief opening ceremony, at which walkers heard heartfelt words from Melanie and Ashley Brodeur, Terri Brodeur's daughters, Geralyn McPhail, sister to the late founder Norma Logan, and breast cancer survivors Heather Roche, Michelle Miller, Marcie Brensilver, Diane Anderson, and Maureen Spollen, 113 walkers took to the road to complete the 26.2 mile walk. Along the route, walker monotony and sores were lessened by greetings with Hawaiian music and leis, a Boy Scout troop, a 3-pan band, guitarists, a pink ribbon made entirely of balloons, Halloween decorations, friendly fans handing out candy, celebratory fire engine sirens from Waterford's Goshen fire station, and a dedicated, large crew of volunteers who manned hydration, snack, and medical pit stops along the entire walk route.
The last of the walkers reached the finish line at 3:45 pm. Closing ceremonies were instructive, emotional, and festive. Tim Brodeur spoke passionately of the love for his late wife, Terri Brodeur, the foundation's namesake. Mike Morin, TBBCF Scientific Advisory Member and Vice President for a pharmaceutical research team focused on anti-bacterial, immunology, and cancer treatment drug discovery, remembered his co-worker and foundation founder Norma Logan and noted the reawakening of Norma's vision through the generous efforts of walkers and volunteers alike. Foundation President and co-founder Sandy Maniscalco spoke powerfully and emotionally of her and Norma's thanks to the walkers for inaugurating the first annual Walk Across SE CT so successfully and for making the TBBCF's vision a reality that will speak to the future. A group of breast cancer survivors was acknowledged for their brave resistance to a terrible disease, as bearers for the continuation of life beyond breast cancer, a goal which research-driven fundraising continually strives to extend and improve. A slide show also highlighted the day's events. The Walk raised an astonishing $230,000 for a first time event.
Organizing, promoting, and operating a large event like the Walk could not have been accomplished without the help and efforts of local corporate sponsors, the participants, and a horde of volunteers who sacrificed large amounts of personal time to produce a magnificent event. It is mainly through their and your efforts that the TBBCF will be able to significantly fund breast cancer researchers within the first year of operation and in the years ahead.
The TBBCF is in the process of surveying participants and volunteers to assess the efficacy and organizational strategies used during the 2006 walk. Thank you to all who completed the survey, your comments will help guide our improvements for the 2007 walk. For instance, next year a shuttle service will be made available to allow walkers to return to the point of the walks origination. The Foundation is also in the process of updating and improving the TBBCF website to make the donation, volunteer opportunity, and walk registration processes more user friendly.