Stefanie Spielman, breast-cancer champion and wife of football great Chris Spielman, died at home in Upper Arlington, Ohio, on Thursday November 19, 2009.
Chris and Stefanie Spielman had only been married nine years, in 1998, when Stefanie Spielman found a lump in her right breast. After receiving the shocking news that she had breast cancer, Spielman elevated awareness of the devastating disease, and helped raise millions of dollars toward research, through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research. And rather than feel sorry for herself, she encouraged her husband to share her diagnosis with his teammates and fans, so that others might benefit from the knowledge and seek treatment for themselves.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, shortly after her diagnosis, the local Big Bear grocery store began fundraising in her honor. The efforts took off like wildfire, and stimulated others to join the fight. $1 million was raised within six months, but that was just the beginning. Stefanie, with the support of her husband Chris, worked tirelessly to raise funds to combat the deadly disease and promote early detection. To date, those efforts have contributed more than $6.5 million to the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.
Chris Spielman also became an inspiration on the home front, as he opted to take himself out of the game he loved, for a year, to care for his wife Stefanie. Spielman devoted his days to his wife's physical and mental healing, going so far as to shave his long locks, when she lost her hair to the affects of chemotherapy.
Even though her cancer had returned for the fifth time, Central Ohio football fans watched as Stefanie joined her husband and four children on the OSU football field on September 5, 2009, when Chris Spielman was honored as a 2010 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Calling hours will be Monday from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Longaberger Alumni House on Olentangy River Road and Trinity United Methodist Church on Cambridge Boulevard will host a celebration of life service on Tuesday.
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Comments
Yes, Megan...she died on the 19th. The cache was not clearing for the correction for some reason...it should be fine now.
Condolences to the family.
All the more reason for women to continue with their regular breast cancer screenings.
Sad news, and yes hopefully women will still get their screenings.
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