Community Memorial

Ann Fonfa founded Annie Appleseed Project to promote alternative and complementary health care for cancer treatment. Ann worked as an advocate and activist on many issues including women’s rights, LGBTQIA Equality, Peace, Civil Rights and better, less toxic treatments for cancer patients. She provided many educational programs on evidence-based alternative and complementary treatments for cancer. Ann died on January 29, 2024.

Anna was an active member of both the Monday Night and Newly Diagnosed & In-Treatment Uterine Cancer Support Groups. She is remembered as being very caring and kind to everyone. She always kept others in her thoughts and prayers, even as she was suffering herself.

Cassandra Polite was a warm and insightful member of SHARE’s ovarian cancer support groups for six years. She lived in Manhattan, where she raised three adoring sons —  Brian, Xavier and Ellison. Prior to her diagnosis at age 45, Cassandra had a long and satisfying career with the US Postal Service in Riverdale.

She was deeply appreciative for the support and information she received at SHARE. She cheerfully stepped up to help us publicize the benefits of our ovarian cancer community in a SHARE video and she represented us, glamorously, on the runway with Tina’s Wish during their annual fashion show to raise research dollars targeting early detection.

Gwen Manchion was a member of the MBCBrainMets.org committee. In addition to her cancer advocacy, she was a mom to two young girls, a runner, a former physical therapist assistant and a lifelong learner. Gwen was passionate about equal access to imaging, encouraging patients to self-advocate for diagnostic testing and making themselves heard in medicine.

Harriett Barbara Jones passed peacefully on Sunday, December 31, 2023, at University of California San Francisco Medical Center at Mission Bay Hospital from uterine cancer at 63 years old. She worked for the County of Sacramento for over 25 years and worked for the Department of Building Inspection and retired from the Department of Child Support. Family was everything to Harriett and she devoted over 15 years of her life studying her family’s genealogy. 

Harriett shared many financial and other resources with the Uterine Cancer Helpline because she was happy to support her uterine cancer sisters. 

Harriett Jones was a caring friend and beloved by her family.

Heidi Kugler inspired the women who attended SHARE’s support group for women coping with recurrent ovarian cancer. 

Heidi was diagnosed with one of the rarer forms of ovarian cancer – clear cell. She diligently researched promising therapies that targeted mutations in her cancer. She always made time to reach out to encourage women in similar circumstances. 

Heidi lived with her husband, Kevin, in Columbus, Ohio. She took care of business where treatment was concerned. But she never let it get in the way of travel to see something new or spend time with family and friends. She was beloved by her colleagues in the insurance industry.

When SHARE asked for webinar panelists to discuss their personal experience with blood clots, Heidi graciously volunteered to tell her story.

Angela “Jersi” Baker was born and raised in northern New Jersey and now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the mother of one son, who is the light of her world. She was diagnosed with DCIS in 2003 and underwent a full mastectomy and reconstruction. In 2011, Jersi became metastatic and in 2021, she learned she had central nervous system metastasis. In 2015, Jersi founded a nonprofit organization named Angel in Disguise Inc. She considers Angel in Disguise Inc. her greatest accomplishment. Jersi passed away on December 26, 2023.

Maria Zavalas was a member of the Lincoln Hospital Support Group for many years. Maria was sweet, kind, ​loving, and a very friendly person. ​ She enjoyed spending time with her family and attending the Lincoln Support Group and social gatherings. This beautiful picture was taken at our Valentine’s Day Brunch in 2020​. Throughout her second battle with cancer in 2023, the facilitator and members​ of the Lincoln Support Group kept in contact with her once a month through FaceTime during the group​ sessions and many individually called and ​visited her. Our beloved Maria Zavalas was an inspiration to our group and is dearly missed.​ Maria Zavalas passed on February 24, 2024.

Nancy Carmel Hérard-Marshall, aged 57, of New York, NY, passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2024. She was a business owner, actress, and dance/movement therapist. Nancy shifted her focus to advocacy in the metastatic breast cancer (MBC) community through the MBCmoves! project, bringing therapeutic dance to enhance the well-being of those with MBC. She was recognized as a facilitator at a metastatic breast cancer conference and featured as a guest on the first season of Our BC Life podcast in the episode A Breast Cancer Story: From Stage Zero to Stage Four. Nancy brought joy and laughter to all who knew her and cherished her family, friends, and two sons.

Natalia died on November 29, 2023 from metastatic breast cancer at the age of 39. Natalia is survived by her husband and two children. Natalia was a producer on SHARE’s podcast, Our MBC Life where she interviewed doctors, patients and her daughter.

Rosemary O’Regan Schneider, passed away peacefully at her home in Southold, surrounded by family, on July 17, 2024. She was a loving wife to Jon G. Schneider (deceased). She had a successful career at Prudential Securities as the Manager of the Compensation Department in Human Resources. Rosemary was an original and cherished member of our Long Island Ovarian cancer support group for the last four years. Rosemary will be remembered for her infectious laugh, kindness, generosity and devotion to family and friends.

Sheila Johnson was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 43 years old.  Sheila was a powerful advocate, writer, speaker and retired Air Force Veteran. During the 14 years Sheila lived with MBC, her mission was to empower and support people diagnosed with cancer.

Terry Ann Cohen passed peacefully in her sleep on May 22, 2024, from metastatic breast cancer. She was a loving and caring daughter, sister, and aunt; a lifelong friend and best friend, nurturing colleague, and inspiring community leader. Her brilliant mind, playful wit and sense of humor, deep Jewish faith, and strong sense of wonder and doing the right thing touched and impressed all who met her.