When Laura (Weinger) Housley ’82 was named the 2011 Woman of the Year by the New Jersey Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, it was the fitting, happy ending to a long and difficult journey. After feeling tired and run down, with aches, pains, and trouble breathing, Housley was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2000. She spent the next several months checking in and out of the hospital for treatment, missing her husband, Ron, and children Matthew (then 16 months) and Sara (then 4 years). Housley’s road to recovery began with a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor in March 2002. “It was a very scary time,” she said. “But dying was not an option. My kids were my motivation.” Housley is now cancer free, but she is constantly reminded of her experiences, whether it’s the scars, the thrice-yearly doctor’s appointments, or the sight of young children that brings to mind the time she lost with Matthew and Sara, now 12 and 14 respectively. Housley has since devoted her time to helping others in her situation, speaking to schools for the Pennies for Patients program where students gather loose change to raise money for cancer research and meeting with the newly diagnosed, something she benefited from herself early in her treatment. “It’s all about giving them hope. When I first was diagnosed, the woman (who spoke to me) had been diagnosed seven years ago. I was so hopeful because she was still alive,” she said. “In the beginning, it was hard for me. I still can’t believe it. When I talk to people, I feel like it’s someone else. “Because of her extensive work with the New Jersey Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, she was nominated as a Woman of the Year candi- date. Candidates raise as much money for the society as possible, and the man and woman who raise the most are honored. Beginning with a modest goal of $10,000, Housley finished by raising more than $23,000 through donations and fundraising events, including a concert at the local Elks Lodge, a street festival, and jewelry show. Housley is motivated to give back after all of the help she received during her own treatment, particularly from Ron—“my rock”—and her community of Maplewood, N.J., who provided meals and support every day for the family. Said Housley, “Being named the Woman of the Year felt like a whole culmination of this journey with a happy ending.”


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TRIANGLE 1 Vol . 83, No. 1


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