Media room

August 30, 2007

Authors of "Nordie's at Noon" to Receive 2007 Shining Star Award

Assurant Employee Benefits Honors Local Authors For Their Perseverance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — (Aug. 30, 2007) —On Sept. 26, the WillReturn Council® of Assurant Employee Benefits will present its annual Shining Star of Perseverance award to the four authors of the book “Nordie's at Noon.” The “Nordie's” women, who all have a Kansas City connection, received national attention in 2006 when they released a book telling their story of perseverance and support for one another following their breast cancer diagnosis.

The Shining Star of Perseverance is a national award given every year by the WillReturn Council® to honor those who have made the most significant recent contribution toward demonstrating perseverance through disabling illness or injury.  Past award recipients include Air Force Lt. Col. Andrew Lourake, the first American military pilot to return to active flying duty after an above-the-know amputation, and former U.S. senator Robert J. Dole, whose achievements following devastating battlefield injuries sustained during World War II inspired a generation of Americans.

This will be the first year the award is given to a group of individuals at one time. The award will be presented to the four authors and cancer activists during a special ceremony hosted by Assurant Employee Benefits. Former major league umpire Steve Palermo, who overcame paralysis after being shot and who serves as chairman of the WillReturn Council®, will present the award to the recipients.
 
Patti Balwanz, Jana Peters, Jennifer Johnson, and Kim Carlos were all young women in heir mid-twenties to early thirties, starting their careers and living regular lives when they were diagnosed with breast cancer — a disease that, according to the American Cancer Society, today affects more than 2 million women nationwide. Having been diagnosed with cancer at an early age, the four women decided to create their own support group, which met every month at the café inside the Nordstrom's department store in Overland Park, Kan. These meetings offered the hope and support each woman needed while undergoing treatments and heartaches.

“After being diagnosed, we were all disappointed with the lack of information available to young women with breast cancer, so we wanted to share our experiences with other women needing resources and support,” said Jennifer Johnson. 

In 2006, these four women decided to share their inspiring outlook on coping with breast cancer through “Nordie's at Noon,” a book about coming together to reach a common goal — beating cancer.

 “These four courageous women represent everything we hope to see in a Shining Star recipient,” said Steve Palermo. “Not only did they show incredible determination as they battled their illness, but they found a way to support and encourage millions of women battling cancer throughout the nation. Their story is one that brings hope, not just to those with cancer, but to all people battling a disability.”

On the cusp of Breast Cancer Awareness and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, both nationally recognized in October, Assurant Employee Benefits hopes this award raises awareness of the need for disability insurance. National Disability Employment Awareness Month was created to recognize the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities.

As a disability insurance expert, Assurant Employee Benefits is providing the following top five tips for companies with employees who have cancer and other disabling illnesses:

1. Show support

Demonstrate emotional and social support by creating an environment that is caring and supportive.  Co-workers may offer assistance with child care, meals, rides to medical appointments and fundraisers.

2. Maintain contact

Keep in touch with phone calls and cards. This is especially important for direct supervisors but something co-workers can do as well.

3. Help them keep their benefits

Look for ways to enable employees to keep benefits as long as possible, especially health and disability insurance, as this can be critical to their recovery and, in the case of family health coverage, impact the well-being of the entire family. 

4. Provide accommodations

Weakness and fatigue may be prominent when employees receive chemotherapy or radiation. Flexible schedules, part-time work, decreased travel, working from home, temporarily reduced responsibilities, and having a private rest area in the workplace can all help ill employees. They also may benefit from workstation or workplace accommodations, such as adaptive office equipment and furniture. Parking close to the building, and having a wheelchair or motorized scooter available in the workplace can also be beneficial.

5. Welcome them back!

Some co-workers have shaved their heads for the benefit of “Locks of Love” or worn hats to show their support of ill employees who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatments.

“Cancer is one of the many disabilities that can change a person's life when they least expect it,” said John Roberts, interim chief executive officer of Assurant Employee Benefits. “It's important for employers to understand the best way to support disabled employees in their time of need and help them return to work whenever possible.”

This year's Shining Star award event, to be hosted by former Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Carol Marinovich, will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., Sept. 26, in the Crown Center Exhibit Hall B, adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Hotel.  Present to accept the award will be two of the “Nordie's at Noon” authors, Jennifer Johnson and Kim Carlos. Family members of Patti Balwanz and Jana Peters will accept the award on behalf of these two extraordinary women who died in 2003 and 2006 respectively, following their long battle with cancer.

Jennifer Johnson currently is cancer free and working for a large telecommunications company in Kansas City. She lives in Overland Park, Kan., with her husband, Matt, and their two children, Parker and Emma. Kim Carlos recently started her own business, K.C. Consulting, where she focuses on grassroots advocacy, governmental relations, and public relations, as well as motivational speaking. She lives in Kansas City, Mo., with her husband, Scott, and their five-year-old son, Brandon. Both women continue to support other women with cancer through their involvement in local and national organizations, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

The Shining Star award event is open to the public and reservations are required to attend.  For information, please call 816.881.8968. For more information on the book “Nordie's at Noon” visit www.nordiesatnoon.com.