Two Local Women Named Girls' Night Out 'Woman of the Year'
For more information: Contact Doug Studer at (419) 602-0819 or e-mail dougz88@gmail.com
Two local women were honored during Girls’ Night Out on Wednesday, Oct. 29 for their dedication to helping area cancer patients—one a health-care professional and the other a breast cancer survivor.
Sandusky residents Mary Biglin and Pam Kidd both received recognition during the fourth annual Girls’ Night Out event, an evening of entertainment, fun and fundraising just for women held at the Nia Center at Kalahari. The local benefit was attended by over 1,100 women and raised $30,000 for Cancer Services, the Fisher-Titus Mammography Fund, the Firelands Regional Medical Center Cancer Program Fund and North Coast Cancer Foundation.
“We usually honor one woman who possesses all the qualities that makes someone a ‘Woman of the Year,’” said Doug Studer, co-owner of Curves in Norwalk, Sandusky and Huron and co-founder of Girls’ Night Out with his wife, Gretchen. “This year we thought both recipients were shining examples of exceptional women that have made an impact on the lives of cancer patients and survivors.”
Biglin has helped serve the needs of cancer patients for over 20 years both as a nurse at Firelands Regional Medical Center and as a volunteer for Cancer Services.
“Whenever a patient is in need, Mary has always been there for them,” said Studer, also vice president of the Cancer Services Board of Directors. “She takes each patient’s pain very personally.”
Biglin has been a member of the Cancer Services Board of Directors since 1998. As a board member she has served on the Patients Services Committee, which makes sure that the needs of Cancer Services clients are being met. Biglin also has volunteered to help in numerous Cancer Service fundraisers throughout the years and helped in the formation of Cancer Services new support group for men. M.A.C. (Men Against Cancer).
Biglin is a graduate of St. Mary’s High School and Providence School of Nursing. She worked in obstetrics at Providence Hospital until December 1977 and then worked at the Firelands Cancer Center until she retired in January 2007.
Biglin and her husband, Denny, have three children and six grandchildren.
Cancer has touched the other “Woman of the Year” on a personal level. Pam Kidd was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and in 2005 discovered that there were spot on her neck and liver. After treatment in 2006, Kidd was given a clean bill of health and today she is undergoing preventative treatments on a regular basis.
“Pam uses what she has experienced to help others as they go through this devastating disease,” said Peg Miller, director of Cancer Services and the 2007 Girls’ Night Out “Woman of the Year”. “She is always encouraging and supportive to all she meets.”
Kidd utilized Cancer Services during her battle with cancer and now for over a year she has been giving back to the organization as a volunteer. In this position, Kidd delivers nutrition to cancer patients who are too sick and have no one to help, reassures ladies who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy as they try on wigs, counsels other breast cancer patients, and this just is small part of the things she does.
“When you are around Pam you always feel great even if you are having a bad day,” said Studer.
Kidd has four children and two grandchildren. She is very active in her church.
Past “Woman of the Year” recipients include Sheri Thomas, owner of Sheri’s Coffeehouse in Norwalk, Pat Scheid of Monroeville and Peg Miller, director of Cancer Services.
The first Girls’ Night Out was organized by the Studers and a committee of dedicated volunteers in 2005. Funds were given to local cancer programs, Cancer Services of Erie County and the Norwalk area and Fisher-Titus Mammography Fund. That year $11,500 was raised for the two charities and over 300 women attended.
“Over the years, this event has become a regional event and has truly become a community effort to support the local cancer programs that touch so many lives,” Studer said.
In 2006, Firelands Regional Medical Center’s Cancer Fund also was a recipient of the $21,000 raised and over 900 ladies attended the event at Kalahari’s Nia Center. In 2007, the event was attended by over 1,000 women and raised $25,000 with the money divided between Cancer Services, Fisher-Titus Mammography Fund and Firelands Regional Medical Center Foundation Cancer Program Fund.
$30,000.00 
