Ann Arbaugh

I am truly fortunate to have been asked to dance for my favorite charity as part of the 2020 Dancing with the Michigan Stars. I will be dancing for St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor's Robert H. & Judy Dow Alexander Cancer Center Innovation Endowment Fund.

Shortly after moving to Ann Arbor in 2012, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. New to the area, newly married and with two teenage daughters – my cancer diagnosis couldn’t have been more frightening. In the midst of my initial confusion, concern and worry, I found strength in the comfort and encouragement of my family and friends and-- equally important-- hope coming from the remarkable healing care I was provided by the physicians and staff at St. Joe’s.  After seeking opinions at multiple health systems, I was so impressed by the level of care I received from the physicians at the cancer center that I chose St. Joe’s for my cancer treatment, even though it was not part of my health insurance network. My doctors, nurses, cancer team and every part of my care made me feel expertly cared for, loved and supported, and it reinforced my faith in the Ann Arbor community!

Once my treatment was completed, I was privileged to be asked to chair the 2018 St. Joe's Holiday Ball which benefitted the hospital's campaign to rebuild and renew their Dow Alexander Cancer Center. My knowledge of the care St. Joe’s  provides to its patients and families grew dramatically as I saw and learned about all the patient support services, clinical trials and treatments the newly expanded cancer center would provide. One of the most important aspects of the cancer center is that it is the largest community-based cancer research center in the entire state of Michigan. St. Joe's Cancer Care Innovation Endowment Fund supports expanding their leading-edge cancer research done by the clinicians at the cancer center. I am pleased to be able to help the expansion of care and invaluable research that is supported by the Innovation Endowment Fund. I have been touched by cancer and most everyone else has too. It is for that reason I will dance with great support from my husband Steve, my children Catie, Nicole, and Blair, my mother and siblings and my work family at Coldwell Banker and friends, for the St. Joe’s cancer center.