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FRIENDS OF THE C ANCER INSTITUTE ARE PAYING IT FORWARD

The Five-Year Gift

Thus began a wonderful marriage her chemotherapy regimen,” says
as Kevin embarked on a career Schraeder. “Maureen responded
in banking and Maureen began beautifully.” And with that, “four to
teaching Kindergarten. Professional six months” became five years.
opportunities took them to New York, Kevin doesn’t mince words when he
Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, Florida, explains why he generously supports
Rochester and finally Baltimore, UM St. Joseph: “What does five years
where Kevin became active in the mean? It means that Maureen got to
city’s non-profit sector, serving on hold three more grandchildren and
the boards of Catholic Charities of kissed our son Colin on his wedding
Baltimore and Stevenson University, day. Dr. Schraeder and the entire
to name but a few. He and Maureen Cancer Institute staff gave that gift
raised three terrific children and life to her. The care she received was
was idyllic. phenomenal. Maureen was never

But, in 2010, shortly after the ‘a patient,’ but always ‘a person.’
Maureen and Kevin Byrnes in 2004 marriage of their daughter, Meghan, Her chemo appointments, every
The leading-edge cancer their lives took a drastic turn. When two weeks for five years, were like
visits with old friends. She loved
treatment Maureen Byrnes Kevin and Maureen came to the everyone in the Cancer Institute
received at the UM St. Joseph Cancer Institute at UM St. Joseph, she and they loved her back.”
had recently received a devastating
Medical Center Cancer diagnosis of Stage IV metastasic In July 2015, Maureen finally
Institute gave Maureen stomach cancer. Just 61 years old, succumbed to her disease but family
and her husband, Kevin, Maureen was given only four to six and friends think Maeve, the newest
five more years together: months to live. Enter hemotologist grandchild, age three, is the spitting
a priceless gift. and oncologist Richard Schraeder, image of Maureen with her bright
MD, who would not give up on the blue eyes. “I’ll know for sure when
They say Rome is the city of warm, vibrant woman he saw before I see that sparkle in her personality
romance. In 1968, Pace University him. “Maureen was very ill but we that lights up a room, that makes
senior Kevin Byrnes certainly found decided to include Herceptin, a breast everyone happier just being around
this to be true during a summer cancer drug that had shown promise her,” Kevin smiles. “That was
semester abroad where he met in a recent stomach cancer trial, to Maureen.”
sophomore Maureen Knerr. He does
not recall his studies as much as he The Byrnes family
does falling in love with Maureen and
their magical semester in Rome. “I
came back to earth when we returned
to New York and found out I had to
stand in line to be with Maureen,”
laughs Kevin. “There were some
other fellows back home who were
just as crazy about this beautiful gal
as I was. However, I was determined
and, in the end, wore her down and
we were married in 1970.”

4 CELEBRATE THE ACT OF GIVING | Summer 2018