Maddie Spielman carries on mother Stefanie's work

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Being the child of central Ohio’s most recognizable figure in the fight against breast cancer was bound to bring about high expectations.

But Maddie Spielman is committed to continuing the legacy her mother, Stefanie Spielman, has created here in Columbus. She and her father, Chris, remain heavily involved with the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research.

“When my parents first founded the fund in 1998, they had an original goal to raise $250,000. Through incredible hard work and determination, I am proud to say we have raised over $20 million,” Maddie says. “There is no limit to what the power of people can do when united under a common cause.”

Stefanie Spielman was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 and battled it five times before her death in 2009 at age 42. Her legacy lives on in her innumerable contributions to breast cancer research, including the establishment of the fund and the Stefanie’s Champions run, and through The Ohio State University’s Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, named for Stefanie for her years of support.

“Before she passed, I promised my mom I would never use her death as an excuse for anything, but motivation for everything,” Maddie says.

Maddie graduated from OSU in 2016. She co-hosts a sports radio show on 105.7 The Zone and a sports TV show through Time Warner Sports, and works in customer market insights for Bath and Body Works, but continues to make the fund a priority.

“Everyone has been impacted by cancer in some way, shape or form, and it is my mission to raise as much awareness and money as possible to end this thing once and for all,” she says.

The next big event on the horizon for Maddie is the Step Up for Stefanie’s Champions Walk/Run. The fundraiser is slated for April 22 at the Comprehensive Breast Center.

But Maddie has greater aspirations beyond the fund’s local impact.

“I would love nothing more than to be able to continue the work my mom started so many years ago and take the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research to the national level,” Maddie says. “Awareness is key to prevention and early detection. My hope for the future is to spread my mom’s story all over the country, so people know they are not alone in this fight.”

Sarah Davis is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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