NEWS

Mayor's spokeperson finds hope through Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 1/27/22

It was 2016. Liz Tufts, the media coordinator for Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi was going through a severe depression. 

Her father had died the year before from a long battle with …

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NEWS

Mayor's spokeperson finds hope through Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Posted

It was 2016. Liz Tufts, the media coordinator for Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi was going through a severe depression. 

Her father had died the year before from a long battle with cancer. 

But then she found herself involved with The New England Region of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

It was a lifesaver for the then ABC 6 News television reporter. 

“After losing my father to cancer in 2015, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society saved my life when I ran for Woman of the Year in 2016,” said Tufts. “The experience took me out of a deep depression and it gave me a new perspective on life, along with a deep passion to help find a cure.”

Recently, Tufts was named to the Rhode Island Board of Trustees for the New England Region of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to be on the Board of Trustees and I will strive every single day to bring awareness to LLS and its mission,” said Tufts. 

According to a press release from the organization, “The New England Region's Rhode Island Board of Trustees is an active group of professionals who volunteer their time to help LLS at the highest level. In addition to providing strategic guidance, financial oversight and fundraising support, Trustees serve as ambassadors to LLS, promote events in the area and help recruit supporters for the organization. Together, the Trustees bring valuable expertise that spans diverse areas such as healthcare, finance and education.”

Tufts first became involved in the organization when a friend recruited her to enter the Woman of the Year competition. Each year, those who enter have 10 weeks to raise as much money as possible for the organization’s efforts and the winner is crowned the Woman of the Year. 

With the loss of her father still fresh, Tufts wasn’t sure if she wanted to do it. She ultimately decided to enter and was able to raise almost $20,000 in the 10 week span. She said that it helped her greatly because it allowed her to focus on something different. 

Tufts recalls her mother telling her all the time “Once you started getting involved with that your mindset kinda changed.”

While she didn’t win the competition, she was given the Volunteerism Award for her efforts. 

At that point she knew she wanted to get more involved with cancer research and the organization. But with a demanding and oftentimes unpredictable work schedule in television news, Tufts found herself not having enough time to commit to helping out. 

“I never really had time to volunteer as much as I wanted to,” Tufts said. 

Shortly after the 2020 elections, Picozzi named Tufts as his spokesperson. For the first time in her career she would be working outside of the television news business. It meant she would have more time to help out in the community. 

In 2021, she was asked to help find candidates for the organization’s different campaigns and help recruit more volunteers for the organization. 

It would lead to her being asked to join the Board of Trustees, which she was honored to do. 

Now with more time to volunteer, Tufts said she is taking advantage of it. In 2021, she also became a mentor with Mentor Rhode Island. 

“I’m very lucky to have free time to get involved,” said Tufts. 

Also on the New England Region’s Rhode Island Board of Trustees is Thomas Fitzpatrick, Director of Credit at Saint-Gobain Corporation, Board Chair; Joseph Gildea, Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration at Interactions Corporation, Vice Chair; Richard Lindholm, Sales Manager at Mobile Beacon, Leadership Development Chair; Maryssa DiSegna, Educator at Cranston Public Schools; Lindsay Iadeluca, Development Director at the American Heart Association; Thomas Lynch, Trustee; Helene Macedo, Registered Nurse at Rhode Island Hospital; John Reagan, Director of Hematology at Lifespan Cancer Institute. 

Going into her first year of a three year term on the Board of Trustees, Tufts said that she is looking forward to being able to help out in any way she can. 

“I’m very excited. I'm hopeful we can make a difference,” Tufts said. 

Tufts also knows that her father would be happy that she is helping the organization. 

“I know he would be proud,” Tufts said. 

To learn more about the organization, call 508- 810-1300 or visit lls.org/ne. 

Tufts, spokesperson

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