Diana Stewart, Patricia Dyhrman, and Pat Hatley, from Puyallup, Washington, are this year’s recipients of the Klaus Brauch Above and Beyond Award. This award honors community members who have contributed time and resources to advance the mission of the Meso Foundation. These three incredible women have gone above and beyond in their quest to help us end mesothelioma.
In the face of insurmountable loss, after losing their husbands to mesothelioma, Ms. Stewart, Ms. Dyhrman, and Ms. Hatley wished to direct their grief toward action. That decision was the beginning of an incredibly successful event and fundraiser that, since 2012, has raised $85,000, all of which has benefited the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
Now, five years after their event’s debut, the Miles for Meso 5K Run/Walk, their pancake breakfast and raffles, is a must-attend affair in their city, but initially Ms. Stewart, Ms. Dyhrman, and Ms. Hatley weren’t sure there would even be an event at all. In fact, as they applied to register their run/walk with the YMCA, they were told that the only day available was one that nobody else wanted: July 4th. Turns out everyone else’s loss was their gain.
Diana Stewart, Pat Dyhrman and Pat Hatley have been inspirational in their desire to raise funds for mesothelioma research and raise awareness of this cancer which they have experienced firsthand.
While the event is a tribute to everyone who has ever dealt with this cancer and is dedicated to Dick Dyhrman, a geologist from Weyerhaeuser Company; Bud Hatley, the athletic director from the Federal Way School District; and Bob Stewart, a Federal Way high school teacher and coach. Bob and Bud are members of the Federal Way School District Hall of Fame, honored for their outstanding work with local youth. Dick Dyhrman was highly involved in community events and a volunteer in scouting and local schools.
The Meso Foundation is proud to honor Diana Stewart, Patricia Dyhrman, and Pat Hatley’s dedication to fight back against mesothelioma.
The award will be presented at the Awards Dinner on March 27 as part of the International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma. Learn more at curemeso.org/symposium.
