Anne M. Mann

Anne M. Mann of Danbury, age 75, a pioneer supporter of research into a rare and incurable blood cancer, died September 24 at Bethel Health Care Center. She was born in New York City, the daughter of the late John and Anna Seidenschwang, and grew up first in Astoria, Queens and later Lindenhurst on Long Island. Anne is survived by Richard O. Mann, her husband of 54 years; three daughters, Melinda A. Mann of Brookline, Mass., Susan A. Whitten of Westborough, Mass., and Carolyn A. Cunningham of Danbury; and three grandchildren, Francis Whitten of Westborough and Brendan and Katherine Cunningham of Danbury. She was predeceased by her brother, Msgr. John C. Seidenschwang of Garden City, N.Y. She graduated Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in Brooklyn, was a nursing student at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and graduated summa cum laude from Marymount College in Tarrytown, N.Y. in 1996. In recent years, Anne dealt with a number of health issues, most notably Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia, a blood cancer, broadly similar to, but somewhat less aggressive than multiple myeloma. Waldenstrom's is diagnosed in some five people in a million. It was largely unknown when she was diagnosed in 1996, and she quickly founded and directed the Research Fund For Waldenstrom's (RFW) to fund research and spread awareness of the disease. It remains the only fund dedicated solely to seeking a cure through research. As executive director of RFW, she walked the entire route of the Boston Marathon and led several walkathons and other events to raise money. She also addressed numerous support groups and medical conferences in the U.S. and abroad, and in 2006 was a keynote speaker at the International Multiple Myeloma conference of 1,400 physicians in Sydney, Australia. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Friday, October 8 at Anthony's Lake Club in Danbury. Memorial contributions may be made to the Research Fund For Waldenstrom's at 63 Woodcrest Lane, Danbury, CT 06810.