Lowcountry Chapter

Dr. Sue Sommer-Kressehas served as an administrator and faculty member in higher education institutions in Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Carolina. Her responsibilities have included: Dean of Continuing Education, Dean of the Graduate School, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Vice President for Strategic Planning and Community Relations, and Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Recently retired, Sommer-Kresse currently serves as an Academic Affairs Consultant with the College of Charleston. Sommer-Kresse has been involved with many organizations in the Charleston community including the Charleston Rotary Club (president and chair of the International Scholars Program), Wells Fargo (board member), Roper Hospital (board member), Women’s Center, YWCA, and the Charleston Metro Chamber.

An ovarian cancer survivor, Sommer-Kresse served on the Lowcountry Women with Wings: Rising Above Ovarian Cancer Committee of the Center for Women and is a charter member of the Charleston, Lowcountry Chapter of the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Sommer-Kresse is a graduate of Leadership South Carolina and has received the Martha Kime Piper Award for Outstanding Leadership in higher education. She is recognized as a leader and consultant by the American Council on Education for evaluating higher education programs on military bases in the United States and abroad. Dr. Sommer-Kresse earned her doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Wisconsin Madison and her Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Minnesota.

Linda Carmain was the owner of a small business specializing in database development, as well as IT technical course design. She holds a B.A. and M.S. in Mathematics. Linda has used the organizational skills from her business background (and from raising five children) to serve several nonprofit and civic groups at the board level in prior years. She also has successful experience establishing 501(c)3 organizations. Linda and her husband relocated to Charleston in 2015. As an ovarian cancer survivor, Linda has been actively involved with the SC Ovarian Cancer Foundation and its activities in the Lowcountry/Charleston area. Her interests include classical music, reading, fourteen grandkids, horses, bridge and her latest craze, ancestry research.

Sharkea Hicks is an ovarian cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with Stage IC in February of 2010 at twenty-seven years old. Following three rounds of chemotherapy, she has been NED (No evidence of Disease) since May of 2010. Sharkea has kept a positive attitude and continues to serve others while on her journey to recovery. Since her cancer experience, she has been advocating for women to become more aware of their bodies. Sharkea is married and a mother of three. She is living life and enjoying the time she has been blessed with while on a journey to increase awareness of ovarian cancer.

Lynda Zegers became involved in SCOCF because of years of work in the oncology field. She has several years of research experience where she studied new drug development. She has also spent many years working in the community oncology setting. Ensuring patients find the cancer care and financial assistance necessary for their treatment has become her passion.

Nancy was born and bred in the shadow of New York City which gave her life endless diversity. She is a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan and received her B.A. from Belknap College. Nancy was a fresh flower designer for 12 years and a successful entrepreneur. She was employed by SRC, the largest privately-owned floral distributor in Colombia, South America. Nancy also owned and operated Florals by Hope (DBA Barbara Kay Designers), which was located in the heart of the garment industry in NYC. She also owned and operated Cintra Ristorante and Martini Bar on the Market in downtown Charleston, SC.

Nancy is a 5-year survivor of stage 3a ovarian cancer. She is currently enjoying retirement, exploring artistic endeavors and volunteering in several community organizations.

Rosalea Donahue is a retired educator, mother of 4, grandmother of 9, and has been happily married for 61 years. She was diagnosed in October of 2020 with high grade, late-stage serous carcinoma epithelial peritoneal ovarian cancer. The diagnosis came one month prior to her 82nd birthday. Following 6 chemotherapy infusions and debulking surgery performed on February 1, 2021, she is doing well. Rosalea has always felt a need to “give back.” She has been a member of numerous civic, religious and other charitable organizations, founded an advisory board and instituted fund-raising efforts to save an historic building in Charleston and the business that resided within the premises. She continues to fund-raise and volunteer for a variety of organizations though activities are somewhat curtailed due to the prevalence of Covid. Her favorite volunteer story dates back to the early 1970’s when she and her husband chaired a March of Dimes Campaign and were invited to meet with Dr. Jonas Salk because of their untiring efforts.

Sue Henderlite was diagnosed in 1988 with stage 3a Ovarian Cancer. She is very grateful to be a long term survivor.

In 2006, after retiring from her Ocularist Practice, Sue looked for a way to support ovarian cancer patients and promote awareness of this deadly disease. She joined a group of 8 ladies that became the Charleston Lunch Bunch, a part of the South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation headquartered in Greenville. Six months later, Sue was asked to take over the Charleston Lunch Bunch. The Lowcountry Lunch Bunch has grown to over 40 ladies.

Sue was instrumental in starting the Survivors Teaching Students program in the Charleston area, starting the Phantom Gala Fundraiser, and Turn The Towns Teal, a National awareness campaign for Ovarian Cancer. Growing support for Ovarian cancer patients in the Lowcountry has been a priority.
Sue enjoys her extended family, friends, golf and traveling the world.

Dr. Whitney Graybill is one of two female board-certified gynecologist oncologists in the state of South Carolina. Dr. Graybill completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Alabama and completed a fellowship with specialized training in gynecologic oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She joined the Medical University of South Carolina Women’s Care program in 2010. Dr. Graybill provides care to patients with all gynecologic cancers and is involved along the entire spectrum of care, including the initial visit through diagnosis, performing surgery and overseeing treatment with chemotherapy, and long-term follow up of her patients. She is an advocate for women with gynecologic cancers by providing the most cutting-edge care. Her specialties include minimally-invasive robotic surgery, clinical trials, and translational (“from bench to bedside”) research into ovarian and endometrial cancers.

Dr. Ward Katsanis is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist in Charleston, SC, where he has practiced for over twenty years. He received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati and completed his residency training at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky. He received specialized training in gynecologic oncology and was awarded the Sharon E. Smith Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1997. Dr. Katsanis currently practices at the Carolina Center of Gynecologic Oncology, with locations in West Ashley and Trident Hospital in North Charleston and is affiliated with Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital and Roper Hospital in Charleston. He is passionate about the care he provides to women with all gynecologic conditions and cares deeply for his patients. He and his team emphasize prevention by offering cancer screening. His specialties include advanced surgery, minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery and laparoscopy and he oversees radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatment of his patients. He received the Patient’s Choice Award in 2018, which recognizes the difference a physician has made in the lives of his/her patients.