Chartese Burnett, the Washington Nationals Vice President of Communications, was named the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys National Capital Area Chapters 2008 Woman of the Year on Saturday. The LLS Washington chapter is based in Alexandria.

A non-Hodgkins lymphoma survivor, Burnett raised $79,000 during the ten-week fundraising competition. Burnett oversees the Clubs strategic and business communications and community relations efforts. Chartese exemplifies the teams dedication to outreach and to improving the lives of others, said Nationals Team President Stan Kasten.

In its eighth year, The Man & Woman of the Year fundraising competition is a campaign in which hundreds of men and women in 41 cities across the country raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The male and female candidates who raise the most money in each city are named that chapters Man & Woman of the Year. The National Capital Area Chapter had 18 candidates (nine women) vying for the 2008 title, who together raised $784,000.

We were happy to support Charteses Woman of the Year Campaign, said the Lerner Family. Chartese is a part of the Nationals family and we are proud of her commitment to the community. She is someone who has the capability to touch those around her and is a true asset to the Washington Nationals organization.

Burnett led a tireless campaign supported by her family and friends. Diagnosed in 1999 with a fast-growing, eggplant-sized inoperable tumor in her chest, Chartese began her fight with cancer. 

After six weeks of chemotherapy followed by eight weeks of radiation, she was declared cancer free. Since that day, Chartese has been committed to helping create positive endings for the many patients and the thousands of children stricken with blood cancers. 

A longtime member of the Societys Board of Directors, she served as Event Chair for the National Capital Area Chapters Light The Night Walk in 2000 & 2001.  In these two years, the Chapter ranked number one in the country, with over $1 million raised. After accepting the Woman of the Year nomination, Chartese received over-whelming support from her family, friends, co-workers and others touched by her mission in her pursuit of the Woman of the Year Title.