Leukemia Diagnosed Employee Inspires Business To Give Back

June 11, 2008 - PRLog -- FORT WORTH - Fort Worth-based Shoppa's Material Handling (www.shoppas.com) partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.leukemia.org) to host the "2008 Shoppa's Golf Tournament" on June 6 at the Texas Star Golf Course in Euless, TX. The private tournament helped raise funds for disease research and honored Mike Schott, six-year Shoppa's employee and Fort Worth community member who on March 15, 2008, was unfortunately diagnosed with leukemia. To help the cause further, Shoppa's holds quarterly blood drives with Carter Blood Care at their Fort Worth Location.

"We have really been fortunate in our business at Shoppa's and our employees and customers are what have made it all possible," said President Jim Shoppa. "I'm glad we can help give back to those who have given to us and benefit others in their battle against leukemia and lymphoma." This year Shoppa's helped raise approximately $5,000 in funds for leukemia by matching all customer golf sponsorships, selling mulligans, and holding golf contests.

Shoppa's also holds quarterly company blood drives with Carter Blood Care with their first drive held on March 26, 2008, and the next will take place again at their Fort Worth location on June 18, from 8:30am to 11am.

"When I found out what Shoppa's was doing for my cause I was nearly brought to tears," said six-year Shoppa's employee Mike Schott. "People really need to be aware of what leukemia is and the signs to watch out for; when I was diagnosed with Leukemia I had no idea anything like this was going on inside my body." Schott, 49-years old, is a father of two daughters and one son.

According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, leukemia is a malignant disease (cancer) of the bone marrow and blood. It is characterized by the uncontrolled accumulation of blood cells. An estimated 44,240 new cases of leukemia will be diagnosed in the United States in 2008, with a death rate of 21,710 in the same year. A proportion of the people with chronic leukemia may not have any major symptoms and are diagnosed during a periodic medical examination. The diagnosis of leukemia requires examination of the cells in blood or marrow.

This year's Shoppa's golf event attendees enjoyed a BBQ lunch buffet during the award's ceremony that took place directly after the conclusion of the tournament. This year's winners included first place team Larry Berg, Roman Antolik, John George, and Mike Shea of Enersys; second place team Pat Pool and Travis Johns of Shoppa's Material Handling and Frank Kent of Advanced Cast Stone; and third place team Tim Bilton, Doug Taylor, Ricky Brewer, and Jeff Rohman of Interstate Battery.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®, headquartered in White Plains, NY, with 68 chapters in the United States and Canada, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $550 million in research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, LLS made 5.1 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

For more information about blood cancer, visit www.LLS.org or call the LLS Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by master's level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC information specialists are available at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

About Shoppa's Material Handling
Shoppa's Material Handling is a full-line/full-service Toyota forklift dealership providing solutions for Texas' material and handling needs since 1982. Shoppa's represents a full line of products including, but not limited to, all-make parts, used equipment, equipment rentals, rack and shelving, the Advance line of industrial floor cleaning equipment, warehouse products, safety training and products, and warehouse design/installation/tear-down/liquidation. Locations include Amarillo, Brownwood, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Odessa, San Angelo, and Wichita Falls. For further information please contact us at 817-359-1100.