Winn/Byrd Award for Adults with FA
The Fanconi Cancer Foundation honors the inspirational lives of two beloved former board members with the Amy (Frohnmayer) Winn and Christopher T. Byrd Award for Adults with Fanconi Anemia. Chris and Amy set high goals, devoted their time and energy to making a positive difference, and lived their lives enthusiastically in spite of the challenges of FA.
This award was created by the FCF board of directors to honor Chris and Amy’s roles as leaders on the board. The board felt it important to recognize the importance of leadership by creating an award in their names that would encourage others to demonstrate leadership in their own way. The award committee is made up of Chris’ mother, Peggy McDaniel, his sister, Courtney Swafford; Amy’s mother, Lynn Frohnmayer; Amy’s husband, Alex Winn; the previous year’s recipient, and FCF board member, Tracy Strimling. The committee understands that individuals will stretch themselves in differing ways and will be looking at applications with this in mind, rather than with a preconceived notion about what leadership looks like.
In 2018 the Amy Winn and Christopher Byrd Award Endowment Fund was created at the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) through individual gifts from donors. Annually, OCF distributes an appropriate percentage of the fair market value of the endowment to FCF, to be used to fund the award and associated costs.
Could You Be the Next Recipient?
Awards are given to one-two individuals who are striving to make a difference and have set high goals for themselves. Does this sound like you? A $4,000 first place award will be given, and a second award of merit for $1,000 may be granted at the discretion of the award committee. Would this award help you reach your goals?
Applications for the 2026 award are closed. The recipient will be announced at the Retreat for Adults with FA in October.
2026 Recipients
First Place Recipient
Dominika Michalíková
Dominika is building connections and expanding access to FA information in the Czech Republic. After finding few resources in Czech, she founded a Facebook group and website to share information and support others affected by FA. Her work is also shaped by the memory of her older sister, Michaela, who died from complications of FA.
Dominika’s primary project is translating the Fanconi Anemia Clinical Care Guidelines into Czech, with five chapters already professionally translated. The award will help fund the remaining chapters and support her efforts to connect families and health care professionals with reliable information in their own language. Congratulations, Dominika!
Second Place Recipient
Dexter Sherrell
Dexter draws on his experiences with FA, cancer and transplantation to support others living with rare diseases. Through mentoring, advisory groups and research collaborations, he connects individuals and families with researchers, health care professionals and policy leaders, helping ensure that lived experiences inform decisions about research and care.
Dexter recently completed a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity while navigating cancer treatment and organ transplantation. He plans to pursue graduate studies in ethics, leadership and health care policy. The award will support his education and advocacy work as he continues helping others find resources, share their perspectives and feel supported.
Past Award Recipients
Fatma Issak
Fatma was born in Zanzibar, where she has volunteered in rural clinics and supported individuals facing limited access to care. Now living in New York, she works as a medical scribe in an OB-GYN clinic and serves on the Patient and Family Advisory Council at the Meyer Cancer Center through Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. Colleagues describe her as a thoughtful listener and a powerful bridge between the lived experience of illness and the scientific community—someone who elevates both research and care through empathy and insight. Fatma plans to pursue medical school with the goal of improving healthcare access for underserved communities. We’re honored to celebrate her compassion, leadership, and commitment to shaping a more equitable future in medicine.
Louise Dalgleish
Louise strives to shift perceptions of adults with Fanconi anemia beyond their medical conditions and works alongside clinicians and researchers to improve patient experiences. She’s passionate about highlighting the ambitions and everyday challenges faced by individuals with FA, advocating for understanding, equity, and support within the medical community. Louise is also deeply committed to increasing accessibility and inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals in healthcare. Through her recent collaboration with Pfizer’s OUTpatients campaign, she shared her experience as an LGBTQ+ person living with a rare disease, bringing visibility and awareness to an often-overlooked intersection of identities. A dedicated member of FCF’s FAdult Council and Advocacy Program, as well as a spokesperson for Fanconi Hope, Louise uses her voice to uplift others and inspire change.
Katherine De Los Santos
Katherine was diagnosed with FA as a child and faced bone marrow failure at age eight but recovered after a successful transplant. She went on to earn a degree in Biology and Chemistry, work as a medical assistant, and volunteer with Be The Match and The Icla da Silva Foundation. While pursuing her dream of attending medical school, Katherine was diagnosed with esophageal cancer through the FA Cancer Screening Study at the NIH. Despite this challenge, her resilience and passion for healthcare remain strong. Now in recovery, Katherine is preparing to apply to medical school, with a mission to serve children in underserved rural communities. We are proud to honor her with the 2024 Winn/Byrd Award, recognizing her determination and impact on healthcare!
Robin Lewis
This year, the committee honors Robin Lewis who has made remarkable progress, alongside his wife, in establishing Matches on the Map. Through this initiative, they have traveled across South Africa, recruiting bone marrow donors and raising awareness about the need for lifesaving matches. Robin’s goal is to sign up 1,000 potential donors each year while creating sustainable recruitment efforts at universities and schools that will continue long after their journey. Additionally, they are integrating FA support groups within South Africa as they continue to grow their educational talks and recruitment drives. We eagerly anticipate seeing the lives they will touch. Congratulations, Robin!
