About Us

The MAE Foundation’s mission is to provide support and resources to individuals touched by cancer in an effort to improve one's quality of life. The MAE Foundation will achieve this by promoting and providing Navigation & Survivorship Services to any individual affected by cancer.  The MAE Foundation is founded in the name and memory of Mary Ann Ellison who lost her battle to lung cancer at the age of 59 in 2002.  In 1997 Mary assumed the role of full time caregiver to her youngest son (25) when he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia and required a bone marrow transplant. She provided her unique brand of care for approximately 18 months continuously. She became an expert in oncology and her son’s biggest advocate. Her son credits her care as a critical component to his survival.  Late 2001 Mary received her own cancer diagnosis. For her it would be stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer. Her prognosis was not very good, but that didn’t stop Mary’s children and family from stepping up to provide Mary with the finest of care that she so deserved for the final six months of her life. Her legacy is one of love & care and that is the legacy we hoped to embody when we founded The MAE Foundation and our Cancer Navigation & Survivorship Center.

Mary could often be found laughing with friends.

Here she is with 2 of her dearest friends - Peggy & Lynn with

her 1st granddaughter Rachel in her lap.