Benedictine Service Award honors an alumna who has made a significant impact on those around her for her continued commitment and contributions to community service and social justice at a regional, national or international level. Also demonstrates a commitment to the Benedictine spirit of giving hospitality, love of others, listening and social stewardship.
Alumna Profile: Dana Anderson-Helstrom, from the class of 1991, this year’s Benedictine Service Award winner, has transformed loss into a mission of community impact through the Team Tucker Family Foundation.
After double majoring in psychology and Spanish at Saint Ben’s, she earned a master’s degree in school psychology and special education to dedicate her career to helping children with special needs – working as a school psychologist, special education teacher, coach and Spanish immersion educator.
Her life changed profoundly when her son, Tucker, the oldest of her three children, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. After an eight-month battle that included amputation of his right leg, Tucker passed away in Dana’s arms on July 2, 2016, at age nine.
Out of grief, Dana built purpose.
At Tucker’s celebration of life event, “I walked in and over 1,000 people were there to celebrate my son,” Dana recalls with wonder. “A thousand people with love in their hearts. And I need to scoop that up because this is Tucker – he built this. But what do I do with it? I asked myself. Then I realized – I need to start a nonprofit to prolong Tucker’s legacy of caring for others.