Photo by Amy Carper with Carper Creative Photography | Shot on location in the Little Rock River Market
Each year, community leaders put on their dancing shoes in hopes of winning the title that is earned at the Dancing with Our Stars Gala. All this fun and friendly competition among participants benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation and supports the Arkansas chapter’s research and mission: to end and find a cure for neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that disturbs cell growth in the nervous system, causing tumors to form on nerve tissue.
Leading up to the grand event, we’re putting each star in the spotlight on our blog.
Meet Dr. Anne Trussell
Instructor: John Browning with High Voltage Dance Company
Dr. Anne Trussell grew up in Northeast Arkansas and graduated magna cum laude from Lyon College with a degree in medical technology. She then graduated with honors in research from UAMS where she completed her internal medicine residency. Anne had a private internal medicine practice in Little Rock for 20 years before she retired in 2014 to focus on Sei Bella Med Spa that she opened in 2010. Sei Bella focuses on health, wellness, and beauty for everyone. Sei Bella was excited to be voted AY’s best non-surgery cosmetic clinic in 2017 and AY’s best Med Spa and Spa in 2018.
Anne has been married to husband Larry for 28 years and they have 4 children ranging in age from 25 to 18. They are so fortunate to have them live close by either working, going to law school or in college. In her spare time, Anne enjoys running – and making more of her miles by wearing her Children’s Tumor Foundation NF Endurance singlet. Raising awareness of NF is the reason Anne started running on the NF Endurance Team. She served as team captain for the NFE Team at Little Rock Marathon for several years. Anne has run 50 half marathons and 7 full marathons in the last 6 years in support of the Children’s Tumor Foundation. As an Arkansas Advisory Board Member, Anne wanted to do more to raise funds for NF Research. She and Larry, along with artist friends Vivian and Steve Griffith developed the Wine and Art Party as a new fundraiser in Conway. Wine and Art has raised over $75,000 to date. Dr. Trussell has served on the Arkansas Advisory Board for the Children’s Tumor Foundation since 2014.
When not doing stuff with her kids or running or fundraising for CTF, Anne loves to work in her yard, read, drink wine and spend time with good friends.
Anne told Lesley Oslica years ago she would do ANYthing for the Children’s Tumor Foundation……..except dance. She would never dance! Well, we see how that went! Anne claims you can never say “NO” to Lesley! But Anne’s life motto is an old phrase from Saint Mother Teresa….”A life not lived for others, is not a life at all.”
On Thursday, September 6th Dr. Trussell will compete for the dancing title and mirror ball trophy at the gala, in addition to soliciting contributions + votes prior to the event.
