'Amazing' woman, on the mend, gets a bell

McGovern was nominated by two of her longtime friends, Sandy Gerner and Nanci Aiken, who described her as "an amazing person."

"She's the kind of person who will do anything for anybody, but never wants acknowledgment," Aiken said. "That's just the way she is."

McGovern has a Ph.D. in chemistry and has worked in labs at Johns Hopkins University as well as the University of Arizona, involved in cell research, among other fields. She and Aiken met at Johns Hopkins and McGovern met Gerner through her husband, Eugene Gerner, another researcher at the Arizona Cancer Center.

So while McGovern spent years of her life working to find ways of combating cancer, she gave up the work in 2003 to teach at a South Side charter school that serves all students but has a special program for children with behavioral issues. Aiken founded the school after retiring from her own research.

Along the way, McGovern also spent years volunteering as a court appointed special advocate, through the Pima County Juvenile Court Center, mentoring children with attachment disorder difficulties.

And her compassion also has extended to the animal world, rescuing many a dog and training most of them in agility performance.

Her friends also wanted to honor McGovern for another reason: Three years ago, she had a massive stroke at age 47. Her recovery was going slowly but steadily until another stroke recently, which left her paralyzed on her left side and struggling to speak.

It's been a tough road for a woman who spent so much of her life helping others, her friends said, and they wanted to spark her spirits by showing her how much everyone appreciates her.

"She has always been very supportive," Aiken said.

She remembers that day in 2003, when she mentioned to McGovern that she needed a third-grade teacher at her K-5 school, Children's Success Academy, 925 E. Bilby Road.

"She said, 'I've taught undergrads and med students, and if someone teaches me how to adapt it to third-graders, I'll try,'" Aiken said. "She ended up just loving it."

McGovern almost immediately began writing grants for the school, getting a lab cart and 20-some laptop computers. She worked until 2 a.m. sometimes, prepping for classes. She planned elaborate field trips to the UA, where the students visited her old lab. And she spent much of her own money on special treats, such as Christmas presents for students.

"She bent over backward to help the kids," Aiken said.

McGovern impacted others at the school, too, Aiken said, relaying how one day students brought in a dog that followed them to school. They went door-to-door looking for an owner, but couldn't find one. Then the dog went home with Aiken, and they're still together.

"Kathy spent that whole evening convincing me I needed another dog," Aiken said, and she's glad her friend did.

Gerner said she'd known about Ben's Bells for a while and began thinking after her friend's recent setback that she should do something to help.

"I had this horrible feeling of not being able to do something," Gerner said. "This felt like something."

The folks with the bells thoroughly agreed that McGovern is deserving. Everyone worked together to coordinate a surprise belling at her rehab center. Her friends only told her that "something was going to happen," Aiken said. So when she came out in her wheelchair, she was taken by surprise.

"She has an amazing spirit," Aiken said. "I'm so happy we could honor her, especially because she's been through so much."

As if there weren't enough evidence of the strength of their friend's character, Aiken and Gerner both relayed how, rather than feeling sorry for herself, McGovern has been taking college classes through a DVD series while she's been in rehab. Every month, she's ordered another session, from biology to math to string theory to the history of the Civil War.

McGovern got her sense of compassion and drive from her family, including brothers Steve, John and Mark, Aiken said, adding that her friend's father is still a strong presence in her life, too.

"Her family has always been very generous," Aiken said. "They have this attitude of 'this is just what you do, you take care of each other.'"

And even now, McGovern continues to give back, her friends said, by teaching them near-daily lessons about strength in the face of adversity.

"You see someone going through that and you think, 'I can handle any little tribulation that comes my way,'" Gerner said. "We've learned so much from her."

Ben's Bellings

The Ben's Bells project began in March 2003, one year after Ben Maré Packard died of croup, just before his third birthday. His family hopes it reminds people to be kind, to help ease one another's pain.

The latest phase of the project began in September 2005, weekly "bellings" for those among us who make our community a better, kinder place to live.

If you know people who deserve a Ben's Bell, nominate them at www.929themountain.com/pages/jennie_itm.html and click on Ben's Bells Project. To learn more about the project, go to www.bensbells.org. Or help work on bells by dropping by the studio, 816 E. University Blvd. It's open 10-3 Wednesday; 10-7 Friday and 10-3 Saturday and Sunday.

And check the Star each Saturday to see the latest recipient.