The Patient
Linda Lorelle

Linda Lorelle helps save lives. No one, not even she, knew the impact that her Emmy-nominated breast cancer series or her Emmy Award-winning, first-person account on local news anchor Sydney Seaward's battle with cancer would have on Houston women. But many were touched by KPRC's "Buddy Check 2: Beating the Breast Cancer Odds" and "Sydney's Story."

For Linda, it doesn't get any better than that.

Her knack for helping the community spills over into her storytelling abilities, but that ability doesn't come without practice. She grew up in Chicago and traveled west to attend Stanford (www.stanford.edu), where she received a B.A. in developmental psychology and Italian language. Upon graduation, she enjoyed a successful career as a professional dancer and actress, traveling throughout the United States and Europe. She went back to school and obtained her M.A. in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia (www.missouri.edu).

She began honing her journalistic skills as a reporter for KBIA-FM radio and a weekend anchor for KOMU-TV, the top-rated NBC affiliate in Columbia, Mo., while still in school.

Upon graduation, she started her career with the CBS affiliate, KMOV-TV in St. Louis, as a general assignment reporter.

In 1989, she joined the KPRC team, where she anchored the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts for 14 years. After moving to a more family-friendly schedule in August of 2003, she currently anchors the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts and Dateline Houston. Linda also spearheads the station's documentary projects and hosts several special programs, including the Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon (www.mdausa.org) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Telethon (www.uncf.org).

Linda's annual Scholarship Fund Gala (www.lindalorelle.org) awarded more than $1.2 million in college scholarships to Houston-area students.

In addition to the aforementioned Emmy, Linda has been honored by many local, regional and national organizations and has been the recipient of numerous honors, including:

--  2004 Emmy Award, "Beyond Brown vs. Board: The Journey Continues"
--  2004 AWRT Gracie Award, Individual Achievement-Best
    Reporter/Correspondent for 3-part series, "Goodbye Felicia Moon"
--  2004 AWRT Star Award, Best Houston Television Personality
--  2002 Macy's Heart and Soul Award honoring excellence in the fight
    against breast cancer
--  2002 Chron's & Colitis Gold Key Award, recognizing Linda as an
    Exceptional Woman in the Houston community
--  2000 Anson Jones, M.D. Award for "Sydney's Story," a first-person
    account of Linda's experience covering the breast cancer battle of local
    anchor Sydney Seaward which appeared in Health and Fitness Magazine
--  2000 Texas Associate Press Award for "She Got Game," a one-on-one
    interview with WNBA star Cynthia Cooper
--  1997 Houston Press Club Award for "Sydney's Story"
--  1995 Commendation Award from the American Women in Radio and
    Television for "Buddy Check 2: Beating the Breast Cancer Odds"
--  1994 Makeda Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women
--  1993 Matrix Award from Women in Communications for her series "Mae's
    Dream," documenting the shuttle launch of the first black woman astronaut
--  1992 Sampson Award from the Houston Tennis Association for outstanding
    contributions to the community
--  1992 Media Award from the Texas Association for Year-Round Education
--  1990 and 1991 School Bell Award from the Texas State Teachers
    Association for "They Should Know That, Too"
    

She is involved in community activities through board memberships such as the Sydney Seaward Endowment, Sisters Network (www.sistersnetworkinc.org) -- a national organization of African-American breast cancer survivors -- the Society of Professional Journalists, (www.spj.org) the San Jacinto Girl Scouts, (www.mmcitynet.com/thegoldenlink/departments.html) The Women's Resource of Greater Houston, (www.thewomensresource.org) the Houston Zoo, (www.houstonzoo.org) Casa de Esperanza, (www.casahope.org) Advisory Boards of the Junior League and the Children's Assessment Center Foundation, and Selection Committee Chair for the 2002 Jaworski Award. In her spare time, Linda likes to be with her husband, Lou, and their spirited daughter, Lindsey.

She is an avid tennis player and figure skater, a music enthusiast and a collector of local art. She is proficient in Italian and French.