DeKalb man donates thousands to cancer center in late wife’s memory

For the third year in a row, widower Roger Finnan, of DeKalb, raised thousands of dollars for a local cancer center to honor his late wife.

The annual Shannon Finnan Memorial Golf Benefit raised $13,000 in May, Finnan said.

He recently donated the money to the Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center for patients in need. The money goes to gift cards to help patients with gas, food, medicine, transportation to treatment and other services.

A photo of the late Shannon Finnan, wife of Roger Finnan, who died in 2020 after undergoing treatment for cancer at the Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center in DeKalb. Roger hosts a charitable golf outing in her name and to raise funds for the center every year. (Photo provided by Roger Finnan)

Finnan’s late wife, Shannon Finnan, received treatment at the center for melanoma skin cancer before she died in 2020.

The May golf benefit also is held in one of Shannon’s favorite spots: River Heights Golf Course in DeKalb.

Finnan is already planning to continue his charitable efforts next year. He said the fourth golf outing is planned for May 16, 2026.

A T-shirt shows a logo for the Shannon Finnan Memorial Golf Outing, a charitable event held by Shannon's husband, Roger Finnan, in his wife's honor. Shannon was treated at Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center, the beneficiary of funds raised each year. (Photo provided by Roger Finnan)