watchingthewinners
PHOTO BY CLAY SPANN
Arma Shahidi Fitzgerald cap- tured the title of Mrs. Inter- national at the 22nd annual pageant at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, Illinois. Her loving husband, Lee, was honored to crown his wife at the end of the competition featuring 48 of the worlds most beautiful and accomplished women. The title of Mrs. International is very special to Arma and her family. Her mother, Soodabeh, is a past Ms. Iran. This is truly an international event that will be remembered and cherished by Arma.
Arma is a proud Iranian by birth and an American citizen by choice. She moved to the United States 10 years ago. She has lived her life as a testament to her beliefs. She states, “I promised to be the voice for every woman whose voice has been silenced and make the most of every opportunity in my life in behalf of every woman
IRANIAN BOMBSHELL: (Left) Armaiti Shahidi Fitzgerald in her stunning glamour picture. (Above) Arma Shahidi Fitzgerald flashes a smile seconds after winning the title of Mrs. International at the 22nd annual pageant.
whose chances have been taken away.”
She graduated Magna Cum Laude with
a BFA in Communication Design from
the University of North Texas. Arma is an
accomplished artist with over 30 Fine Art
exhibitions internationally. She currently
owns Armaiti Design Studio, a boutique
graphic design and photography studio, in
Plano, Texas.
Arma is the founder of the Fight Oral Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organization with the mission of raising awareness about oral cancer internationally, and saving a life every hour of every day. The inspiration for her foundation was the loss of a very dear friend, Susan, to oral cancer. Also, her parents’ guidance to make a difference and give back to the community played a pivotal role. Through her foundation and the power of the crown, Arma will continue to devote her life to this international cause.
Oral Cancer has been under the radar of
many cancer organizations and the public.
No one has taken the lead in educating the
public about the deadly nature of oral can-
cer. Cancer of the mouth and throat are
both considered oral cancers. In some cir-
cles larynx cancer is included as well. Inter-
nationally, oral cancer affects approximately
500,000 people. In the U.S., it is estimated
that 35,000 people will be diagnosed with
oral cancer this year and over 8,000 people
will die in the United States alone. One
person dies every hour of every day from
oral cancer. By the time a person is diag-
nosed their expected survival is only 50 per-
cent within five years.
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