Seena Magowitz believed that one person could make a difference in the fight against cancer. She raised money to fight the disease, something her son, Roger, witnessed at an early age.

Her presence loomed large at the latest pancreatic cancer fundraiser hosted in Phoenix by Roger Magowitz. The event is named after her — the Seena Magowitz Golf Classic. And the foundation that bears her name sponsored a symposium that kicked off the two-day event.

The boy who watched his mother fight cancer is now the man who fights cancer to honor his mother, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer five years ago.

"There is something special about a mother and her son," Magowitz told me as the sun rose over the mountains that ring Phoenix and the golf tournament got under way. "You never forget your mother. I believe everything happens for a reason. When my mother passed away, I could be negative or I could do something positive. My mother and grandmother were both involved in cancer fundraising activities. As a kid I saw that as normal activity, just like dad being involved in the Boy Scouts."

Magowitz, president of retailer Mattress Discounters, based in Virginia Beach, Va., is well-known in the bedding industry for his commitment to fight pancreatic cancer. I've been fortunate to attend the last two Seena Magowitz Golf Classics, growing events that bring hundreds of bedding folks together for a worthy cause.

The outpouring of support from the bedding industry is impressive. Leaders from Sealy, Simmons, Tempur-Pedic, International Bedding, Comfort Solutions and United Sleep have attended the events. Leading bedding suppliers and retailers also attend, as do other leaders in the home furnishings industry.

Despite the serious cause that unites us all in Phoenix, the mood is upbeat. The camaraderie in the bedding industry runs so deep that we all have a wonderful time when we meet in the Valley of the Sun to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.

It's nice to be removed from the pressures of the markets that usually bring us together.

The weather typically cooperates. This year's event unfolded in brilliant sunshine that seemed to bring a spirit of optimism to our efforts.

"Isn't that a magnificent sight?" Magowitz said, gesturing to the sunlight-bathed mountains that glistened in the distance as the golfers sped off in their carts. It was.

And so was the sight of Roger Magowitz, attending to the hundreds of details, large and small, in his remarkable pancreatic cancer crusade, one that is gaining momentum. His efforts will save lives. His mother would be proud.

This apple didn't fall far from the tree.