Bernie Mac's memory honored by ongoing fight against disease that took his life

As what would have been the 56^th birthday of the late, great comedian and actor Bernie Mac approaches Saturday — a couple of events are planned to honor the Chicago native’s memory.

†Secretary of State Jesse White will present Bernie’s widow, Rhonda R. McCullough, with a special “Bernie Mac” license plate at the James R. Thompson State of Illinois Center in the Loop at 10 a.m. Wednesday — and then will retire that plate from further issue in the state.

†From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, the UI Health will host the “Reach for the Stars” town hall meeting to celebrate the first anniversary of the partnership between University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System and the Bernie Mac Foundation — and the establishment of the Bernie Mac Sarcoidosis Translational Advanced Research (STAR) Center.The meeting will provide updates on sarcoidosis research and related programs concerning the disease that claimed Mac’s life.

Speakers at the event will include McCullough, who serves as the Bernie Mac Foundation president; Dr. Nadera Sweiss, director of the UI Health Bernie Mac STAR Center and Dr. Patricia Finn, head of the medicine department at UIC College of Medicine, and president of the American Thoracic Society.

Bernie Mac died from complications with saroidosis in 2008.