Fair Lawn native and Kean University senior Sarah Yourman has won the 2012 Rare Life Leadership Award, presented by Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The award, which comes with a $2,000 donation to Yourman's charity of choice, The Boomer Esiason Foundation, honors individuals who have led rare, inspiring lives.

Yourman has dealt with a combination of cystic fibrosis, diabetes and Crohn’s Disease for most of her young life, but has time and again overcome her own personal challenges to serve as a public advocate for others with chronic diseases.

As a freshman at Fair Lawn High School, she founded the Juvenile Diabetes Awareness Club, which by 2010 had raised over $60,000 to support camp programs and education for youth and young adults with diabetes. Another one of Yourman's creations, the "Driving for the Diabetic Teenager" Program, educates diabetic teen drivers about handling the unique challenges they face on the road.

"Sarah’s mature perspective and sense of responsibility belies her chronologic age," reads an anonymous essay that was submitted to the contest on Sarah's behalf and which tells her story. "She is a dynamo with a commitment to helping others. I believe her commitment to helping others is reflective of a true humanitarian. Sarah always has a positive outlook no matter what comes her way."

Yourman's work giving a voice to the voiceless has not gone unrecognized. Her list of recognitions and distinctions is extensive.

For her commitment to community service, Yourman has been honored by the Boomer Esiason Foundation as a recipient of the Michael Brennan Courage Award, Eli Lilly as the “Young Champion Award” and as a “Volvo for Life Featured Heroes." She was also selected as the spokeswoman for Genentech’s Cystic Fibrosis “Heroes of Hope Program,” which recognizes individuals with cystic fibrosis who strive to become role models for others, while managing their own healthcare needs.