Top businesswomen to support Kids Against Cancer

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month may be over but Kids Against Cancer – a growing not-for-profit organization that, for more than 30 years, has held an annual holiday toy drive for children affected by cancer – has been raising awareness all year ‘round, and is coming up on its favorite time of year.

It all began when Michael Grillo, a New York State Court Clerk and now president of the organization, was fighting cancer before the age of 30. He often wandered the halls of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he vowed to beat cancer so that he could come back and help those children spending the holidays – and sometimes their entire year – in the pediatric ward.

He kept his promise.

In 1983, Grillo founded Kids Against Cancer and his one-man crusade to provide holiday spirit to children confined to the hospital quickly grew into something more. Today, he has larger ambitions – his long term goal being to provide the required care to children in a setting that would not be associated with their illness.

The organization is now embarking on its greatest endeavor, the construction of a state-of-the-art health and recreational facility where children with cancer can receive their treatment in an environment that is as uplifting as it is beautiful – something both Staten Island University Hospital and The Home Reporter are happy to get behind.

“We look forward to contributing to such a great cause for children in need,” said Home Reporter and Brooklyn Spectator Co-Publisher Joshua Schneps who will spotlight Kids Against Cancer – alongside another Staten Island charity, Emma’s Place – at the inaugural Staten Island Top Women in Business Networking Awards Dinner, an event honoring influential women, to be held Wednesday, December 3 at the Staten Island Hilton. “We’re thrilled to have the raffle benefit two locally-based and active organizations.”

Some of Staten Island’s Top Women honorees – to be recognized for their participation in the community – include Donna Proske, executive director NSLIJ at Staten Island University Hospital; Linda Baron, president and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce; Jane Rogers, president and general manager of the Staten Island Yankees; Fran Reali, owner of Safari Realty; and Jeanne Sarno, vice president of Empire State Bank, among others.

The first annual Staten Island Top Women in Business – sponsored by North Shore LIJ, Staten Island University Hospital and Investors Bank – will take place in the Staten Island Hilton’s Nicotra’s Ballroom (1100 South Avenue) with networking from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and award presentation and dinner beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m.

For more information on sponsorship and participation opportunities, contact Lori at 718-238-6600, ext. 110 or lpedone@homereporter.com.

To purchase tickets, visit www.homereporternews.com/events.

For more information on Kids Against Cancer, visit www.kidsagainstcancer.org.