SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Hugs for Brady plans first pancake breakfast

By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
   The Hugs for Brady foundation is working to cure pediatric cancer, and will be holding a pancake breakfast as a fundraiser at the Senior Center on Route 522 on March 20.
   The first annual Hugs for Brady Pancake Breakfast will take place 8 a.m. until noon, Ellen Gambatese, who is organizing the breakfast with Debbie Roedel, said.
   The cost of the breakfast is $10 for adults, $5 for children between 5 and 11 years old, and children under 5 years-old are free, Ms. Gambatese said.
   Ms. Gambatese said that she and Ms. Roedel are part of a committee for Hugs for Brady, and wanted to do some kind of fundraiser, and a pancake breakfast would be “viable,” Ms. Gambatese said.
   ”The committee is part of the effort of the Hugs for Brady Foundation to raise funds for the relief of pediatric cancer,” Ms. Gambatese said.
   Hugs for Brady also takes care of the special needs of pediatric cancer patients not covered by insurance, Ms. Gambatese said.
   Attendees will be served pancakes with apple, blueberry, strawberry, and chocolate chip and whipped cream toppings, and can make their own omelets with various additions, Ms. Gambatese said.
   The Gondek family, who owns the Confectionately Yours restaurant in Franklin, are “being very generous in donating food items for this breakfast,” Ms. Gambatese said.
   Sherrie Wells said that she founded Hugs for Brady with her husband Mike in October 2009 as a fund established through Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, after their son Brady was diagnosed with a rare leukemia called non-differentiated acute leukemia.
   Ms. Wells said that Brady lost his battle with leukemia in July 2010.
   This year, the hospital added cribs to their budget for pediatric cancer patients, Ms. Gambatese said.
   Ms. Gambatese and her husband, Mayor Frank Gambatese, visited Brady in the hospital after he was diagnosed, and have been with the organization from the beginning, Ms. Wells said.
   (Ms. Gambatese) and the mayor have been a wonderful support system,” Ms. Wells said.
   Ms. Gambatese said all money raised at the event will go to the foundation, and that she is hoping several hundred people attend the event.
   ”(Sherrie and Mike Wells) took their experience determined to help families dealing with pediatric cancer,” Ms. Gambatese said.
   Ms. Gambatese said that she and Mr. Gambatese have also experienced a family catastrophe when one of their children suffered a brain injury.
   ”We reached out to them to help them through their ordeal,” Ms. Gambatese said.
   The short term goal for Hugs for Brady is to fund a pediatric oncology fellowship at Bristol Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital in New Brunswick that is estimated to cost about $300,000, Ms. Wells said.
   Curing pediatric cancer is Hugs for Brady’s long term goal, Ms. Wells said.
   Ms. Gambatese said the foundation also would like to raise awareness of pediatric cancer since there are 40,000 cases of the disease in the United States.
   ”No donation amount is too small and no donation is too large,” Ms. Wells said. “It takes everybody.”
   The donations have ranged from children giving change from their piggy banks to corporations writing checks, Ms. Wells said.
   Hugs for Brady is accepting donations through their website or by mailing checks to 4 Quentin Road in Kendall Park.
   For more information or to get tickets, residents can call either Ms. Gambatese at 732-821-0639 or Ms. Roedel at 732-620-6137.