When I embarked on my journey in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS)’s Man/Woman of the Year program, I said I was doing so to honor my late wife, Stephanie, who died of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 1999.
Although I have never participated in a public fundraising event, I believed the time was right — on the 15th anniversary of Stephanie’s passing — to say “yes” to my nomination for the Man/Woman of the Year program and to do whatever I could to raise money for the LLS.
The society’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma; and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood-cancer research around the world, and provides free information and support services.
After attending the Man/Woman of the Year kickoff event on March 10, this effort has taken on even more of a personal attachment for me.
Mark Rosman greets Grace Abraham, who is lending her support to participants in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2014 Man/Woman of the Year fundraiser. I realized the effort I am making is not necessarily for those who have lost their life to cancer.
The effort is for individuals who are fighting cancer today and need to know other people are doing what we can to raise money for research that may lead to a cure.
I am confident that Stephanie, who was a friend to everyone she met, would understand if I told her my focus has shifted just a bit from making this effort on her behalf to helping those who are fighting cancer today.
The Man/Woman of the Year program has two young people who are inspiring those of us who are participating.
Grace Abraham, 7, of Rochelle Park, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2013.
That is the same cancer that Stephanie had, so to say that I feel a connection with this young lady would be the understatement of the year.
Grace had stomach pain on and off for a year and then caught a stomach bug. She had an abdominal CT scan, and the scan caught something in her chest, which led to a chest scan. When the results came back, there were two masses in her chest, a biopsy was done and the results confirmed that Grace had Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
She went through five rounds of chemotherapy between April and July 2013. She is now in remission and doing well. Grace has returned to school and is getting back into the swing of things.
The young man who is lending his name to the Man/Woman of the Year effort is Justin Pritikin, 14, of the New Egypt section of Plumsted Township. Justin was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2012.
His winning personality started a phenomenon, known as “Justinsanity,” that swept across New Egypt and all across the country, thanks to social media and his father’s ties in the summer camp industry.
Justin’s first year of treatment was challenging, including persevering through superstorm Sandy power outages. But his school’s successful Pennies for Patients campaign led him to speak to an entire elementary school in Woodbury.
With more than 26,000 visits to his inspirational CaringBridge.com website, Justin has raised considerable awareness and funding for LLS.
Now, two years post-diagnosis, Justin is in remission. He is back to school, playing basketball and, as an eighth-grader, sat on the high school varsity boys basketball team’s bench, assisting the team’s head coach.
Justin is an award-winning honors student and a basketball, baseball and fantasy football encyclopedia.
I feel as if the future of Grace and Justin — and many other youngsters like them who are battling cancer — is somehow in our hands right now.
My fundraising effort for the LLS is off to a great start. My Man/Woman of the Year page may be seen at www.mwoy.org/ pages/nj/nnj14/mrosman.
A donation in any amount will make a significant impact in the lives of many people who did not deserve to contract the disease they are now fighting. Mark Rosman is a managing editor with Greater Media Newspapers. He may be reached at [email protected].