Help Livingston Teen ‘Knock Cancer Out Of Park’

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The following letter to the editor comes courtesy of Essex County resident Steven Arsht. Send all op-eds and letters to eric.kiefer@patch.com

“Knock Cancer Out of the Park” is an event that was started in 2017 for the purpose of increasing pediatric cancer awareness and raising money for pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Our mission is to fight back and defeat pediatric cancer by funding lifesaving research. We seek to honor the bravery of the children and families in our community and around the country who have faced or are currently facing pediatric cancer battles. Let’s help them Knock Cancer Out of the Park!

Each year, approximately 15,700 kids are diagnosed with cancer. Across all ages, ethnic, and socio-economic groups, this disease remains the number one cause of death by disease in children. Despite significant advances in treatments and overall survival rates in recent years, there is still a substantial amount of work to be done to ensure that all children have access to safer and more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure for all pediatric cancers.

The Knock Cancer Out of the Park campaign was inspired by Jake Kestler, a 13 year-old Livingston resident and long-time participant in our Little League. Jake was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was seven years old and beat the disease following a bone marrow transplant from his sister, Lily. Jake is currently facing his second pediatric cancer battle after being diagnosed with brain cancer in December. 2016. Jake has participated in the Livingston Little League program since he was five years old. He loves nothing more than being out of the field each spring with his friends and coaches playing baseball.

For the 2018 season, the Knock Cancer Out of the Park campaign will raise money for rare cancer research by donating $100 for every home run hit this season in the Major League Division of the Livingston Little League. All proceeds will be directed to pediatric cancer research at MSKCC.

A web page for TEAM JAKE has been set up at MSKCC to support our “Knock Cancer out of the Park” campaign. People can donate directly through this link and 100% of the money will be directed to fund pediatric cancer research. Please consider donating to help Jake and other children like him Knock Cancer out of the Park!

http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/H...

In support of this campaign, the Mayor of Livingston, Ed Meinhardt, has signed an official town proclamation declaring that April 7th, 2018, Opening Day for the Livingston Little League, is Knock Cancer Out of the Park Day. The Livingston Little League will also display special Team Jake and Knock Cancer Out of the Park banners at the Northland and Meadowbrook baseball fields this season.

If you are interested in being a corporate sponsor for the 2018 Livingston Little League Home Run Derby, contact Steven Arsht at Homeruns4Jake@gmail.com

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo via Steven Arsht

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