Kicking Out Cancer

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in the Stummer family.

Matthew Stummer, a junior at Half Hollow Hills High School West, is taking a lesson from his father, Dr. Steven Stummer, in the art of giving back. After learning about his father’s volunteer work as a coach for the Special Olympics, Matthew decided to take on a charitable project of his own. The 16-year-old honor student is now organizing a toy drive for children with cancer, and even enlisted his little brother and soccer teammates to be a part of the event. 

The Stummer family, along with the BW Gottschee Soccer Club and the New York Cosmos will be collecting toys for children at Cohen’s Children’s Hospital of New York, the Cancer Center for Kids and Winthrop Hospital in Mineola and The Ronald McDonald's House of New Hyde Park until March 30.

A member of the Hills West varsity soccer team, Matthew wanted to bring a game experience to the children, rather than just toys. He came up with a “Score a Goal” event where patients will interact with Club and Academy soccer players from the BWG Cosmos. The children will get to take a shot at getting a ball into the goal to receive a gift. Everyone in the end is a winner. Local stores and teams including the BWG Cosmos, Vitriturf, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Warrior Lacrosse, Town Bagel, Long Island Ducks and Long Island Lizards are donating balls and sports equipment.

“He feels that through this event, the kids at the hospitals will have some fun and be able to have an even greater positive outlook on their healing, while keeping the sporting gear, clothing and toys to use and continue using when they are discharged,” Steven said.

The high school student is also pairing patients and Cosmos Academy players as pen pals so that when the children leave the hospital, they will have someone their age to correspond with when they return home.

“Kids have Xboxes, iPhones, play stations and they don’t always appreciate the other gifts in life. They don’t realize that it all can be taken be taken away if you don’t have your health, so I’m happy that Matthew gets that,” Steven said.

Suggested donation items include unwrapped new toys, soccer balls, T-shirts, new DVDs, Hot Wheels, Barbies, Nerf Toys, Lego sets, Playdoh, teen crafts, bubbles (3-5 oz), batteries, gift cards and other gifts for children 5-18.

Donations can be dropped off at any of Dr. Steven Stummer’s office locations in Northport, Plainview and Bellmore. Limited pick will also be available. For more information, contact Steven Stummer at 516-449-1842.

Drop off locations:

The Northport Wellness Center, 220 Fort Salonga Rd. (25A), Northport, NY 11768 631-262-8505 

2631 Merrick Rd., Ste. 300 Bellmore, NY 11710, 516-781-9800 

100 Manetto Hill Road, Ste 103 Plainview, NY 11803, 516-822-9595