Gold Tree In Huntington Honors Children Fighting, Lost To Cancer

HUNTINGTON, NY — Families who have lived through childhood cancer gathered at Huntington Town Hall this week as the community illuminated its annual gold tree, with the names of children fighting cancer, survivors and those who died displayed among its branches.

The Daniela Conte Foundation joined the Town of Huntington for the annual Gold Tree Lighting Ceremony, where gold lights and bows bearing children's names marked the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

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Dix Hills resident and foundation President Katia Conte started the annual tradition after her daughter, Daniela, died from cancer at age 8 in March 2020.

Among those gathered this year was foundation board member Maria Galofaro, whose youngest daughter, Sophia, was one of Daniela's childhood best friends.

The girls met when they were about 5 years old, and Galofaro recalled how Daniela's diagnosis forced Sophia to confront a word most children that age barely understand.

Sophia came home after learning her friend was sick and asked her mother, "Mom, what's cancer?" Galofaro recalled.

Sophia is now a teenager, while Daniela's name and legacy remain at the center of the foundation created after her death.

Galofaro said Sophia still struggles to understand what happened to her childhood friend. That relationship is also part of what keeps Galofaro involved with the foundation today.

"It's paying it forward, helping out other families," she said.

The foundation provides the gold lights and bows that decorate the Town Hall tree. Some names represent children currently undergoing treatment, others survivors and others children who died from cancer.

After Daniela died, the Conte family established the Daniela Conte Foundation to help other children going through cancer treatment. The nonprofit raises childhood cancer awareness, provides financial assistance to families and funds research, with a particular interest in embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, the cancer Daniela battled.

The Huntington tree lighting became one of the foundation's earliest public traditions.

The first ceremony was held during the COVID-19 pandemic, with attendees wearing masks and navigating social-distancing restrictions. Six years later, the tradition continues.

The foundation's awareness efforts have also expanded beyond Town Hall.

Its Gold Shoelace campaign has reached more than 60 schools, according to Conte. Student-athletes swap their regular shoelaces for gold ones during September in an effort to spark conversations about childhood cancer.

For Galofaro, some of the most emotional work happens away from the public ceremonies.

"The thing that gets to me emotionally is when [Katia] gets the applications from these families that don't have money and they need help," Galofaro said.

The foundation assists qualifying families with expenses including housing, car payments and other needs while their children undergo treatment.

Another Gold Tree Ahead

The Huntington lighting is one of several Childhood Cancer Awareness Month initiatives involving the Daniela Conte Foundation this September.

Conte and the foundation are expected to participate Tuesday, Sept. 8, in the Town of Smithtown's annual Pediatric Cancer Awareness Tree Lighting Ceremony at Smithtown Town Hall.

The 4:30 p.m. ceremony will also feature a tree decorated with gold lights and personalized ribbons bearing the names of children currently battling cancer, those in remission and children who died from the disease.

For the families gathered in Huntington this week, however, the meaning of the gold tree was already visible in the names hanging from its branches — names meant to remain seen long after the ceremony itself ended.

The tree at Huntington Town Hall will remain illuminated through the end of September.