Bellone Recognizes Those Fighting Childhood Cancer

Hauppauge, NY--Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone recognized September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, visiting with a young cancer patient at Stony Brook Hospital Cancer Center and honoring the family of another for its advocacy work.

“As the father of three young children, I find that it is most important to address this disease and find a cure so we can protect the youngest among us,” the County Executive said. “It has been an honor to meet with some of those fighting this disease.”

The county’s H. Lee Dennison Building was lit up in gold, to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Though childhood cancers make up less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed each year, about 10,380 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2015.

The County Executive recognized the advocacy work of the Renna family of Babylon, who lost their daughter, Christina, to Rhabdomyosarcoma in 2007, Phil and Rene Renna, along with a host of family and friends, have kept Christina’s legacy alive through their constant advocacy in supporting childhood cancer research and furthering awareness and education

He also met with Stony Brook University Hospital Cancer Center staff and Jondell Aparicio, 5, of Southampton, who is undergoing treatment at the center.