Skate-A-Thon Honors Little Girl, 12, Who Lost Brave Cancer Battle

SAG HARBOR, NY — Once again, supporters will lace up their skates in memory of an 12-year old Sag Harbor girl, Katy Stewart, who died of a rare form of liver cancer in 2011.

The seventh annual Katy's Courage Skate-A-Thon and Bake Sale will take place on Sunday, March 4 at the Buckskill Winter Club, located at 178 Buckskill Road in East Hampton, with all proceeds to benefit Katy's Courage.

The event kicks off at 4:45 p.m.; the schedule for the day includes:

1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.: Regular public skating

2:45 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Ice maintenance

3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Regular public skating

4:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Puck throw, pre-registration available

5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Figure skating recital by coaches and participating kids

6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.: Skate-A-Thon skaters take the ice

7:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Ice maintenance

7:30 p.m.: Raffle drawings and winner announcements

7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Hockey game, pre-registration required

Throughout the day, participants may stop by the annual bake sale for treats and a fundraising raffle. A rain date is set for Sunday, March 11.

Katy’s Courage is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization honoring Katy, who broke hearts when she died from a rare form of pediatric liver cancer. The organization is dedicated to supporting education, children’s bereavement counseling and pediatric cancer research.

Katy's bright smile became familiar to East End residents after two Roar For A Cure benefits organized by The Max Cure Foundation raised funds and support for two families fighting fiercely to save their children from deadly cancers.

Katy, said Max Cure President David Plotkin, whose son Max survived his battle with lymphoma, "fought with courage and bravery, always wearing a smile." The Roar For A Cure carnivals, he added, lent support to Katy's parents, Jim and Brigid, so they "would be able to dedicate time and energy on getting Katy well," while providing some normalcy for their young son, Robert, during the times that Katy underwent treatment.

"As parents, and as a community, everyone rallied around Katy," Plotkin said. "Memorial Sloan-Kettering did everything they could to cure her. Unfortunately, the cancer was too strong."

Katy, a seventh grader, passed away in her sleep only days before the New Year.

"Early this morning as the sun was rising in pink hue over the harbor, our beautiful and beloved daughter and Robert's sister, Katy, became an angel in heaven," wrote the Stewart family in a message on CaringBridge.org, a website devoted to sharing news of those who are facing health challenges.

"She was a special gift to the lives of those who knew her, a kind and thoughtful child who was a giving and generous soul," the message continued. "She was a magnificent blessing to our lives and words can't really express just how we much we loved her so."

Katy's parents are familiar faces on the East End.

Her heartbroken family also thanked the community for reaching out to them during their darkest hours.

"You made our journey lighter, and touched Katy's heart in so many ways. Please say a prayer for her. She will be with us always."

Patch courtesy photo.