Howard Zwelling(right) and his stepdaughter Michelle Antonucci(left) are battling cancer together at RRH Lipson Cancer Institute in Batavia. At the end of June, a fundraiser called “Lets Fight Cancer Together” was held at Moose Harbor in Wyoming, NY.
The fundraising effort resulted in a $10,000 check presentation to the RRH Lipson Cancer Institute on Monday afternoon.
The event was a fundraiser for Zwelling, who is battling stomach cancer, and the RRH Lipson Cancer Institute. Organizers Kristen Wysocki and Jackie Stout of Moose Harbor say the fundraiser included raffles, a 50/50, a Pig Roast/hot dogs and hamburgers, along with a comedy show with Rob Leaderman and a guest comedian.
“We are just blessed that the community still, you know, during these hard times and hardships that people are facing, that everyone just has that much love and joy in their heart to still help others. And this was the fundraiser that showed that,” says Kristen Wysocki, owner of Moose Harbor.
Check presentation at Rochester Regional Lipson Cancer Institute- Front from left-Dr. Zainub Ajmal, Jill Campbell, Judy Clark, Linda Prusak, Howard Zwelling, Diane Zwelling, Roxanne Marksymik and Chris Boyd. Back from right-Mary Ayres, Cheryl McGee, Linda Chojnacki, Dr. Joshua Jones, Dr, Greg Connolly, Melissa Tatarka and Elisa Unger.
The well attended event attracted about 200 people. Many of the nurses, doctors and staff from Lipson attended along with family, friends and co-workers of Zwelling, who is an area painting contractor.
“After last year’s fundraiser, you realize as you sit here for a year that there’s other people that need help, and that’s what this was all about. It wasn’t about me. It was about other people needing help, although I do need the help, so I took some. But otherwise, that’s the reason why, there’s people that need help in this world, and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be,” says Zwelling.
Dr. Joshua Jones(right) and Dr. Greg Connolly(left) with Howard Zwelling
Zwelling often provides lunch to the staff and doctors when he comes in for treatment.
“Every other week, I’ll bring donuts or sandwiches for these guys, they’ve got to eat too. They make sure I eat every time I’m here.”
Zwelling has been undergoing treatment since last July, and on treatment days, every two weeks, he is at Lipson from 8:30am-4:30pm.
Howard Zwelling of Darien with his wife Diane (holding the check) with his daughters Michelle Antonucci(left) of Attica and Kari Szczygiel, of Perry, along with Moose Harbor owner Kristen Wysocki and Event Coordinator Jackie Stout during last Monday’s check presentation. (Submitted photo)
Zwelling’s stepdaughter Michelle is now also battling cancer as well and has been undergoing treatment for a melanoma for two months.
“We both come here and we’re both getting to know the staff here,” says Michelle.
“I was in Rochester and then he convinced me to come here because he loved the staff and they’ve been really good to me too.”
Zwelling even has a nickname at the RRH Lipson Cancer Institute, he is known as “Dude”. A Dude’s Day fundraiser was held last October as well, raising about $3,000.
(Submitted photo- Howard Zwelling with Steve Mark at June’s fundraiser.)
Steve Mark, the owner of Complete Tile and Flooring in Brockport, who has worked on jobs with Zwelling the past four years, also attended this year’s event and contributed a large donation. Steve’s wife Tammy also made a large amount of food for the fundraiser. The event raised almost $17,000 in total.
“We didn’t know how many people we would get because you never know, you know, like in the summertime with an event like that. But so many people came out, and we raised a lot of money, and then for that gentleman to double it was just amazing. I’ve never seen it before, and I’ve worked a lot of benefits, and I’ve never seen that before,” says Moose Harbor Event Coordinator, Jackie Stout.
Kristen Cinino, Senior Development Officer at Rochester Regional accepts the $10,000 check from Howard Zwelling on Monday.
“It’s life changing for the patients and the staff here at the health system,” says Kristen Cinino, Senior Development Officer at UMMC/Rochester Regional.
“It enables us to continue to provide quality care for our patients, this will go a long way.”
Zwelling credits his family for keeping things going.
“I have a wonderful wife that changed me around in life, and if it wasn’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be here. She’s my anchor. And I can’t forget my daughters, they’re the reason I’m here too. They help us quite a bit at home and make sure I make it here.”
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We would also like to thank our Grandchildren for all their help Hailey Szczygiel Allyssa,Sophia,and Mickey Antonucci. Also the boyfriends and Karis boyfriend Ron Wendt. We have a great family and friends!
Thank you very much for the article !!! ❤️