‘Lax Out Cancer’ fundraiser returns to Shoreham-Wading River on May 13

Lax Out Cancer, Shoreham-Wading River Athletic Club’s annual lacrosse fundraiser for local families battling cancer, is coming back May 13.

The event started in 2009 when the SWR lacrosse community raised money for the family of a local child who was battling cancer. 

Jeremy Brandt, who chairs the event’s organizing committee, said that more than $500,000 has been raised for local families over the years. The committee hopes to collect another $50,000 this year. SWR’s varsity lacrosse program will receive 10% of the proceeds while the remainder will be split among four local families struggling with cancer.

“It’s just a really great cause,” Mr. Brandt said. “Even more than the monetary help we give the families, I think it’s important the families understand that they’re not alone in the fight. They have a whole community that backs them up. The one thing about the Shoreham-Wading River community is they answer the bell every single time.”

Mr. Brandt, who moved to the area 12 years ago, currently lives in Wading River with his family. He and the other 14 committee members have been meeting at Wildcat Bagel Deli since the first week of March to plan this year’s event.

This year, four community members will benefit from the proceeds of this fundraiser. Bob Thomsen of Shoreham, 56, was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma to the brain. A total of 16 tumors were discovered and he continues to battle the disease. One of his four children is a student at SWR High School, the other three are in college.

Shannon Rosati, 27, who was diagnosed last June with a malignant phyllodes tumor, an extremely rare form of breast cancer, will also receive funds. Ms. Rosati is an SWR lacrosse alumna.

Megan Julian, 24, a former three-sport athlete who graduated from SWR in 2017, was diagnosed in February with a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is also among the beneficiaries, along with 47-year-old Stephanie Loscalzo, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma last August. Ms. Loscalzo, who has been an active volunteer in the community and the school district, is married with four children, two in college and two enrolled in the SWR school district.

“These four families, each one of them, they’ve given to the community,” Mr. Brandt said. “So this is the community giving back.”

The event will take place at SWR High School, kicking off at 10 a.m. with the boys junior varsity team against East Islip, followed by the girls varsity team taking on Ward Melville at 1 p.m. Immediately after, the high school boys varsity team will face off against East Islip. 

SWR alumnus Carter Rubin, the winner of season 19 of “The Voice,” will sing the national anthem ahead of the boys varsity game. The New York Riptide, a box lacrosse team based in Uniondale, will also participate.

There will several additional opportunities for community members to donate throughout the day, including raffles, special event gear sales and giveaways plus drinks and snacks from the organization’s concession stand.

“The one thing you can always count on is this community,” Mr. Brandt said, “and the great group of people we have together working on it.”

For more information or to make a donation, visit laxoutcancer.org or contact [email protected].