Shoreham-Wading River’s annual ‘Lax Out Cancer’ event set for May 10

Lax Out Cancer Corp.’s 16th annual “Lax Out Cancer” fundraiser is set to take place Saturday, May 10 on Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field at the high school.

Run exclusively by volunteers, the event began in 2009 when the SWR lacrosse community raised money for the family of a local child who was battling cancer. This year, five individuals and their families will benefit from the fundraiser: Ryan Pearl, Hunter LaRosa, Andy Hitz, Marguerite Flynn and Lisa Pesce.

Jim Lauckhardt, a Lax Out Cancer committee member, said more than 75 local businesses have donated to the fundraiser so far. In the past, volunteers have raised more than $50,000. The committee donates 90% of all net proceeds directly to the families, with 10% of the funds set aside to support SWR varsity lacrosse programs.

“The entire Shoreham-Wading River lacrosse program, from youth through varsity, is involved in fundraising,” Mr. Lauckhardt said. “And a lot of committee members also kind of reach out to businesses that they’re familiar with to try to get donations.”

At 8:30 a.m., before the main lacrosse matches begin, Mr. Lauckhardt said, the Albert G. Prodell Middle School boys lacrosse team will participate in a scrimmage against the Rocky Point boys lacrosse team.

The high school’s junior varsity squads will then kick things off, with the boys playing the Comsewogue Spartans at 10 a.m. and the girls facing the West Islip Lions at 11:30 a.m. The varsity lacrosse girls will go head to head with West Islip at 1:30 p.m. with the boys varsity capping the day-long event with a match against Comsewogue at 4 p.m.

Gift baskets will be raffled off throughout the day and there will be lacrosse games for younger kids, food, music and a host of vendors providing entertainment during the event, including hair braiding and specialty stretching.

“We’re a conglomerate of small towns: We have Rocky Point, Mount Sinai, Comsewogue, and those towns on their own have been doing a wonderful job supporting these individuals, and are now supporting the Lax Out Cancer event itself,” Mr. Lauckhardt said. “People just want to help during times like this, and I think that this gives the opportunity to do so. Ultimately it’s for those recipients and their families who are dealing with the unimaginable … to have at least a little bit of a weight lifted.”

Ryan Pearl of Mount Sinai, 13, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer called Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma in the fall of 2023. Since his diagnosis, he has undergone major surgery and nearly 40 rounds of radiation to slow the spread of the cancer. He continues to get scanned every three months to monitor the nodules.

After missing school due to treatment, he is now attending full-time. Ryan loves to play basketball, cello and video games and spend time with his friends, and his parents and four older siblings support him in any way they can.

A little over a year ago, Hunter LaRosa, 12, of Rocky Point started experiencing constant nausea and frequent vomiting at school. After multiple visits to pediatricians, his family was repeatedly told he was simply experiencing nerves or just a common upset stomach.

In need of answers, his family took him to Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Queens, where Hunter endured a series of tests, endoscopies, colonoscopies, blood work and various medications. On July 12, 2024, Hunter was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

He immediately underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by radiation therapy. After treatment, his family received the incredible news this past fall that Hunter was in remission. Despite that victory after a hard fight, Hunter’s battle is not over as he still experiences the tumor’s lingering impacts on his body.

The cancer damaged his endocrine system, affecting his pituitary gland and causing his kidneys to produce excessive electrolytes — disrupting important body functions like hydration, muscle control and nerve signaling. Recently, he has undergone a series of spinal taps that left him extremely ill and weak.

A Rocky Point boys lacrosse player, Hunter is now under the care of an endocrinology specialist and with the support of his family, friends and community, continues to show great resilience as he navigates the complex road to recovery.

Ms. Flynn is known for her selflessness and as “an anchor” for those around her, her family wrote. After over a year of feeling like something wasn’t right, she was diagnosed with Stage 4B endometrial cancer in December 2024 that spread throughout her abdomen.

After enduring an intense, 8.5-hour surgery and aggressive chemotherapy treatments, Ms. Flynn continues fight with resilience and a smile on her face.

After a routine mammogram during the COVID-19 pandemic, a biopsy revealed Ms. Pesce had breast cancer. She tested positive for the BRCA gene and underwent a 10-hour surgery to remove her breasts and ovaries. She endured other surgeries as well and months of aggressive chemotherapy after a pathology report confirmed Stage 1 cancer. These treatments have led to lasting side effects and she now faces two additional procedures due to the effects of chemotherapy.

After taking time to heal, Ms. Pesce, who formerly worked as a corporate recruiter for MetLife, shifted her focus to working with individuals with disabilities. She continues to show strength through these challenges, alongside her husband and son.

Mr. Hitz of Miller Place passed away earlier this month after a three-year battle with Urothelial Carcinoma. Despite undergoing countless treatments — chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials — Mr. Hitz’s strength, courage and determination never wavered. The fundraiser will benefit his daughters and wife, who described him as “a devoted father, a loving husband, and the heart of his family.”

Those interested in becoming a sponsor can send a check to Lax Out Cancer Corp., P.O. Box 12, Wading River, NY 11792, or donate with a credit card at cheddarup.com/c/laxoutsponsor. After donating, individuals are encouraged to fill out a quick form at tinyurl.com/Laxoutsponsorform, so they can receive a proper thank you.

Anyone interested in donating food can sign up at tinyurl.com/LaxOutFood and those ready to volunteer should visit tinyurl.com/LaxOut510. Find more information at laxoutcancer.org.

“I think the reason it continues to be successful is because of the power of the community and the people who are willing, year after year, to provide their support for such an important cause,” Mr. Lauckhardt said. “It’s meaningful for the participants to know that we’re here for them — you often have to deal with some of these things alone, or you can feel alone, and I think coming to an event like this and realizing how many people are ready and waiting to support you in any way that you need is what keeps the committee going.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated.