SARANAC LAKE — After taking a year off, the Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer fundraiser returned to the Olympic Oval in Lake Placid, raising more than $26,200 for Adirondack Health’s Merrill Oncology Center Travel Fund and Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation’s cancer research.
More than 111 participants fundraised for the event, which took place Saturday, Feb. 22, the 45th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice,” where the U.S.A. Olympic Hockey team defeated the Soviet Union for the gold medal.
This year’s guest speaker, Kristin Finn, made the day even more special for Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer organizer Adirondack Health, as Finn has been a nurse and educator with the organization for more than 30 years.
Finn is a two-time breast cancer survivor and in her most recent battle in 2019 utilized the Merrill Oncology Center’s Travel Fund as she required further oncology care in New York City. Finn said she was grateful that the travel fund meant the cost of the travel to access the care was one less source of stress during an already challenging time.
“Early on in my cancer journey, I decided that cancer was not going to define me,” Finn said. “I had two choices, lay down and let cancer take over or stand up and fight, and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. That’s my journey. Not everyone will have that same journey or be on that same path.”
Finn credited her excellent treatment and two-time survival to oncologist Dr. David Mastrianni and the whole team at Adirondack Medical Center’s Merrill Oncology Center.
“I’m in a unique position because they’re not just my caregivers. They are my colleagues and my friends. So I had a different experience than some patients may have but I got the same great care,” Finn said.
The Merrill Oncology Center’s Kristina Hybicki, who is a social worker, spoke about the importance of the travel fund. She said over the past five years, more than $41,000 has been raised for the fund, which assists income-eligible oncology patients battling cancer with travel expenses related to their treatments.
“For many cancer patients, getting to and from treatment is one of the biggest challenges they face,” Hybicki said.
“Some don’t have reliable transportation, while others simply cannot afford the cost of multiple trips to the clinic and larger cancer care centers outside of the Adirondacks. No one should have to choose between receiving life-saving care and worrying how they will get there.”
Also speaking that day were emcee Stewart Hemsley, Vice President of Events and Sports Programs Management Rebecca Dayton, and the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation’s Lauren Anderson.
The website to donate to Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer remains open. To donate or learn more, visit https://fundraise.scottcares.org/LakePlacid.