There are so many ways in which people choose to give to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, from donating to a participant of The Ride for Roswell to creating an annual event of their own. Often times, it's the personal connections to cancer that fuel the overwhelming desire to give back to Roswell Park.
Ninette Dusenberry lost her son Nick to melanoma more than a decade ago. The loss was beyond devastating, but she turned that pain into something much greater. This summer, Ninette hosted the 12th annual Nicholas A. Dusenberry Memorial Golf Tournament, which benefits melanoma research at Roswell Park. “I am so grateful for the care Roswell Park provided Nick and the support following his death to help fulfill his wish to make a difference,” she said. “I believe we are very fortunate to have this hospital and research center right here in Buffalo.”
One of the youngest fundraisers is Will Shine, 8, who also feels it is important to give to Roswell Park, and has been participating in The Ride For Roswell since 2010. According to Will’s mother, Jenifer, he has participated in The Ride for five of the past six years. The pair began riding with a close family friend who is also cancer survivor. Having a person so close to them battle cancer has been the motivation to continue with The Ride year after year.
For his most recent birthday, Will requested that, instead of his friends bringing gifts, they bring donations for The Ride. As a pair, Jenifer and Will were able to reach the Extra Mile Club level this year, meaning they raised $1,000 or more for Roswell Park cancer research. “It’s our goal to reach the Extra Mile Club for each of us as registered riders next year,” said Jenifer. Having fun together while raising money for cancer keeps them both coming back to The Ride for Roswell, according to Jenifer.
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Editor’s Note: Cancer patient outcomes and experiences may vary, even for those with the same type of cancer. An individual patient’s story should not be used as a prediction of how another patient will respond to treatment. Roswell Park is transparent about the survival rates of our patients as compared to national standards, and provides this information, when available, within the cancer type sections of this website.