Smiles to Brighten Roswell Park Campus as Young Cancer Survivor Lights Tree of Hope Friday, Dec. 9

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s annual Tree of Hope lighting ceremony will be held on Friday, Dec. 9, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Kaminski Park and Gardens on the Roswell Park campus. This free, family-friendly event, to be held in honor of all who are touched by cancer, will feature holiday activities such as live music, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, face painting and a gingerbread house raffle.

Guests can expect all the joys of the holiday season at this outdoor event, which is co-sponsored by WGRZ 2 On Your Side and West Herr Automotive Group. The festivities will be hosted by Channel 2’s Maryalice Demler and Kevin O’Connell, and will culminate with the lighting of the Tree of Hope by 9-year-old Alexis, a cancer survivor and member of Carly’s Club at Roswell Park. 

The event will also feature a candle-lighting ceremony paying tribute to those we’ve lost to cancer and survivors still fighting the disease, and attendees will have the opportunity to write personal and inspirational messages on bell ornaments to be placed on a holiday tree in the Roswell Park main lobby.

Other activities and attractions to be featured at this year’s Tree of Hope:

• Performances by The Doyle Brothers, The Caroling Counselors and The Friends of Harmony’s HyNotes
• Visits and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus
• Horse-drawn-carriage rides donated by the Collins Draft Horse, Ox and Pony Club
• Live ice sculpting by Paul Strada
• Gingerbread house raffle
• Face painting
• Dunkin’ Donuts, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Buffalo and BJ’s Wholesale Club to provide refreshments — hot chocolate, apple cider and donuts
• Animated light show: a display of 75,000 energy-efficient LED lights, orchestrated to holiday music
• Light-up bracelets for sale at the Yroswell table

Guests may register to attend this free event by contacting 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or online at roswellpark.org/treeofhope.

Free parking will be available in Roswell Park’s on-campus parking ramp, located at Carlton and Elm Streets in Buffalo.

Television viewers across Western New York, Western Pennsylvania and Southern Ontario viewers can watch live coverage of the event on WGRZ-TV Channel 2 that evening beginning at 5 p.m., with streaming live coverage on WGRZ.com.

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The mission of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park is one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email AskRoswell@Roswellpark.org. Follow Roswell Park on Facebook and Twitter.