Carly’s Crossing and Summer Splash Raise $160,000 for Carly’s Club at Roswell Park

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Nearly 700 Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center supporters raised $160,000 for Carly’s Club this weekend at two of the summer’s signature fundraising events, Carly’s Crossing and Summer Splash. The funds raised will allow Carly’s Club to fund lifesaving pediatric cancer research and provide support programs for children with cancer and their families.

“The money that was raised this weekend will truly make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer and in the lives of the children who are fighting this disease,” Robin Nusbaum, Carly’s Club manager, said. “We are so grateful for our community’s generous support that allow these two events to be so successful.” 

The weekend kicked off on Friday with Summer Splash, a cocktail party held on the waterfront at Buffalo Harbor State Park. The event featured gourmet cuisine from Buffalo’s finest restaurants, music dancing and prizes. Four hundred attendees came to the event in their purple attire in a nod to this year’s theme, Purple Rain.

On Sunday, nearly 300 swimmers took part in a unique open-water swim event, Carly’s Crossing, at Gallagher Beach at Buffalo Harbor State Park. Swimmers raised pledges to participate in one or more of three courses: a 600-yard non-competitive swim, a 1-mile non-competitive swim and a 1-mile timed, competitive swim. An on-land party featured music, basket raffles, food, games, activities and prizes.

Over the past few years, more than $1.5 million has been raised for pediatric cancer research at Roswell Park, and there are currently 25 ongoing pediatric cancer clinical trials underway. Funds raised have also provided programs for children with cancer and their families, such as family counseling, therapeutic play programs and family-centered events, like the annual Carly’s Club holiday party, summer picnic and celebrity meet and greets. Currently, Carly’s Club serves over 450 pediatric cancer patients and their families.

Carly Collard Cottone, who was 8 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1999, founded Carly’s Club to help other children who were also battling the disease. Sadly, Carly lost her hard-fought struggle with cancer in 2002.

“Carly’s beautiful legacy lives on through the work of Carly’s Club, which has touched the lives of thousands of children. Our supporters at Carly’s Crossing and Summer Splash are helping to keep Carly’s vision alive,” Nusbaum said.

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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.