For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation (FPS) is proud to partner with the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol for the 51st annual Captain Bill Gallagher 10 Mile Island Run on Saturday, Aug. 5.
Team FPS, captained by Tony DiBrino, hopes to raise $12,000 this year to support the foundation’s mission of providing respite experiences for adult cancer patients, their caregivers and their children.
DiBrino, a dedicated supporter of FPS, started participating in the race in memory of his dear friend, Gino Francescangeli, whose cancer battle came to an end at the age of 62 in 2015, leaving behind his four children.
“Gino had four kids, and all he wanted was to walk his daughters down the aisle. He never got to do that,” DiBrino said in a news release.
In tribute to his friend’s memory and FPS’s mission, DiBrino continues to run the race annually.
The Island Run is the final event of three impactful FPS-related events in Sea Isle this summer. They included the annual FPS Family Beach Day, part of Respite Reinforced, which gives FPS families opportunities to reconnect throughout the year. Additionally, Maryann Pastry Shoppe hosted “Cornhole for Cancer,” raising $8,546 towards the FPS mission.
FPS expresses its gratitude to the numerous community members and local businesses that have generously supported all three events throughout the summer. They include Holman Automotive Group, Laricks Real Estate, CP Rankin, Fleet Response, Maryanne Pastry Shoppe, Long and Foster Seashore Team, McDonald Construction, Leidos, O’Connor Landscaping, The Point, Allen Door & Service Corp., Nicole Welsh Organization, Cosmo Insurance Agency, Uncle Oogie’s, Mike’s Seafood and Sands Department Store.
For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation was founded by Sea Isle resident Marci Schankweiler in memory of her late husband, Peter R. Bossow, Jr., who was a former lifeguard with the Sea Isle Beach Patrol and lost his battle with testicular cancer in September 1999.
FPS enables cancer patients and their loved ones to strengthen, deepen and unify their relationships by creating lasting and unforgettable respite experiences. Since its inception, FPS has served over 10,000 patients, caregivers and their children with Travel Respites, Staycation Respites and emotional support.
For more information about FPS, visit www.takeabreakfromcancer.org. For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation, a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organization, is funded entirely by charitable donations.
