“The most perfect political community is one in which the middle class is in control and outnumbers both of the other classes.”- Aristotle1
The Middle Class came out in full force to support their popular Staten Island Hockey coach Eddie Blackburn. The Blackburn Family Cancer Foundation “Coaching For a Cure” presented St. Peter’s Hockey Club vs. St. Joseph By The Sea in an exciting Hockey game, on Monday evening, January 3rd, 2025. The 5th Annual Charity Game and 2nd Michael Manna Memorial Game purpose was to benefit the funding for the pancreatic cancer research laboratory led by Dr. Despina Siolas, MD, PhD of Weill Cornell Medicine. The event was held in the Staten Island Skating Pavilion at 3080 Arthur Kill Road. St. Joseph By The Sea, won 6-2.
Ice hockey is popular for its speed and frequent physical contact. Linda Inganamorte Blackburn and her committee organized a fabulous raffle of numerous prizes. The prizes were donated by persons and businesses of Staten Island. I was impressed by the excitement generated by the raffle drawings. Excitement and applause accompanied every raffle winner. A Hockey player won a signature photo of a famous hockey player, His excitement, shouts of joy, and hug of joy with his father brought tears to many people.
Coach Blackburn, event organizer, and patient of Dr. Siolas is one of the few persons to survive Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He is in his fifth year of remission and coaching varsity hockey at St. Peters High School, Staten Island for 20 seasons. He is honoring Dr. Siolas who administered a personalized medical treatment combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. “If it were not for her, I would not be standing here today. Dr. Siolas’ research saved my life,” he said. “We want to do all we can to aid the cause.
Maria Capalbo, a patient of Dr. Despina Siolas, passed away on January 5, 2025.In lieu of flowers, donations will be made in her memory to the Siolas Lab for research in colon and pancreatic cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she received excellent care from Dr. Despina Siolas. Three generations of her family attended the Hockey game.
“I had 4 groups of patients come to see me at the game,” said Dr. Siolas. “It is an honor and privilege to be here as a physician and researcher. Most importantly, I am inspired by the strength and determination of the community. Cancer is one of the toughest challenges we are facing in medicine today. I thank the Blackburn Family Cancer Foundation for this event. We will fight cancer once and for all.” Visit website https://blackburncancerfoundation.com/
All photos by Shane Blackburn
References:
1. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/aristotle_134193#:~:text=Aristotle%20Quotes&text=The%20most%20perfect%20political%20community%20is%20one%20in%20which%20the,both%20of%20the%20other%20classes.
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