Novi Man to Share Personal Cancer Battle

Novi News/Observer & Eccentric Newspapers
615 West Lafayette - Second Level
Detroit, MI 48226

May 12, 2010

Dear Editor,

My name is Larry Gambotto and I was featured on the front page of your paper on Thursday, June 21, 2001 Novi News.  The article titled “Novi man to share personal cancer battle” featured a photo of my mother, my caregiver, and me.  The article came about a year after my bone marrow transplant and shortly thereafter, I was able to talk to my bone marrow donor, a New York City Fire Fighter, and he and I met in February 2002.  My life has changed greatly since that time, but I still remember my battle with cancer and how it has brought me to where I am at today.  Now, I am a husband, father of three, a firefighter/paramedic with the Rochester Hills Fire Dept. and a 10 year cancer survivor.

I have shared my story of cancer survival many times with many people and look forward to continuing to do the same.  On June 5, 2010 we will be celebrating my 10th anniversary of my bone marrow transplant and cancer survivorship at Lakeshore Park in Novi, MI.  Many of my friends and family that helped with fund-raisers during my cancer battle will be there to celebrate with us.  My bone marrow donor, Joseph Mayer, of Islip Terrance, NY will also be there to celebrate with us.

Mr. Mayer, now retired from FDNY, will be able to make the trip due to a donation from My Friends Care Cancer Fund.  MFC is an organization that helps families facing cancers organize and do fundraisers for expenses that are not covered by insurance.  I have been a client of My Friends Care since 1999.  I have sat on their Board of Directors and made donations to help other families.  We look forward to sharing our day with the current MFC Board of Directors and appreciate all the help we have received from their organization over the past eleven years.

I hope my cancer survivorship can be an inspiration to others.  I look forward to sharing, with other families facing cancer, the services My Friends Care Cancer Fund offers (www.myfriendscare.org).  Lastly, I will continue to live life and enjoy it.  Thank you for time.

Sincerely,

Larry Gambotto