Community steps to the plate for cancer patient
Fundraiser to aid former CCHS, HVCC star diagnosed with rare cancer
Dylan Pollock is used to picking up his teammates as a local baseball star, but now, his teammates — and his hometown — are looking to help him as the 20-year-old battles cancer.
The Troy native, who played at Catholic Central High School and Hudson Valley Community College, as well as for the Waterford Nationals travel team, was beginning his first semester at the University at Albany, where he planned to continue playing, when a pre-season physical raised some concerns. In the weeks to follow, doctors discovered a large mass in Pollock’s right pulmonary artery, diagnosed as intimal sarcoma, an extremely rare form of cancer, and endured open heart surgery.
Pollock and his family have a difficult road ahead, as he will soon start treatment, but past
and present teammates are stepping up to help. A fundraiser has been organized to aid the family with medical bills and expenses they’ll incur.
The Waterford Nationals are hosting A Night to Benefit Dylan from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 at The Recovery Room on Route 4 in East Greenbush. Twenty percent of food sales will be donated to Pollock and his family, and there will also be a silent raffle with gifts, tickets, gift cards and other donations from area businesses and organizations.
Waterford Nationals Coach Christian Bertrand, one of the event organizers, is expecting a large crowd of people who want to show their support for
Pollock.
Bertrand first met Pollock when he was 15 years old and coached him until just last year. In that time,
“He was always the nicest kid, very polite, always said ‘Yes, Coach,’ ‘No, Coach,’” Bertrand said of Pollock, who first began playing for Bertrand at age 15. “He worked hard. He was a great pitcher, probably one of the top 10 kids I’ve ever coached.”
Pollock’s illness “really hit close to home,” Bertrand said, so he and fellow Nationals coaches Scott Rader and Bill Kelts decided to do what they could to help.
“We were together actually when we got the phone call from his dad that it was cancerous, and we said, ‘You know what we should really do something for him,’” Bertrand recalled. “He would run through a brick wall
for you and then he would come back out and ask you if you wanted him to do it again.”
When they learned of the Recovery Room’s fundraising program, the coaches agreed it was a great idea, and they set a goal of raising $5,000.
Since announcing the event, organizers said they have seen a lot of support from past and present Nationals players and their families, as well as from the Hudson Valley Community College team and the greater community.
“We just really hope people show up for the great cause and help this great family out when they really need it,” Bertrand said.
Those who cannot attend next week’s event but would like to donate can do so online at www.gofundme.com/teamdylan9winnersneverquit.