First Superhero Pub Crawl to help fight leukemia, lymphoma
TROY, N.Y. » A group of local superheroes are on a mission to help those affected by leukemia and lymphoma with the first-ever Superhero Pub Crawl this weekend in downtown Troy.
Costumes capes and masks are encouraged at the inaugural Superhero Pub Crawl, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Wolff’s Biergarten in Troy.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in its mission to find cures for blood cancers as well as improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
More than 100 superheroes have signed up so far to participate in supporting this cause said organizer Sabrina Mosseau, of Ballston Lake. “The response has been fantastic,” she said.
Mosseau, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s regional 2012 Woman of the Year, is participating once again in this philanthropic competition to support blood cancer research - this time on a national level.
The upcoming Superhero Pub Crawl event is one component of Mosseau’s ongoing fundraising campaign to beat the villain that is cancer.
“We run because none of us should ever have blood cancers take the lives of our children, our parents, our spouses, our friends and our neighbors,” Mosseau said, adding that these lives are taken every nine minutes.
“We run because our world desperately needs superheroes,” Mosseau continued. “We need people with honor and integrity, people with courage and conviction, people with respect and compassion, people who know that their real job in this world is to care for others. We need superheroes that are more powerful than the Justice League, smarter than the XMen, and braver than GI Joe.”
For the first time, Mosseau and supporters are competing against other teams across the nation with a goal of raising $200,000 in a 10-week period that ends on June 1.
All of these efforts are in honor of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s local Boy and Girl of the Year Bella Caruso and Evan Fronk, both six-year-olds affected by childhood leukemia, as well as all individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Caruso was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Type B shortly before her fourth birthday. It was a hard two years of ups and downs but after 796 days of treatment she is finally cancer-free.
Now six years old, Caruso is in the first grade and loving life. She enjoys strawberries, puppies, barbies, roller coasters, vanilla ice cream, dancing, playing outside, jumping into the pool, baby dolls, coloring and riding her bike, scooter and four-wheeler.
Fronk was diagnosed with Pre-B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2014 at the young age of three years old. On Sept. 8, 2017, Fronk rang the end of chemotherapy treatment victory bell! Today, he loves animals and playing outside along with Pokemon, Wild Kratts, Power Rangers, Transformers and pretty much anything Disney. He likes being around other kids and playing video games and legos.
Just before the start of Saturday’s Superhero Pub Crawl the Troy Fire Department has volunteered to pick up Caruso and Fronk on a fire truck for a ride around the city.
All are invited to let their inner superhero shine at the fundraising event, which will also feature auction items, raffles and prizes for the best costumes. The event is scheduled for 1 to 6 p.m.
Tickets are $35 each, with proceeds to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Those who cannot attend but would like to support the cause can donate online at www.letsbesuperheroes.com or attend another upcoming fundraiser like next month’s LLS Runway to a Cure Fashion Show.
More information is available online at www. letsbesuperheroes.com.