Another fund raiser held for four-year-old child receiving cancer treatments

Warwick — On Saturday, Nov. 19, the Warwick community came together at Park Avenue School to rally for a young child’s fight with brain cancer. The successful “Drop the Gloves for Evan” bake sale was held to help Lyle and Victoria Kamback provide much needed but expensive treatments for their four year old son Evan. Last May the Kamback family moved to Warwick from Staten Island. Their youngest son Evan was diagnosed with brain cancer in January and has had surgery to remove the tumor. But dealing with his road to recovery has not been easy. Evan recently finished 30 straight days of radiation treatments at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in Manhattan and that was only after a short break from chemotherapy. During treatments his mother had to take him to New York City every day and then rush back to meet the school bus for her two other children. Evan was scheduled for more tests and procedures shortly after Thanksgiving and into December. Friends helping friends The “Drop the Gloves for Evan” bake sale was organized by two of Victoria Kamback’s friends, Jennifer DiCostanzo and Donna King, who both have children attending Park Avenue School with Evan’s older brother Lyle and sister Nina. People from all walks signed up to bake items. Others gave donations. And volunteers spent hours making banners, setting up for the event and selling the baked goods. A football, autographed for Evan by New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning, was a featured raffle prize along with two tickets to the Sunday Giants vs. Eagles game donated by a Warwick family. Before another fund raiser last August, Warwick High School Ice Hockey Team player Connor Davis suggested “Drop the Gloves for Evan,” as a slogan to raise money and awareness of Evan’s fight against brain cancer. It’s a term used in hockey. When players are about to fight, they drop their gloves. With the help of and encouragement by Warwick High School Ice Hockey Coach Jim Desotle, “Drop the Gloves for Evan” bracelets were soon on sale throughout the Town for $5.00 each. The fitting message will continue to be officially used for Evan’s campaign. “The beauty of this story,” said Jennifer DiCostanzo, “is that one high school student took the initiative that has given Evan a platform for us to 'Pay it Forward’ and help him in his fight. And at this last event some of us were strangers but we all came together and left as friends who promised to continue to support Evan and the Kamback family.” Upcoming events including a large Bingo fundraiser will soon be announced. “Drop the Gloves for Evan,” said DiCostanzo, “has grown with the support of local merchants and the generosity of the people of Warwick.” Essential information To make a donation the Kamback family for medical/transportation expenses visit: http://droptheglovesforevan.com/ or mail your check, payable to the order of Victoria Kamback, to: Evan Kamback, PO Box 44, Warwick, NY 10990.