The Josh Palmer Fund — founded by an Elmira Southside High School sports standout who fought and beat a deadly cancer — and its affiliate Women in Pink, which supports women diagnosed with breast cancer, recently raised a combined $150,000 to benefit cancer patients, families, and organizations throughout the Twin Tiers.
The funds will provide critical financial assistance and support services that help ease the burden of cancer treatment, the Josh Palmer Fund said in a news release.
The biggest recipient this year is the Falck Cancer Center at Arnot Health in Elmira, which was awarded $27,500 from the Josh Palmer Fund and $20,000 from Women in Pink.
“We are deeply grateful to the Josh Palmer Fund for their continued investment in the care we provide at the Falck Cancer Center,” said Casey Rose, director of the Arnot Health Foundation.
“This generous gift allows Arnot Health to meet patients where they are, supporting them not only clinically, but also by helping relieve the financial stress that often accompanies a cancer diagnosis.”
The Josh Palmer Fund also contributed $27,500 to Guthrie Corning Cancer Center, $27,500 to CareFirst NY, $7,500 to Bampa’s House, and $10,500 in direct financial support to individual cancer patients.
Additional beneficiaries of Women in Pink were Bampa’s House with $15,000, InfusIVe IV Hydration & Wellness with $10,000, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with $5,000.
The Josh Palmer Fund, founded by its namesake when he was only 19 following a successful battle with late-stage Hodgkin’s disease, was created to help ease the financial challenges faced by cancer patients and their families.
Now in its 26th year, the fund has raised more than $1.8 million to support local patients.
The organization raises funds through several annual events, including a high school basketball tournament, annual golf tournament, the 100-inning baseball game, the Women in Pink Gala, and the Pigskin Classic in partnership with Mansfield and Cornell universities.
The fund also supports education by awarding up to $5,000 in scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors.
For more information, go to joshpalmerfund.org.
What happened at this year’s Josh Palmer Fund Elmira Holiday Classic
The latest basketball tournament wrapped up Dec. 30 after four days and 32 teams hitting the hardwood for the Josh Palmer Fund Elmira Holiday Classic.
The Boys National Division final at Elmira High School featured a matchup of Maryland schools. Calvert Hall, from near Baltimore, took home the trophy.
Among the other four titlists was Corning, which claimed its third Palmer title in the last four years with a 79-50 victory over Waverly in the Boys Regional Division 2 championship game.
Elmira ran into a buzzsaw from Lancaster St. Mary’s in its bid to win the Girls National Division title, falling by a 96-48 score.
Also securing titles were Towanda (Pennsylvania) in Girls Regional Division 2 and Troy (Pennsylvania) in Boys Regional Division 1.
A planned Girls Regional Division 1 final between North Penn-Mansfield (Pennsylvania) and Jamestown was scrapped because of weather-related travel concerns for Jamestown.
With reporting by Andrew Legare
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Josh Palmer Fund raises $150,000. Here’s where the money is going
Reporting by Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
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