Duryea at Dusk Raises $4,000 for Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

The Duryea at Dusk committee hosted their fifth Duryea at Dusk 5K and 1-mile walk as a virtual race again this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.  Participants were encouraged to complete their 5K or 1-mile safely around their neighborhood, on a treadmill, track or at a park between June 5-12. All runners and walkers received a customizable Duryea at Dusk virtual bib and had the opportunity to post their finisher photos on Duryea at Dusk’s Facebook page. Awards were given to top runners. 

Through personal experience with a family member battling cancer, Duryea native sisters, Katie Brudzinski and Allison Brudzinski wanted to be part of something bigger that would involve their entire community. Duryea at Dusk was created from that idea. This is the fifth year of this event. It will impact the local community and support a local organization, the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, whose mission is to ease the burden of cancer in northeastern Pennsylvania.  Since inception, Duryea at Dusk has raised $44,261 for the Cancer Institute.

Individuals or businesses looking for future information can reach out to Duryea at Dusk committee by email at duryeaatdusk@gmail.com.

From left to right:  Eddie Klein, Karen M. Saunders, President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, Amanda E. Marchegiani, Community Relations Coordinator, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, Aimee Balchune, Katie Brudzinski, Duryea at Dusk co-founder, and Kristen Kabacinski. 

Absent from the photo:  Duryea at Dusk committee members-Allison Brudzinski, co-founder, David Tighe,  and Krista Gromelski. 

Cancer Institute Names Chair for 29th Annual Cancer Survivors Day

Cynthia Mailloux, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E., has been named chair for the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s 29th Annual Cancer Survivors Day- Honoring, Remembering, Sharing.

Cynthia Mailloux, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E., is professor and chair of the Department of Nursing at King’s College. She had been chair of the Department of Nursing at Misericordia University for 12 years prior to going to King’s College. Dr. Mailloux earned her doctorate in nursing with a concentration in education from Penn State University, her master’s degree in nursing from Misericordia University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wilkes University. She is a member of the Pennsylvania State Nurse Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing. She is also a member of the NRCI Board of Directors.

Dr. Mailloux’s area of practice includes pediatrics and nursing education. As an innovator in nursing education, she presently has started an RN to BSN program at King’s with a Dual Degree in Nursing Partnership with LCCC.  Her primary teaching responsibilities include nursing research and teaching/learning education courses. Her research interests have evolved around the principles of “learner empowerment” and “professional nurse autonomy” a study identifying how to better prepare nursing students for professional practice upon graduation.

Cancer Survivors Day is a dual-location event set for Saturday, September 18th at McDade Park in Scranton and Saturday, September 25th at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre from 10am – 12pm and is free of charge although pre-registration is encouraged. The events feature the Circle of Survivors, an activity during which every person in attendance can say a few words about their experience with cancer. Conversation and light refreshments provide an additional opportunity for connection and support. Cancer survivors, their families, and friends, as well as caregivers and healthcare professionals are invited to attend. For more information, go to www.cancernepa.org or call the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute at (570) 904-8808.

McDonald Foundation Donates $5,000 to Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

The McDonald Foundation presented the Cancer Institute with a $5,000 donation to support the Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. Nevin Gerber, a representative of the McDonald Foundation and Spirit of Hope Ambassador together with Leo Vergnetti, Chairman of the Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors, presented the check.  

The Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors is a group of community volunteers that hosts an annual Spirit of Hope Celebration in November at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Proceeds from the event benefit the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. This program helps low income and un/underinsured individuals in northeast Pennsylvania get their recommended colorectal, breast, cervical, and lung cancer screenings. 

Foster & Lynn Friess Donation to Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

Spirit of Hope Celebration Ambassador, Matt Beynon, presented the Cancer Institute with a $100,000 check in December as a year-end blessing from Lynnette and Foster Friess of Jackson, WY, to support the Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. Foster Friess, a Wyoming businessman and philanthropist died on May 27th in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 81. 

Matt Beynon is part of the Board of Ambassadors, a group of community volunteers that hosts an annual Spirit of Hope Celebration in November at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Proceeds from the event benefit the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. This program helps low income and un/underinsured individuals in northeast Pennsylvania get their recommended colorectal, breast, cervical, and lung cancer screenings. 

Cancer Institute Announces New Officers and Members to the Board of Directors

The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Board of Directors elected new officers. William Conaboy, Esq. was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors, Susan Shoemaker, Secretary and Holly Roever Carron, Treasurer.  In addition to the new officers, the Board of Directors appointed Michael L. Brown, Dale Johns, Cynthia Mailloux, PhD, RN, CNE and John A. Ruddy, M.B.A., D.P.S. to the Board of Directors.


Michael L. Brown is a member of the Commonwealth Health leadership team where he serves as CEO for Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital. Prior to joining CHS, he served with Amita Health, the largest hospital system in Illinois, where he held hospital executive positions including COO, CNO, CEO and President since 2005. Most recently, he served as Regional President and CEO of the Amita Health Fox River Valley Region, overseeing two hospitals, two joint venture cancer centers and an ambulatory surgery center. Both hospitals have been recognized for safety and quality by Health Grades, Consumer Reports, U.S. News and World Reports and with Leapfrog A grades. In addition to collaborating with physicians for quality and growth, Michael has a track record of building and leading high-performing teams and achieving strategic and operational objectives. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Following military service, Michael worked as a professional firefighter/paramedic before he earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing with honors and MBA in organizational leadership/management from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio.


Dale A. Johns is the Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Dale is an experienced healthcare leader with a focus on exceptional patient care, quality, and operational objectives. Dale joined Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in September of 2020 from Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, part of Steward Health Care, where he held the CEO position since 2013. During his tenure in Wilkes-Barre, the hospital has been recognized for safety and quality with a 3 Star CMS Quality Rating and a Health System of Pennsylvania Patient Safety Excellence Award. Dale leads the hospital’s COVID-19 response which has provided care to hundreds of patients who were admitted and required specialized treatment like monoclonal antibody infusion therapies. Dale has been instrumental in driving growth at the hospital through strategic planning, market development initiatives, and service line expansions. Throughout his almost thirty-year healthcare career, Dale has worked extensively on physician recruitment, leading quality improvement efforts and fostering cultures of physician and employee engagement. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves where he achieved the rank of Sergeant and served in Desert Shield/Storm. Following military service, Dale earned his Bachelor’s degree in health services administration and MBA from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.


Cynthia Mailloux, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E., is professor and chair of the Department of Nursing at King’s College. She was the chair of the Department of Nursing at Misericordia University for 12 years prior to going to King’s College. Dr. Mailloux earned her doctorate in nursing with a concentration in education from Penn State University, her master’s degree in nursing from Misericordia University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wilkes University. She is a member of the Pennsylvania State Nurse Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing. She has been involved in grant writing and lobbying efforts in Washington DC with Senators and Representatives advocating for an increase in the allocation of nursing education money. She has participated in service-learning trips to Guyana, South America and Tanzania trying to offer nursing students a more global perspective of nursing. She serves on numerous university and college committees. She has also been selected as an American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Wharton Nurse Leadership Scholar.


Dr. John A. Ruddy, CFA, CPA is an Assistant Professor of Finance in the Economics and Finance Department of The Arthur J. Kania School of Management, University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania.  He teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in Accounting and Finance. Dr. Ruddy has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA (1991).  He has an M.B.A. in Finance and Investments from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (1996).  He also holds a Doctorate in Professional Studies, with a focus in Finance from Pace University, New York City (2017).  As is noted above, he also has passed the Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst examinations and has the requisite professional experience for both designations. The University of Scranton recognized Dr. Ruddy for his teaching.  In October 2013, he was the recipient of the Kania School of Management 2013-2014 Outstanding Professor of the Year award.  In May of 2014, he was the recipient of the University of Scranton’s Teacher of the Year award, as selected by the 2014 Graduating class.  Most recently in February 2017, he was the recipient of the Kania School of Management 2016-2017 Outstanding Professor of the Year award. He previously served as the Finance Committee Chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees.  He currently serves on the Board of The Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School.

Moses Taylor Foundation Awards $140,000 Grant to The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

The Moses Taylor Foundation recently awarded the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute a $140,000 grant to support the Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program.  

This investment will ensure the continuation and expansion of the existing Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program (Navigation Program). The Navigation Program is a cancer screening initiative focused on education, barrier reduction and facilitation of screenings for breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer targeting low income, un/underinsured and underserved residents of northeast Pennsylvania, while connecting/reconnecting all participants to a medical home to ensure ongoing preventative care. 

“We are very grateful to receive this grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation. It allows us to continue helping residents of Northeast PA access potentially life-saving cancer screenings” said Laura Toole, Executive Vice President at the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. 

Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives $2,335 Donation

The Plains Township Police Department collaborated with Futuristic Innovative Graphics in Kingston to specially design t-shirts as a breast cancer awareness fundraiser in October 2020.They raised $2,335.33 to support the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, a local organization focused on easing the burden of cancer in northeastern Pennsylvania. It was important to the organizers to keep the proceeds local.

Community members were able to purchase t-shirts online through Futuristic Innovative Graphics website. The fundraiser was promoted on social media through the police department, graphics company and the Cancer Institute’s designated pages. The Plains Township Police Department plan to host this fundraiser again in fall 2021.

Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Names Chair for 18th Annual C.A.S.U.A.L. Day

Tom R. DePietro, PharmD was recently named chair for the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s 18th Annual C.A.S.U.A.L. (Colon cancer Awareness Saves Unlimited Adult Lives) Day.  

Tom R. DePietro is a pharmacist/owner of DePietro’s Pharmacy. After earning his Doctorate of Pharmacy from Temple University School of Pharmacy in 2009, Tom worked for a large chain pharmacy and quickly realized patients could be better served. Three years later, in 2012, Tom opened an independent pharmacy in his hometown of Dunmore. DePietro’s Pharmacy has been recognized numerous times by the Scranton Chamber of Commerce as “Business of the Year”, “Best Practices in Community Involvement”, and “Best Practices in Customer Service.” DePietro’s has also been voted Reader’s Choice “Best Local Pharmacy” for the past 8 years. Individually, Tom has been recognized for his philanthropy by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, NEPA Chapter. Tom is also actively involved in promoting the profession of pharmacy and serves on the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Independent Pharmacy Owner Committee and is on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network.  Every day, Tom plays numerous roles as a business owner, a pharmacist, community supporter, father, husband, and friend. Tom serves on the Board of the Greater Scranton YMCA and he also serves as the Chairman of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. Tom resides in South Abington Township with his wife Eugenia and two daughters, Dominica and Adriana.

Tom’s involvement with the Cancer Institute began with his generous support to the Annual Spirit of Hope Celebration hosted by the Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors. As an Ambassador, Tom has been the presenting sponsor for four years. Additionally, Tom has supported C.A.S.U.A.L. Day for many years as a retail location.

C.A.S.U.A.L. Day, set for Thursday, March 25, 2021, is a dress down day to raise awareness for colorectal cancer in northeast Pennsylvania.  On this day, participants dress casual while wearing a specially designed face masks, silicone wrist-bands and/or t-shirts.

The focus of this awareness campaign is to have a casual conversation about colon cancer. All proceeds from the event stay in NEPA and go towards the Cancer Institute efforts to raise awareness and support to support colorectal cancer prevention, early detection education and screenings.   For more information about C.A.S.U.A.L. Day and how you can participate, please call the Cancer Institute at (570) 941-7984 or visit www.cancernepa.org.