NRCI Names Tribute to Courage Honoree The Board of Ambassadors will honor Peter J Danchak as the 2024 Tribute to Courage Honoree at their upcoming Spirit of Hope Celebration set for Friday, November 15, 2024, at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Peter J. Danchak is the Regional President of the Northeast PA region of PNC Bank. Danchak joined PNC Bank in 1984 and has held various positions of responsibility in Corporate Banking. He was named Regional President of the Northeast PA Market of PNC Bank in January 2001. Active in the community, Danchak currently serves as Chairman of AllOne Charities Foundation and Co-Chair of the Scranton Plan. He serves on the Board of Directors of AllOne Foundation, the Highmark Regional Advisory Board and the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce. In October of 2020, he was appointed to the Early Learning Investment Commission Emeritus Advisory Council. He also previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the ARC of Northeastern Pennsylvania Foundation, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Luzerne Foundation, the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, King’s College, Keystone College, Johnson College, Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Scranton Chamber Board of Commerce and Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company and the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber. He served on the Board of Trustees of Marywood University, Scranton Preparatory School and the University of Scranton Kania School of Management. Danchak also was the co-chair of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission for 10 years. Danchak received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Scranton and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from them in 2018. Seated: Dino Campitelli, Amanda Marchegiani, Karen Saunders, Leo Vergnetti, Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors Chair, Laura Toole, and Vanessa Vergnetti Thomas, Standing: Joe Ferguson, Jim Gorman, Vince Scarpetta, Pat Sicilio, Nick Colangelo. Ph.D, Nevin Gerber, Matt Beynon, Tammy Saunders, Mark Mesko, Maria Donahue, Angela Rempe Jones and Marta Gomes, Absent from photo: Clarence Baltrusaitis, Tom Blaskiewicz, Jim & Susan Brady, Brigitte Baum, Richard P. Conaboy, Edward Cosgrove, Bill Davis, Tom DePietro, Mary Erwine, Julie Eisenman, Traci Fosnot, Greg Gagorik, Meghan Gagorik, JoAnn Romano Hallesky, John Heil, Jennifer Heil, Kristie Hynoski, Charles C. Jefferson, Robin Long, John Mack, Linda Marino-Brooks, Joe Mattioli, IV, Brian McQuestion, Philip Medico, Dan Meuser, Dana D’Angelo Morris, David Nape, Christopher Peters, MD, Vito Pizzo, Casey Quinn, William F. Rinaldi, John P. Rodgers, Esq., Vince Scarpetta, P. Richard Scheller, Frank Sepko, Dr. Steven J. Syzdlowski, Joe Van Wie, Tony Vergnetti, Patty Vergnetti, Sonya Eddings, and Atty. Charles J. Volpe. The Board of Ambassadors is a group of individuals and business leaders in northeast Pennsylvania who have come together to raise funds & awareness to fight cancer in the local community through their support and promotion of a gala event. The Spirit of Hope Celebration benefits the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. This program helps individuals in northeast Pennsylvania get their recommended colorectal, breast, cervical, and lung cancer screenings. For more information about the upcoming Spirit of Hope Celebration, please call the Cancer Institute at (570) 904-8808 or visit www.spiritofhopecelebration.org.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Donation from McDonald Foundation 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. From left to right: Karen M. Saunders, President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, Nevin Gerber, McDonald Foundation and Leo Vergnetti, Board of Ambassadors Chairman. 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 Pennsylvania. 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. For more information about the Spirit of Hope Celebration, visit, www.spiritofhopecelebration.org .
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Raises Funds at Spirit of Hope Event The Spirit of Hope Celebration Board of Ambassadors and Associate Board of Ambassadors presented the Cancer Institute with a $56,000 check from their 2023 Spirit of Hope event. “On behalf of the Ambassadors who truly exhibit the ‘Spirit of Hope’ we are thrilled to present you with these funds to help individuals receive early detection and free screenings,” said Leo Vergnetti, Chairman of the Board of Ambassadors. The Board of Ambassadors, a group of community volunteers, hosted the ninth annual Spirit of Hope Celebration in November 2023 at Mohegan Sun Pocono. More than 300 people were in attendance. The event featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, music and a silent auction. Christopher A. Peters, M.D. was the Tribute to Courage Honoree. Proceeds from the event benefited the 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. The 2024 Spirit of Hope Celebration will take place on Friday, November 15, 2024 at Mohegan Pennsylvania. More details can be found at www.spiritofhopecelebration.org
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Announces Staff Promotion The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s President, Karen Saunders, recently announced a staff promotion of Ms. Karen Ryczak from Director-Surveillance & Navigation Programs to Vice President- Programs & Surveillance. Karen Ryczak, RN, of Archbald, has over 30 years of experience in oncology and will provide organizational supervision and management of Community and Patient Services programs in her new role. In addition, she will continue to manage the Cancer Surveillance Program, including providing an annual report on cancer to the community. Ryczak, who attended the University of Scranton and is a graduate of Mercy Hospital School of Nursing has been an employee of the Cancer Institute since 2000.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute to Benefit from Basketball Tournament Judi H Rock On committee member and son of Judi A. Perry Hartridge, Johnny Hartridge, is hosting a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament for grades 6-8 on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28 at 1:00 p.m. at Holy Rosary Gym. The gym is located at 316 Williams St., Scranton. Team registration is $40 which includes a t-shirt for each player. There will be food available for purchase and raffle baskets. The proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. For more team registration forms and event information, contact Johnny Hartridge at (570) 904-7604 or email him at e22star@verizon.net. Team registration is due by Friday, May 19. This event is in Memory of Judi A. Perry Hartridge. Judi Perry Hartridge, passed away from cancer in 2007. To honor her memory and love of music, her family and friends formed a committee – Judi H Rock On, to raise funds to fight the disease that claimed her life. Judi’s family held seven Judi H Rock On musical fundraisers. This event is the first sports related fundraiser in her memory.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Donations Northeast Regional Cancer Institute received a donation of $3,005 from AllOne Charities from their annual online Give Day campaign in December 2022. This event helps to boost fundraising efforts as the national day of giving by matching the first $1,000 raised. Additionally, AllOne Charities partnered with Coterra Energy to offer additional funds to organizations entitled Random Acts of Kindness. The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute was a recipient of $1,000 through this bonus. The Cancer Institute raised $4,005 total through the giving day. Over $171,000 was raised through AllOne Charities Give Day for 49 local nonprofit organizations in NEPA. AllOne Charities Give Day occurs each year on Giving Tuesday as a local online fundraising event. The Cancer Institute has been participating since inception of this campaign in 2020. NRCI Receives Donation from Toyota of Scranton Toyota of Scranton has committed to support the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute as a $1,000 Circle of Faith sponsor for the 20th annual CASUAL (Colon Cancer Awareness Saves Unlimited Adult Lives) Day. CASUAL Day, set for Thursday, March 30, 2023, is a dress down day to raise awareness for colorectal cancer in northeast Pennsylvania. On this day, participants dress casual while wearing specially designed socks and 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 to support colorectal cancer prevention, early detection education and screenings. For more information about CASUAL Day and how you can participate, please call the Cancer Institute at (570) 904-8808 or visit www.cancernepa.org.
NRCI Announce New Ambassadors The Board of Ambassadors announce Julie Eisenman, Edward Cosgrove and Atty Charles Volpe as new ambassadors to help support the Spirit of Hope Celebration that benefits the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. Julie Eisenman is the current CEO and General Manager of WNEP-TV. She is responsible for overseeing the station’s content, sales, brand, and operations across all platforms, as well as defining and executing the station’s vision and strategy. Prior to WNEP-TV, Julie worked at WLTX, TEGNA’s CBS affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina. In April 2020 while at WLTX, Eisenman was asked to serve in an additional role as content manager for VERIFY, TEGNA stations’ initiative to combat misinformation and disinformation. In August of 2020, Eisenman was promoted to director of content at WLTX and took on additional responsibility as a mentor for new news leaders within the TEGNA organization. She is a Clarion University of Pennsylvania graduate with a degree in communications. Edward Cosgrove is an Outpatient Family Therapist at The Scranton Counseling Center. He also maintains a private practice with Dr. Tiffany Griffiths and Associates in Dunmore. Edward lives in Scranton and joins the Board of Ambassadors to honor the memory of his parents, Joanne and Edward Cosgrove. Attorney Charles J. Volpe is the President of Excalibur Insurance Management Services, LLC. which serves as the Attorney-in-Fact for H.A.R.I.E.. a large governmental insurer that provides coverage for 350 municipalities in Pennsylvania. Atty Volpe received his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Scranton in 1981. He went on to receive his Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh in 1985. Atty Volpe resides in Waverly Township, PA with his wife Ellen and has three children and five grandchildren.
Cancer Institute Names Chair for 30th Annual Cancer Survivors Day Michele Frigoletto, has been named chair for the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s 30th Annual Cancer Survivors Day- Honoring, Remembering, Sharing. Michele (Mick) Frigoletto is a fourth-generation barber and owner of Mick’s Barbershop on Main Street in Honesdale. Using her professional skills, Mick created a fundraiser in 2011 to benefit NRCI called Buzz Off Cancer. Attendees get their hair, beards, mustaches, and undercuts buzzed for a donation. Since inception, Buzz Off Cancer has raised over $30,000. Mick is also a five-year breast cancer survivor. She loves being able to give back to her community to support local events and causes. Mick lives in Cherry Ridge Township with her husband, Michael. She is a mother to Alexandra, Evan, Braden and Nathaniel and a grandmother to Waylon, Magnus, and Winifred. Cancer Survivors Day is a dual-location event set for Saturday, September 17 at McDade Park in Scranton and Saturday, September 24 at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre. The event registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and the program begins at 10:30 a.m. It’s 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.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Donation Riverside School District hosted their own colon cancer awareness t-shirt fundraiser in March to sell to students, teachers, and families in the school district as a way to support the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s colon cancer education and awareness campaign, C.A.S.U.A.L. ( Colon Cancer Awareness Saves Unlimited Adult Lives) Day. The fundraiser was led by a Riverside School District Mother, Kim Owens. Kim has been a longtime supporter of C.A.S.U.A.L. Day as her husband Dennis passed away from colon cancer at a young age. She started her own C.A.S.U.A.L. Day team to honor him. The school designed and sold their own colon cancer awareness t-shirt and donated the proceeds to support the work of the Cancer Institute. Several families in the Riverside school district have been affected by colon cancer. Proceeds from C.A.S.U.A.L. Day benefit the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute efforts to raise colorectal cancer awareness and support colorectal cancer screenings for low income, un/underinsured individuals.
