Hundreds Pull All Nighter at Hen Hud High School to Fight Cancer

Cancer never sleeps.

Those were the unifying words of the hundreds of people who packed inside the Hendrick Hudson High School in Montrose Saturday for the fifth annual Stay Awake-A-Thon.

The event, which was sponsored by the Hendrick Hudson Leos and Lions clubs,  raised money for local organizations that provide support services for cancer patients and their families. Debbie Costello, a member of the Hendrick Hudson Lions Club and one of the organizers of the event, said more than 500 people attended the fundraiser.

“We have a lot of people in our community who have been touched by cancer and we wanted to find a way to celebrate the survivors and remember those who lost the battle,” Costello said. “We were kind of inspired by the American Cancer Society’s 'Relay for Life.' We took all of the positive things that we liked about that and used them to help our own community.”

More than 30 teams participated in the event, raising money beforehand, and set up “camp grounds” at the high school. Teams sold items, like baked goods and jewelry, or organized activities and raffles as ways to raise more money throughout the night.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to Happiness is Camping, a camp for kids with cancer; the Kathleen F. Marks Memorial Foundation; the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital; and the Cheryl R. Lindenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center at Hudson Valley Hospital Center.

The festivities began at 6 p.m. Saturday and ended at 6 a.m. Sunday.

There was also a private dinner for cancer survivors, life music and performances.

At 10 p.m., a luminaria ceremony was held, with candles placed in bags bearing the names of survivors and people lost to cancer.

Costello said the goal for this year’s fundraiser is $55,000.

Joshua Anderson, an 11-year-old Cortlandt Manor resident, and his mother, Lisa Anderson, formed the team “Kids Against Cancer’ for the event. Their team raised raised more than $5,000, with Lisa and Joshua raising $2,000 by themselves.

The Stay Awake-a-Thon has special meeting for the Andersons. Joshua Anderson was diagnosed with diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer, shortly after he was born. Lisa Anderson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.

“It was scary,” Joshua Anderson said of his mother’s diagnosis. “But I figured if I could get over it, than she could.”

Said Lisa Anderson: “We thought it was important to give back to the community after all the help we’ve received. It feels really good to be able to give back to the community and help other people.”