Event to honor mother's fight against breast cancer
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
One sister's promise and one daughter's promise are the foundation for the Passionately Pink for the Cure fundraiser scheduled to be held on Oct. 13 from 5-10 p.m. at the VFW post on Waterworks Road, Freehold Township.

The fundraiser is sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure and organized by Katelyn Maziekien of Manalapan. It is being run for two reasons - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Katelyn's mother, Carol Greco, was diagnosed with breast cancer in April.

Katelyn wanted to honor her mother's struggle with the disease. Praising her mom for her own journey through the disease, Katelyn said she feels very strongly about working for the cure.

"I wanted to help out for the cause," the young woman said. "I feel so strongly about this, and the disease is rapidly growing. You hear more and more people having it all the time - people my mom knows, people I know."

Katelyn said her mom is doing well after surgery.

"Better than anyone thought she would," she said confidently.

Katelyn, a journalism major at Rutgers University, and boyfriend Nick Madore want to do anything they can to help her mom and all those in the throes of the disease, and to heighten public awareness of the disease that one in eight women will continue to be diagnosed with if a cure is not found.

Greco, 47, was diagnosed with breast cancer in April. She had a double mastectomy performed at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, and is now undergoing the process of reconstructive surgery. Greco said she is grateful for the support she has received from her daughter, her doctors and people she had not even met.

"I spoke to so many women who were willing to help get me through this, women who had gone through the same thing," Greco said.

Calling her daughter "phenomenal," Greco is grateful for Katelyn's support and said her daughter is the reason she is forging ahead. "I want to be around for her for a long time," she said.

The Passionately Pink for the Cure fundraiser, according to Katelyn, is a great way to support the fight against breast cancer.

According to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Web site, "More than the color for breast cancer awareness, pink represents the promise between two sisters to find a cure for breast cancer. That promise started the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and ignited the passion of millions to create a world without breast cancer."

Nancy Brinker, founder of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, made a promise to her sister, Susan, while Susan was dying of the disease to do whatever she could to find a cure for the disease that took her sister's life. Brinker has devoted her life to that promise since the foundation was created more than 25 years ago,

The Oct. 13 event at the VFW post will consist of entertainment, food, and support and energy to help fund research that may one day find a cure for the disease.

Bands which Katelyn called punk rock in nature will provide the entertainment. The bands are "The Years Gone By," "Home Field "Advantage," "Mikeymo," "River Winds" and "Belafonte."

Gift baskets created by Greco and filled with items such as hair dryers, curling irons, hair brushes, hats, T-shirts, mugs, pink ribbons, pink M&M's, inspirational CDs and cookbooks, among other things, will be raffled off. Products in the basket are decorated in pink and made especially to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A Casio digital camera set will also raffled off.

Proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. A 50-50 raffle will be held with half the proceeds going to the foundation and half to the winner.

Katelyn and Carol said they are expecting a good turnout for the event, including Katelyn's friends and co-workers from Jersey Freeze, where she works as manager.

There is no fee for admission to the Oct. 13 event. Guests are welcome to show up at the door and are asked to wear pink and to make a personal donation of $5 (or more) to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure when they come in.