Oysterman's Holds Fifth Annual "Band Together to Beat Breast Cancer" Event

To help kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Oysterman's Restaurant & Pub held its fifth-annual "Band Together to Beat Breast Cancer" fundraiser on Oct. 3. The charity music festival featured local bands, solo artists, raffles and a gourmet buffet, with all proceeds benefitting Breast Cancer Help, Inc.

Dennis Bennett, co-owner of Oysterman's, started the event five years ago to help give back to an organization that helped him when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. "I said to my partners that we have to give a little back," Bennett said. "When we opened the restaurant and started featuring the local bands, we came up with the concept of 'Band Together.' We have sold 100-plus tickets so far. Due to the economy, last year's event was down a little bit, but attendance has picked up this year."

Alex Fezza, executive director of Breast Cancer Help, Inc., explained the many benefits of the organization. In 1994, a small group of men and women living on Long Island came together to face the widespread national tragedy of breast cancer. In March of 2003, Breast Cancer Help opened its Long Island Cancer Help and Wellness Center in Lindenhurst with the goal of increasing cancer awareness to promote early detection, while providing patients and survivors with needed support.

"We have all kinds of programs – from art therapy to dance therapy to yoga and massage therapy – all for free," Fezza said. "We help all kinds of cancer patients, not just those with breast cancer. We have also provided digital mammography machines to Southside Hospital, Stony Brook Hospital and we are in the process of raising funds for another machine to be donated to a Nassau County hospital. We also donate to the research and labs helping to find a cure for cancer. These fundraisers help to pay for all these initiatives."

Approximately 90 local businesses donated items or services to the raffle drawing. Hairdressers from Pur Salon & Day Spa in Blue Point were on hand offering pink hair extensions to attendees. Performances took place throughout the day and included Danny Donnelly, the Fugitives, 26 +6, Howie Seal, Who are These Guys, Three Cord Monty and Cassie House.

"They have raised so much money to help our organization," said Lorraine Pace, founder of Breast Cancer help, referring to Bennett and his partners at Oysterman's Mike Doherty and James Gilroy. "Without these people and fundraising events like this, our organization wouldn't be able to offer the services and help those in need. We would love to see a cure for breast cancer and end all of these efforts."

Pace, who was instrumental to the start of the breast cancer movement on Long Island, is also a breast cancer survivor. She organized the first and only breast cancer rally in 1992 at the H. Lee Dennison Building. However, after years of remission, her cancer has returned and it never would have been caught at such an early stage if it were not for the digital mammography machines. "We [bought and donated these machines] to save other women and it ended up saving my own life," Pace said. "It was caught very early because of the machine. When you help others, you sometimes end up helping yourself."

Breast cancer now claims the lives of 46,000 Americans each year and has become one of the leading killers of women between the ages of 32 and 52. For more information about Breast Cancer Help, visit www.breastcancerhelpinc.org.