I'm raising money for critical cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering—where new discoveries are revolutionizing how cancer is diagnosed and treated. Join me in making a difference by donating today and please continue reading for more about MSK and Joe Valentinos Glioblastoma experience.

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Joe Valentino

Joe Valentino went to the hospital on May 3rd, 2020 with what we thought were symptoms of a stroke but was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer of the brain. His surgeons at Vassar Hospital were able to remove 99% of the tumor, which was incredible, but removing 100% of the tumor is impossible due to the way the cancer cells wrap around the brain tissue, it's also rare that the tumors appear in areas that the surgeons can actually operate on without causing any brain/nerve damage.

Joe passed away on November 19th, 2021 after fighting Glioblastoma for a year and seven months. He was so strong throughout that time and did everything he could to stay on top of treatments, doctor visits, and medication. Joe stayed in his RV at Croton on The Hudson RV park for a month while undergoing radiation at MSK in Westchester (this lessened the commute each day to 10 minutes). He walked in with a smile and hope because he had an incredible treatment team on his side. He'd sometimes walk back out with a smile too - still a good day, but sometimes he'd walk out without one - he was exhausted from the time that someone needs to put in to treat this disease along with the effects the tumor was having on him.

We all thought for sure that he would be in that 1%, that 1% of people who live longer than 10 years after being diagnosed and moving forward with treatment but 14-16 months is the life expectancy, and living longer than 2-3 years is considered long term survival. But that's the kind of person Joe Val was, one that could make anything possible, one that was just somehow good at everything - like being a father, a friend, a husband, a builder, a son, an uncle, a grandpa, a chef (in his own ways), a party host, an icecream man, a guy that drinks all night long and wakes up to do work at 6 am with no hangover? so yeah - we all had faith that he would also be the man to say F You to Glioblastoma, which he did - for a short period of time between the summer of 2020 and Fall of 2021 until it came back.

It's just so uncommon to beat this particular disease, and so hard to treat, which is why we are now starting an annual cornhole fundraiser to continue supporting the research needed to get to a 2-year survival rate, then 3, then 4, and so on. Life should not be over when there is a cancer diagnosis - it should be a diagnosis, a fight to beat the disease, and then a realization of how precious life is and the encouragement to live EVEN more once treatment was successful. So come out and support Glioblastoma research by getting a partner and joining a cornhole tournament - or just coming out to watch and enjoy the day.

Joseph F. Valentino Jr. was an exceptional man who truly lived life to the fullest every day without regret, but he had so much more life to live, so many more plans, and so many more memories to make. Being taken away from this life to an aggressive cancer is not fair and we'll do everything to support the research it takes to reach longer life expectancies and eventually, a cure.

Thank you in advance for coming out to support or simply donate, it means the world.