Media Contact: Michelle Pinto
516-465-2649/2600
mpinto@nshs.edu

LAKE SUCCESS, NY - Founded in 2005, the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN)  is a group of cancer survivors, caregivers and volunteers that was formed with one goal in mind: to provide timely support to fire and EMS employees and family members diagnosed with any form of cancer.

During a moving ceremony that involved several firefighters and cancer survivors, the FCSN presented the North Shore-LIJ Health System's Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success with a bell donated by the Smithtown Fire Department. In a symbolic gesture of “ringing in the good news,” cancer patients will ring the 60-pound bell when they complete their courses of treatment. The ringing of the bell symbolizes leaving cancer in the past and looking towards the future.

The featured speaker during a pre-Thanksgiving news conference packed with firefighters from squads throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties was Lee Ielpi, a 26-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) , who became a volunteer with his local Great Neck Vigilant Fire Department  in 1963, rising to the rank of chief. On Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Ielpi arrived at the World Trade Center (WTC) within a half hour of the second collapse to organize operations until midnight of the first night. In keeping with FDNY tradition, Mr. Ielpi worked daily for nine months to bring home all who were lost, including his son Jonathan Ielpi, FDNY Squad 288.

A survivor of a rare form of leukemia known as Waldenstrom Syndrome  who was treated at the Monter Cancer Center by Jonathon Kolitz, MD, Mr. Ielpi now works with the 9/11 Families organization. Before a scheduled appearance at the United Nations where he was asked to speak about terrorism, Mr. Ielpi praised the work of the FCSN and encouraged his fellow firefighters to get annual physical examinations, which is especially important considering the high prevalence of cancer among firefighters. “You never think it will happen to you, but it may,” he said. “There’s no reason for us to ignore our annual check-ups and many of us do that. We have to think about our families and take care of ourselves so we can keep doing this work that we all love so much.”

Among other featured speakers at the ceremony were Antonio J. Cruz  of Smithtown, director of the NYS Fire Cancer Support Network and a cancer survivor), his assistant director, Ron Barz  of Hauppauge, also a cancer survivor, and James Romagnoli, vice president of protective services at the North Shore-LIJ Health System, a New Hyde Park firefighter and a kidney cancer survivor. Mr. Romagnoli's and Mr. Barz's cancers were treated successfully by Louis Kavoussi, MD , North Shore-LIJ's chair of urology, who expressed his gratitude to the assembled volunteers. “I’ve always been a huge fan of the firefighters," he said. " We thank you so much for the great care you show us as you do your life-saving work, and we are honored to see so many of you with us here today.”

As firefighters from Nassau and Suffolk counties, health system representatives and cancaer survivors gathered around the bell, Mr. Ielpi inaugurated the bell by saying, "This is for all those who survived and all who we remember."

To see a video of this story, go to: www.northshorelij.com/NSLIJ/media-portal/homepage-video-channel/firefighters-bell-at-monter. To find out more about North Shore-LIJ's cancer services, go to: www.northshorelij.com/NSLIJ/Cancer+Landing+Page.