Brain tumor survivor using baseball to raise money, awareness for kids with cancer

BROOKLYN (WABC) — A community in Brooklyn is stepping up to the plate using baseball to raise money to help sick kids.

Among them is a teenager who is a brain cancer survivor.

Now he’s doing his part to help others beat the odds, too.

A baseball game was played to benefit children and teens who have experienced a brain tumor or a cancer diagnosis.

Poly Prep partnered with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Cancer Program to raise funds to support families as well as push for brain cancer research to save children’s lives.

The ceremonial first pitch of the game was thrown by Walker Lipton, a 15-year-old freshman at Poly Prep who survived a brain tumor diagnosis.

“I think this game shows spirit to the way you can raise money for other people and it shows the kids that they’ll have something to look forward to,” Lipton said.

Lipton was only 6 years old when he was diagnosed with malignant brain cancer.

He was a champion through surgery despite radiation for a month and a year of chemotherapy.

Lipton never took a sick day and never missed school.

Now he is cancer-free, and his family is using the news to help others.

“Listen, we preach baseball, but the world is much bigger than what we’re doing on the field. And the kids know that. And I think we have a special group of kids who completely understand,” Matt Roventini, head coach of Poly Prep, said.

“I think it’s just great spreading the awareness of the issue,” said Justice De Jong, the team captain.

Every day, 15 children are given the grim diagnosis of a brain tumor.

Currently, 40,000 youngsters in the U.S. are living with a brain tumor.

The medical bill for Lipton was a staggering $1 million.

Monday’s fundraiser is set up to help other families while pushing for more research and awareness.

The community came up to the plate.

“I can’t say these kids always have cancer on their minds. But every once in a while, when you have the opportunity to get together, they really do. They participate. They support. They’re caring kids,” parent Lorenzo Colasante said.

“If you don’t have enough money or insurance to take care of it, it’s just really hard that’s why we need these fundraisers,” Lipton said.

Brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children. But there is hope.

The community raised $25,000 from this one baseball game.

And the most important score is that Lipton is now cancer-free.

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