PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 13, 2016
In the continuing effort to fulfill the last wish of an amazing 12 year old boy named Tyler DeMarco the foundation created in his name, the Tyler DeMarco Foundation of Schenectady, New York presented a check for $30,000.00 to the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center in Tyler’s memory. The check represents Tyler’s legacy of “Making a Difference for Children with Cancer.”
Tyler became a patient at the Children’s Hospital after he was unexpectedly diagnosed with brain cancer in 2006. Tyler was treated at the Children’s Hospital until his cancer was thought to be in remission in April of 2008. Sadly, Tyler’s cancer returned in March of 2009. It was during this time that Tyler pioneered his effort to create specialized private rooms for children in treatment for cancer at the Children’s Hospital.
After Tyler’s death in 2010 Tyler’s Mom, Dad and older brother established the foundation in his name. In January 2015 Tyler’s efforts were realized when the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center created a new space adding 11 private rooms designed for the special needs of children being treated for cancer. Each new room also accommodates the patient’s immediate family.
The Tyler DeMarco Foundation continues to support the Children’s Hospital in Tyler’s name through the “Journeys” Program, an endowment providing palliative care and other vital support to the children being treated for cancer at the hospital.
In addition to today’s $30,000.00 presentation, the foundation also provided Christmas toys that were distributed to the children currently being treated at the Children’s Hospital. The foundation also handed out beautifully hand-crafted bed quilts to the child patients. The quilts were generously created and donated to the foundation in Tyler’s memory through the loving kindness of “Hands of Mercy”, a quilting group from Trinity Baptist Church located on Balltown Road in Niskayuna, NY.
“It’s always emotional and bittersweet for us; but we’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished for Tyler, in his name. It’s a privilege and honor to see how far and forward thinking the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center has been and continue to be ever since we presented and seeded Tyler’s idea for private rooms back in 2010. We just followed Tyler’s lead and tried to move forward in the same way he lived every single day of his short life – in love, compassion, and determination. We also kept Tyler’s lifelong motto on our brains, “Never Give Up” – that’s what drove us to continue this. Tyler was beautiful in every way; he was just one very amazing 12 year old boy!” -Don DeMarco (Tyler’s Dad)
Want to see more?
1. Click Link Below:
https://www.tylerdemarcofoundation.org/2015/01/21/tylers-wish-being-fulfilled-thanks-to-you-5/
2. Click Link Below:
https://www.tylerdemarcofoundation.org/2016/12/16/the-love-keeps-growing-on/
(L to R) Don DeMarco, Ryan DeMarco, Pam DeMarco – Tyler’s parents and brother.
We are joined by David Clark MD – Chair, Department of Pediatrics.
Rob Saba – Senior Development Officer for leadership gifts at the Albany Medical Center Foundation, Inc. joins us for our check presentation.
Children’s Hospital patient Justin Bruckbauer, 16, comes out to shake our hands and to say thank you for what we do. What a great kid!
State of the art touch screen monitors provide immediate patient and room information for doctors and nurses throughout the new wing.
Beautiful stitching by “Hands of Mercy” – Trinity Baptist Church in Niskayuna.
Look what Tyler accomplished!
New wing!
New state-of-the-art private rooms for all childhood cancer patients!
Absolutely Beautiful!
Absolutely Beautiful!
