Mount Sinai Couple Raise Money For Young Cancer Patient

When Kathleen Reilly heard about a charity event that her kickboxing gym was holding for a little boy who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, she was inspired to help by hosting a poker tournament at her own home to raise additional funds.

The Mount Sinai resident who regularly attends classes at heard that her kick-boxing instructor was holding a to raise money for a 7-year old boy named Liam who was diagnosed with a rare chromosomal form of acute lymphoblastic Leukemia earlier this year.

Liam goes to Stony Brook University Hospital to undergo aggressive chemotherapy treatments regularly and his mother had to leave her job to help care for her son, putting the family in financial distress.

Unfortunately, Reilly was working the day of the fundraiser. As a mother of young children and a person who had beaten cancer, she was determined to help.

She immediately called her husband Sean to see what they could do and the couple came up with an idea they called “Cards for Cancer,” a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament to raise money for Liam.

Reilly told her kickboxing instructor–who also happens to be one of her closest friends and a neighbor–about the idea and the both of them set out to make the event happen.

Reilly’s husband sent out a text message that day to all his friends and relatives who would be interested in playing cards and donating to the cause.

"Kathleen has come to me with a most heartfelt request," he wrote in his text message. "Liam McGuire, a 7-year old little boy from Shoreham has recently been diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. And everything in this little boy’s life is now changing."

He was optimistic. He told them that cancer can be beat, citing his wife’s own battle.

"We have today’s medicine and cutting edge treatments to thank," he wrote. "But always at a price. So Kathleen suggested to me that we try and raise some money for Liam. I couldn’t agree more."

He implored his friends to come to his house on Saturday, April 16 to play in a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament. The buy in was $30 each and half the money was to go to Liam’s family. The couple also had a 50/50 raffle to boost the fundraising.

Despite the that night, the players came out.

The couple hosted 18 card players at three tables in a tournament-style game that went into the early morning. In all, more than 25 people came out for the event held in their Mount Sinai home and they ended up raising almost $500 for Liam and his family.

“It was so nice,” said Reilly. “Two of our neighbors who couldn’t make it that night came by and dropped off donations anyway.”

in Port Jefferson is hosting a to relieve the financial burden on Liam and his family on April 30 at 8:30 a.m. The same day there will also be a kid’s kick-a-thon at 3:30 p.m.

Sign up is required. Register for the Fitness Kick-A-Thon at the Journey Fitness website or call 631 476 1801.

Please make checks should be made payable to "Friends of Liam."