Message from President, Joe Garassino Foundation

Cancer touches the lives of many in our community and it seems we all know someone who is battling this illness or a family who has been affected. Cancer is the epidemic of our time.

In 2013, I lost my only son, Joe, to an aggressive and rare cancer. The Joe Garassino Foundation was established in my son’s memory to help others fighting cancer in the greater Waterbury, Connecticut area. Due to the donations and generosity of our greater community, we have made a real impact in our community. We have donated over $409,000 over the last 13 years to help over 140 local residents afflicted with cancer including:

  • Aiden Bigos
    Brain Cancer, 9 Years Old
  • Alivia Valeri
    Brain Cancer, 7 Years Old, Little Sister to Gianna
  • Aloni Figueroa
    Lung Cancer, 18-Year-Old Watertown High Senior
  • Amar’e Roman
    Leukemia, 5th Grader
  • Andrea Strachan
    Single Mom
  • Angela DeFeo
    Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, 12-Year-Old, Watertown Swift Middle School
  • Anna Clement
    Stage 4 Cancer, Mother of 4 Children
  • Annie Chicoine
    Breast Cancer, Mid-40’s
  • Arcenia Klein
    T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia, 5-Year-Old Cheerleader with the Wildcats
  • Ava Fischthal
    Myelodysplastic Syndrome, 16-Year-Old High School Student and Athlete
  • Avery Laffetty
    Brain Cancer, 12 Years Old
  • Becki Kirsten
    Colon Cancer, Mother of 2, and Nurse at Waterbury Hospital
  • Bob Simko
    Multiple Myeloma, U.S. Navy Veteran
  • Brayden Marrero
    3 Years Old
  • Brittany Mann
    HPV Cancer, 29-Year-Old Young Lady
  • Carter Razz
    Brain Cancer, 16-Month-Old Happy-Natured Little Boy
  • Chad Guistia
    Stage 3B, Rectal Cancer, 36 Years Old, Dad to Two Girls & Husband
  • Chip Schofield
    ​​Neuroendocrine Cancer, 53 Years Old, Dad to 3 Girls, Husband, and Former Naugatuck Police Officer
  • Christopher Norcera
    Brain Cancer, 43 Years Old, Dear Friend, U.S. Marine
  • Colin Hartnett
    Colorectal Cancer, Husband, Dad to 3 Young Boys
  • Colin Nelson
    Osteosarcoma, Bone Cancer, 9-Year-Old Who Radiates Pure Joy and Gives the Best Hugs
  • Daniel Burr
    Leukemia, 18-Years-Old
  • Darik Pearson
    Prostate Cancer, Lead Singer of Darik and the Funbags
  • David Blair
    Colorectal Cancer, Husband and Father of 2 Teenage Boys
  • David Holley
    Melanoma Cancer, Husband and Father to 3 Daughters
  • Dennis Wanzie
    Leukemia, 68 Years Old, Former Head Football Coach
  • Diane Currier
    55 Years Old
  • Dorota Wilk
    Acute Myloid Leukemia, Taft Graduate, CFO Rumsey Hall, Hill School, and Hopkins School
  • Duncan Ralicki
    Leukemia, 15-Year-Old Watertown Sophomore
  • Ed Iadarola
    Intestinal Cancer
  • Ethan McGettigan
    Brain Cancer, 3-Year-Old Boy
  • Fred Ariola
    Brain Cancer, Dear Friend
  • Greg O’Brien
    Lung Cancer, Communications Supervisor for Watertown Police & Fire Departments
  • Griffin Moore
    22 Years Old
  • Jacob Roger Poulin- Brain Cancer, 5-Year-Old Boy, Hockey player
  • Jacqueline Boulier Tiul
    Brain Cancer, Wife and Mother, Active in Church and Children’s School
  • Jake Ryan Rossi
    Testicular Cancer, High School Senior, Loves Music and Unconditionally Loves
  • Javier Gonzalez
    16 Years Old
  • Jay Fairhurst
    Lymphoblastic Leukemia, 37 Years Old, Dear Friend
  • Jayden Bracey
    Synovial Sarcoma, 15 Years Old, Sophomore at Waterbury Academy
  • Jayden Edwards
    Rhabdomyosarcoma Cancer, 17-Years-Old, Kaynor Tech student
  • Jennifer Demuro
    Thyroid Cancer, College Student
  • Jennifer Halpin
    Mother of 13-Year-Old Son
  • Jill Grella
    Breast Cancer, Wife of a Police Officer, and Mother
  • Joanne Ferrari Mautino
    Lung Cancer, Nurse, Mother
  • John O’ Rourke
    Pancreatic Cancer, Husband and Father to 3 Boys
  • Jon Seniors
    17 Years Old
  • Jose Campanario
    Pancreatic Cancer, 16 Years Old, Tennis Player
  • Josie Cavallo-Cole, Pancreatic Cancer, Mother, Wife, LPN at VNA
  • Journai Morris
    Liver Cancer, Hepatoblastoma, 2 Years Old, Loves Her Siblings and Family Time
  • Judy Umstead
    Lymphoma, Watertown Animal Control Officer
  • Julia Kelly- Colon & Breast Cancer, Teacher, Theater Professional in NY, and Seven Angels Theater
  • Julie Jandreau Umbro
    Carcinoma, Wife and Mother of 5 Beautiful Girls
  • Karen DiPietro
    Breast Cancer, Cousin
  • Karie Menendez
    Brain Cancer, Wife and Mother
  • Kateri Kenney
    Breast Cancer, Science Teacher for 22 Years, Wife & Mother
  • Katherine E. Consalvo
    Uterine Leiomyosarcoma, Watertown PTO, Sports Mom
  • Kathleen Santiso
    Breast Cancer, Dear friend
  • Kathy Fontoine
    Lung Cancer, Banker, Wife & Mother
  • Kathy Scully
    Glioblastoma Cancer, Teacher and Principal, Watertown School System
  • Kayla Snabaitis
    Brain Cancer, 25 Years Old, Fordham University, Magna Cum Laude
  • Kendall Lord -Wilms Cancer, 4-Year-Old Girl Loves to Dance
  • Khloe Martinez
    Kidney Cancer, 6 Years Old
  • Kim Tobin-Mix
    Colon Cancer, Mother of 2 Girls, Dear Friend
  • Krista Knell
    Breast Cancer, Loving Mother
  • Leilani Rodriquez
    Kidney Cancer, 4-Year-Old with Immense Strength
  • Liam Cahill
    Neuroblastoma, 7 Years Old
  • Liam Kelly
    Leukemia, Dear Friend, 12-Year-Old Basketball Player
  • Lily Cheng
    Lung Cancer, Small Business Owner, Wife and Mother
  • Linval Mills
    14 Years Old
  • Lisa Pocesta
    Colin Cancer, 52 Years Old, Mom, Wife
  • Lou Benemerito
    Pancreatic Cancer, Loving Dad
  • Lynn White
    Esophageal Cancer, 54-Year-Old Single Mom of 4 Children
  • Maia Demirs
    Papillary Thyroid Cancer, Master's in Occupational Therapy
  • Marty Pelosi
    Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Husband, Father
  • Mary Jane Dougherty
    Lung Cancer, Devoted Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother
  • Matty Garcia
    Brain Cancer, 8-Year-Old Boy
  • Maximillian Frazier
    Leukemia, Kind and Loving Young Boy
  • Megan DiPietro
    Breast Cancer, 36 Years Old, Mom of 3 Young Children
  • Melissa Schmitt
    Breast Cancer, Mother of 2 Young girls, and Married to Her High School Sweetheart
  • Michael Palamba
    Pancreatic Cancer, US Army Veteran
  • Michele DiBona
    Leukemia, Wife & Mother
  • Mitchell Kamph
    20 Years Old
  • Nathan Lemothe
    Kidney & Wilms Cancer,12 Years Old, Brother, and Honor Student
  • Nicholas Burgio
    Neuroblastoma, 3 Years Old
  • Paige Embelton
    Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, 16-Year-Old High School Student
  • Pat Fields
    Brain Cancer, Husband and Father
  • Patti Kenney
    Breast Cancer, Volunteer with Hospice Patients
  • Paul DeCarolis -Pancreatic Cancer, Watertown Fireman & EMT
  • Paula Pelchat McLaughlin
    Breast Cancer, Dear Friend
  • Peter Flammia
    Gastric Lymphoma Cancer, Husband, Father, Football Coach, and VP at Waterbury Career Academy
  • Peyton Bartone
    Leukemia, 4-Year-Old Pre-K Student
  • Rich DelGobbo
    Colon Cancer
  • Robin Fleischer
    Breast Cancer, Dear Friend
  • Roosevelt Green
    21 Years Old
  • Rose Marie Mastroianni
    Breast Cancer, Mother
  • Ryder Scelza
    Brain Cancer, 17-Year-Old
  • Scarlet Tzunam
    Leukemia, 6 Years Old
  • Sean Agunda
    30 Years Old
  • Sean Santone
    Hodgkin Lymphoma, Father of 3 Girls & Husband
  • Shane Gertsch
    Brain Cancer, Husband, Quadient Employee
  • Sheila Cooper
    Loving wife
  • Silas Matthew
    Stage 4 Wilms Cancer, 4-Year-Old Boy Superhero
  • Sophie Tzunam
    Leukemia, 5 Years Old
  • Steve Eazarsky
    Non-Skin Melanoma, 41 Years Old, Watertown Golf Course
  • Taylor Richards
    Tongue Cancer, 29-Year-Old Health Instructor
  • Theresa Combs
    Leukemia, 19 Years Old
  • Theresa Eastwood
    Brain Cancer, Nurse for 40 Years
  • Tim Cocchiola
    Colon Cancer, 45-Year-Old Father and Husband
  • Tim Gavallas
    Multiple Myeloma, Watertown Police Officer, Husband, and Father of Twin Boys
  • Tina Fox
    Breast Cancer, 41, Loves Hiking with Her Pup, Charlie
  • Téa Fernandez
    Neuroblastoma, 3 Years Old
  • Wendy Cusano
    Breast Cancer, Mother
  • William Stevens
    Brain Cancer, Watertown Attorney
  • Xander White
    Neuroblastoma Cancer Stage 4, 5-Year-Old

In Loving Memory:

  • Avery Lafferty
  • Bill Stevens
  • Bob Simko
  • Chip Schofield
  • Christopher Norcera
  • David Holley
  • Edward Iadarola
  • Fred Ariola 
  • Greg O’Brien
  • Jacob Roger Poulin
  • Jacqueline Boulier Tiul
  • Jaden Edwards
  • John Donato
  • John Duffany
  • Josie Cavallo-Cole
  • Katherine E. Consalvo
  • Kathleen Santiso
  • Kathy Scully
  • Kendall Lord
  • Kimberly Geremia
  • Lou Razza
  • Lynn White
  • Marty Pelosi
  • Mary Jane Dougherty
  • Matthew Semple
  • Michael Palomba
  • Michele DiBona
  • Nicholas Burgio
  • Paul DeCarolis
  • Ryder Scelza
  • Shane Gertsch
  • Sheila Cooper
  • Sophie May Tzunam
  • Steven Eazarsky
  • Theresa Eastwood
  • Tom Cocchiola

The Joe Garassino Foundation has also supported local organizations including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Harold Leever Cancer Center of Waterbury, CT, the Elizabeth M. Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care of St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT, and the TargetCancer Foundation.

The hole in my own heart will never heal, but together we can make a difference in the lives of families in our local community. Thank you for your help; without your generosity, compassion and contribution, none of this would be possible.

Sincerely Yours,
Mike Garassino
President, Joe Garassino Foundation