Sunrise Fund Awards Scholarships to Pediatric Cancer Survivors

Three local students are among the recipients of the annual Daniel Brooks Memorial Education awards, given each year by the Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook Long Island Children's Hospital to former pediatric oncology patients.

The local students who received the scholarships are Caitlin Mason of East Setauket, who will study at Boston College; Nicolina Risco of Stony Brook, who will study at Suffolk Community College; and Andrew Doskotz of South Setauket, who will study at Suffolk Community College.

The scholarships are given in memory of Daniel Brooks, a man from Port Jefferson who was treated for leukemia as a teenager at Stony Brook and later earned a degree in special education. Brooks worked with Stony Brook's Cancer Center to develop its School Re-entry Program for children who have survived cancer. Brooks tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2002.

“Dan’s input was invaluable to our current program. It’s fitting that this award is named for Dan, whose spirit and dedication to education and children with cancer endure through this award program,” said Debra Giugliano, nurse Practitioner in pediatric hematology/oncology.

Since its inception in 1999, the Sunrise Fund has given $180,000 in scholarships to students who have survived childhood cancers.