Each February, hundreds of people head to the Paul Gerry Fieldhouse at SUNY Sullivan to watch great basketball and join in the fight against cancer.

The 12th Annual Sullivan County BCANY vs. Cancer Classic, featuring six high school games, a dance performance by Main Street Dance, and two college games featuring the SUNY Sullivan Men's and Women's teams, took place this past weekend.

The atmosphere was electric and local high school teams get the full big game treatment with special lighting and introductions.

?While the level of basketball on display is great, it's the other aspect about this tournament that is truly special. This year's annual games were dedicated in honor of Amanda Zeno. Amanda, a Fallsburg HS Senior/Basketball player, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in July 2019 and has been in the hospital since then. She is an exceptional athlete, student

and person and we hope she gets well soon!

All BCANY vs Cancer Classic proceeds will be donated to the Oncology Unit at Catskill Regional Medical Center

and Team Zeno.

Since its inception the BCANY vs. Cancer Classic has

donated over $42,000 in the fight against cancer, with over $37,000 going to the Oncology Unit at CRMC. This year's event raised the most ever -- upwards of $6,000. It marked the fifth consecutive year with at least $5,000 in donations.

As always, a special kudos to Monticello Boys Basketball Coach and BCANY Deputy Executive Director Chris Russo for organizing the event each year, and to all the teams who participate. Also, a shout out to SUNY Sullivan for being a great local venue for these types of events.

There's not one single way to combat cancer. But while we wait for doctors and/or scientists to find a cure, all we can do is offer as much support to those fighting as possible.

And there's no doubt that in Sullivan County, the generosity and compassion for those in need is always on display, and the success of this classic is just one example of that.

It's like Helen Keller once said, “Alone, we can do so lit- tle; together, we can do so much.”

If you were unable to make the event but still want to make a donation, you can mail a check to Chris Russo at 43 Seaman Rd., Circleville, NY, 10919. Make checks payable to the CRMC - Oncology Unit.