This April our 18-year-old son, Max, will celebrate a cancer survivor's milestone - 8 years in remission and off treatment! Next Fall, Max goes off to college, but before he does he has chosen to volunteer as a counselor at Sunrise Day Camp for his third consecutive summer. And, Alex has decided to get into the act by applying to volunteer as a counselor at Sunrise for the first time this summer. To celebrate Max's victory over cancer and to honor our boys' commitment to helping children and families fighting this awful disease we have again sponsored a team (The Russ Warriors) for SunriseWALKS 18 in support of Sunrise Day Camp.

We hope that you will consider joining us this June at SunriseWALKS, or supporting us by donating to this fabulous cause!

Our family has been involved with Sunrise for many years. Sunrise is the first and only dedicated day camp in the nation for children with cancer and their siblings. It is a very special place where children can come, free of charge, and enjoy a summer filled with fun, friendship, and activities; things often denied them because of their medical condition.

Max was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2007, shortly after he turned 7. As you can imagine, this was a devastating diagnosis for Max and the entire family. With the generous help and support of many, Max won his 3 1/2 year battle against cancer, finished chemo treatments in April 2010 and is now in remission. We can tell you from personal experience that having a child with a chronic, life-threatening illness can have a devastating impact on a family, emotionally and financially. Sunrise Day Camp, located on the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds on Long Island, is a miracle for these special children and their families. Sunrise lets children forget about their cancer so they can play, run and explore the magic of summer like a kid, the way you remember it.

In fact, Sunrise was one of the truly wonderful places that helped Max (and our entire family) in his successful battle. Both Max and Alex attended Sunrise for several summers and we cannot express in words our feelings of gratitude to Sunrise and its tireless brigade of staff, donors, and volunteers! The camp is extra special for being the only day camp in the area to welcome children with cancer and their siblings at no charge to the families. Through the generosity of others, including many of you, Sunrise Day Camp was able to welcome over 500 campers this past summer and with your help, the camp can continue to grow and thrive for years to come. As long as pediatric cancer exists Sunrise Day Camp must remain available for those children and their families!

We could not be prouder of Max and Alex and their decision to be volunteer counselors at Sunrise Day Camp Long Island this summer!

Thank you for your time and generosity.
The Russ Warriors