"I wanted to make her proud and help others not lose their grandparents to cancer. Memorial Sloan Kettering took great care of her, so I wanted to give back."

— Ryan, age 15 · "Blades Against Cancer," year 4

My grandmother, Patty Piegaro, passed away in 2021 from lung cancer. She was not a smoker, and we were all surprised by her diagnosis. I miss my grandmother. She loved my brother and me, and I especially loved it when she cooked for us and cooked with us. When she had to go to the hospital for treatment, she was well taken care of by Memorial Sloan Kettering. I remember going to New York City to visit her, then taking her home.  I didn't like it when she was in the hospital, but I knew they had the best tools and doctors to help her fight cancer. The inspiration behind Blades Against Cancer is that I don't want other kids to have to feel the sadness I felt losing my grandmother to cancer. Every kid deserves to grow up with their grandparents.