On August 23, 2012, a golf
outing at The Woodmere Club
in Woodmere, NY, celebrated
the memory of a very special
little boy, and raised $45,000
to benefit the Cancer Center
for Kids (CCFK) at Winthrop.
Gregg Kienke was born
on January 14, 1984; several
weeks later, cancer tragically
took his life. Even though
Mark Weinblatt, MD, Chief
of the Division of Pediatric
Hematology / Oncology at
Winthrop and Director of the
CCFK, and Philip Scimeca,
MD, Associate Chief, Division of
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, were
with him for a brief time, his parents
never forgot their compassion and support.
Twenty-seven years later, at the
suggestion of their sons Bryan and
Michael, Debi and Bill Kienke, on
behalf of “Gregg’s Wings,” decided to
honor the care these two doctors provided
by donating the tournament
proceeds to the CCFK.
A full field of golfers gathered for a
day of 18 holes followed
by an evening that included
dinner, raffles and prizes.
Debi Kienke, Director of
Special Services in the
Oyster Bay School District,
said, “Being able to help
other children and their
families who are battling
cancer is something we
believe is important. It has
been a hope of ours to support
and help others who
are in need.”
Dr. Weinblatt gratefully
acknowledged the
Kienke family’s grassroots effort and
extraordinary generosity. “It shows that
even a young child who was in this
world for such a short time can have an
impact, and do so much good for so
many,” he said.
The family recently visited
Winthrop’s Cancer Center for Kids to
present representatives of the Center
with the proceeds raised from the
golf outing. Pictured at the check
presentation are (l.-r.) Ashley Carlo,
Development Specialist at the CCFK;
Bryan Kienke; Debi Kienke; Mark
Weinblatt, MD, Chief of the Division
of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at
Winthrop and Director of the CCFK;
Bill Kienke; Mike Kienke; and Linda
Sweeney, Pediatric Develop ment
Manager for the CCFK.
The Second Annual Gregg’s Wings
Golf Outing is set for August 22, 2013
at The Woodmere Club. For more information,
visit www.greggswings.com.
Winthrop’s Cancer Center for Kids
is the largest outpatient facility for treating
children with cancer and blood
disorders in Nassau County, and is the
County’s only member of the Children’s
Oncology Group (COG). For more
information about the CCFK, visit
www.winthrop.org/cck.
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Vol. 22, No. 3
Winter 2012
Back to Publications
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