Isles Surprise Breast Cancer Survivors with Visit and Gifts

Adina Perullo has long supported the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative. The Levittown mother of two wore the purple Isles jerseys in years past and supported the auctions that raise money and awareness for cancer research.
She's given a lot to the initiative, even before her breast cancer diagnosis, but never expected to receive anything from it, let alone a visit from Sparky the Dragon and the Islanders community crew.

"I never thought I would ever see myself on the cancer side of hockey fights cancer," Perullo said. "It was always a calling for me to take care of those who needed help and it feels weird being on the other side of it."
Sparky came to the house to hand deliver a custom Islanders jersey, along with a bag of Islanders swag and a bouquet of flowers. He was there to spend a little time with the family as well, so when six-year-old Luca put on his goalie pads for a breakaway showdown the Isles mascot was happy to oblige, though he couldn't score on the mini-Varlamov.

Perullo was touched by the gesture from the team, reflecting on the incredible support system she's had through her journey, including friends, family, and the countless others in her community, who've stepped up in her time of need. Perullo is thankfully through her fight, after multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments and as scary and daunting as a cancer diagnosis is, she had an inspiring message for everyone still fighting.
"There are so many others out there like you who are willing to lend a hand and take care of you," Perullo said. "That one day you'll be like me on the other side of the cancer journey helping others who have been diagnosed and saying the same things that you heard and didn't believe. It just shows you that you take it one day at a time, some days are good some days are not so good and then you can make it through on the other side."
PHOTOS: ISLES SURPRISE BREAST CANCER FIGHTERS AND SURVIVORS
Perullo was one of six breast cancer fighters and survivors Sparky and the team visited on Thursday delivering gifts, showing support and raising awareness during Hockey Fights Cancer month. Each visit had its own heartwarming moments, celebrating the brave women and their families who have fought, or are still fighting the disease.
The first stop of the day was to Stacy Brennan's house, who greeted Sparky with a giant hug when he came to the front lawn.
Brennan has been battling cancer for 13 years, yet is one of the few people who may have more energy than the Isles mascot and jokingly asked if the flower delivery made them "official."

She is a relentlessly positive person, even though she doesn't have to be. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, it reached metastatic stage 4 in 2012 and spread to her liver in March. She could have easily rued the hand she'd been dealt, but philosophy is to stay positive in the battle against cancer.
"As hard as it is to think positive you have to walk that walk, you can't just talk that talk, you have to think positive," Brennan said. "If you felt that you had blessings before in your life, you could go one way or the other. You could experience a lot of bitterness, or you can all of the sudden look around you and realize how blessed you really, really are. That's the way I choose to live my life and if I were to give any advice it would be that. Keep strong, think positive and enjoy the blessings around you."
Like Perullo, Brennan spoke about the support system she has in her daily fight, especially on the tough days. Brennan and her family were all wearing Stacy's Warriors shirts on Thursday morning and after a visit from Sparky, the Islanders' mascot officially counts as one.
"I'm so touched by this," Brennan said. "It's so hard to explain and you have to realize that it takes not only yourself, it takes the people behind you, and your family and the people that you work with to lift your spirits."
The second visit of the day was to Debbie Jablonowski, the matriarch of a die-hard Islanders family. Despite getting an all-clear on her yearly mammogram in March, Jablonowski found a lump during a self-check in June and underwent breast cancer surgery. It turned out to be a stage two tumor, but luckily it was less than a centimeter and she underwent treatment right away.

Jablonowski said the Islanders playoff run was a welcome distraction during her treatment and recovery after a double mastectomy. She's considered cancer-free now, but her message to women is to go and get tested annually and to stay on top of personal checks.
"I do have the BRCA gene, so genetics plays a big part in it," Jablonowski said. "I'd be a big advocate for genetic testing, especially if you have a history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer in your families. Be an advocate for yourself and push to get those tests."
That was the other message from Thursday's visits - get checked and get treatment, the earlier the better. Ninety-three-year-old Rosemary Martino, an Islanders fan since 1972, said it's important to follow doctor's orders and that the challenge needs to be faced head on. She's cancer free and had a similar message for everyone out there in the fight.
"Do the best you can like I did," Martino said. "You have to bear with it and not get discouraged."
All six women were grateful for the surprise visit on Thursday afternoon. There may not be any Islanders hockey during this year's Hockey Fights Cancer month, but if the disease isn't taking any time off, neither is the team when it comes to supporting those in the fight, raising money or awareness.
"The fact that Hockey Fights Cancer and the Islanders are coming out and seeing these survivors, it just means so much to me personally and the American Cancer Society," said Katie Schafer, the ACS' senior manager of community development for Long Island and Queens. "This fight has not stopped. We still need to bring awareness to this, we still need to be as active as we possibly can be."