Nonprofits Aid Composer

    It was up to Fighting Chance, a free-of-charge cancer counseling center serving the East End, to help a young cancer patient continue on his chosen path as a composer.

    Keith and Donna Tyrer of Riverhead came to the Sag Harbor-based organization, now celebrating its 10th year, because their 20-year-old son, Jonathan, was determined to continue composing music despite his recent surgery to remove a stomach tumor. The Tyrers wanted to support their son, but the Apple computer and special software involved were too expensive for the family, who were burdened with the medical costs accumulated in Jonathan’s fight against cancer.

    It took a team of local nonprofits to get the job done. The leaders of the Southampton Bocce Club, Steve Marciw and Sal Ficara, had been looking to make an end-of-year donation to Fighting Chance, but had wanted the money earmarked for a special cause.

    Margaret Bromberg, an oncology social worker with Fighting Chance, connected with Sean Carmichael at the Ross School, and together they were able to use the $400 donation from the Bocce Club to purchase a lightly-used computer. Charlie Grubb, Fighting Chance’s graphic designer and technology consultant, installed the necessary software, which he had donated, onto the new computer.

    At the end of January, everyone involved gathered in the Fighting Chance offices and donated the computer to Jonathan Tyrer. Mr. Grubb said, “The joyful day came about through the teamwork of many well-intended citizens and their East End nonprofit organizations.”