Help the Pints for Petro blood drive in Rockville Centre on July 7

Anthony Petrocelli never got to finish his senior year at South Side High School. He was first diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in 2017 and received treatment at the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Oncology Department.

Sadly, he lost his battle with cancer and died prematurely in 2019, at the age of 16.

In his memory, his friends are hosting a blood drive on July 7 at the New York Blood Center, 290 Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre, between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to help raise awareness and support against this disease.

Petrocelli, who would have turned 21 next week, was a vibrant part of the South Side High School and Rockville Centre community. He loved spending time at the beach in Quogue, where he could usually be found surfing the waves. Above all, he loved spending time with his family and friends.

He never let his diagnosis interfere with his life as a teenager. He developed a strong bond with his friends, who lovingly called him, “Petro,” and were always by his side.

In his memory, many of his close friends have been putting in work towards turning years of grief into something more productive and meaningful. Inspired to take action to keep Petrocelli’s memory alive, his friends wanted to relish the things he loved most while increasing awareness of Ewing Sarcoma.

Ewing Sarcoma is a cancerous tumor that grows in the bones or soft tissue — oftentimes around the legs, pelvis, ribs, arms or spine — and can spread to the lungs, bones and bone marrow.

While it is very rare, Ewing Sarcoma is considered the second most common type of bone cancer found in children in the United States. According to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, about 200 children and young adults are diagnosed with it each year.

While it is treatable and can be cured surgically in some cases, or through chemo and radiation therapy, teens between ages 15 and 19, have a lower survival rate of about 56 percent. 

During his treatment, Petrocelli received many blood transfusions, which is what helped inspire his friends to create, “The Pints for Petro” blood drive event on July 7, which aims to try and help bring people together in memory of an amazing young man while increasing the blood bank supply.

In the United States, someone needs blood or platelets every two seconds, according to the American Red Cross, which encourages donations to help meet patient demands.

In keeping with Petro’s passion for surfing, all donors will be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for a stand-up paddleboard.