The Brad Kaminsky Foundation is Dedicated to Raising Awareness and Funds for
Childhood & Adult Brain Tumor and Cancer Research.
 

The Brad Kaminsky Foundation
In Loving Memory of..
Brad Kaminsky, Lisa Gibson, Bob Carter, Jr., Tony Leonard, Susanne McMillan, Dan McNally, Andy Lewis, William Keyser, Diane Wyatt, Gregory Weiss, James McKenzie, Geoff Cornman, Brian Bedell, Joseph Gray, Mary Haller, Jonathan Hicks, Capt. John Flynn, Sherry Brinton, Kyle Kerpan, Kyle Snyder, James Meyers, Josie Chiang, Stefan, Karen S., Jacqueline V. Offutt, Lauren Fitzgerald, Judy Hahn, Christine Donahue, Larry Burns, Anne Glynn, Lindsay Warren, Joe Lieb, Mike Gianinni, Bill Waggener, Melanie Knight-Teaster, Judi Spivack, Niki Perry, William Schopf, Nancy Coyle, Karen Stevens, Jose Andrade, Jose Rodriguez,
Brenda  BB Huff, Mim O'Neill, Richard Alan Brownmiller, Jim Ingman, Michael Bloomberg, Lilly Watkins, Vincent Mandzak and all our Angels


BRAD KAMINSKY
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Cancer-Stricken Jurist Gets Help From Friends

By LAURIE MASON Courier Times

More than 400 lawyers, judges and police officers turned out Friday to support Brad Kaminsky, a Bucks prosecutor fighting brain cancer. As an assistant district attorney, Brad Kaminsky has spent most of his career fighting to put criminals behind bars. Now he's fighting for his life. Kaminsky, 28, has brain cancer. It was discovered in July when, without warning, he went into a seizure while driving home from having lunch with his wife. He's had three painful surgeries to remove tumors and is undergoing experimental radiation treatment at a North Carolina research hospital. Kaminsky's trying to be brave, his family said, although he knows he has a tough battle ahead of him. But his friends and co-workers aren't letting him fight the battle alone. As word spread about Kaminsky's illness, the legal community rallied to his side. At a fund-raising dance Friday night in Wycombe, nearly 400 lawyers, judges, police officers, courthouse staff and family members gathered to raise money and support for Kaminsky and his family. It was a night of music and fun as partygoers cut a rug to the sounds of The New Society Orchestra, an eight-piece top 40s band featuring Gail Marr, an assistant Bucks district attorney, and John Fioravanti, a Doylestown defense attorney. Among the revelers seen mingling in the crowded Fraternal Order of Police lodge were Bucks County Judges Cynthia and John Rufe, Bucks County District Attorney Alan Rubenstein and Democratic Commissioners candidate Chris Serpico. Although Kaminsky couldn't attend, he sent a note of thanks with his wife, Kim. "He knows he's going to beat this cancer, and he can't wait to get back home," she said. Kaminsky grew up in Bensalem and graduated from Bensalem High School in 1989. He has two children, ages 5 and 2. Although he's been able to keep his job - and his medical insurance - by working from home and the hospital, doing research and writing legal briefs, the family's financial future is uncertain. Besides medical expenses not covered by insurance, Kaminsky must deal with costly travel expenses and phone bills, and his wife was forced to quit her part-time job at Doylestown hospital to help care for Kaminsky and their children. "I talk to him on the phone about 10 times a day," she said. "We don't feel like we're alone in this because his boss and everyone at the office has been so good to us." Kaminsky's boss, Alan Rubenstein, put the praise back on Kaminsky. "Brad is a bright, aggressive lawyer who has shown great talent and integrity on the job," he said. "As an office, we hope our support helps him some way in his recovery, and we want him to know that he still has a job when he recovers." Kim Kaminsky said Rubenstein gave her husband his personal laptop computer so he could send information into the office. When a document can't be faxed and she can't leave the kids to bring it to Doylestown, Rubenstein sends someone to pick it up. And Kaminsky's co-workers have been "outstanding," she said. Along with planning the fund-raiser, prosecutors set up a bank account for donations. Among the contributors last night were the Bucks County Chiefs of Police Association with a $1,000 check and the Bensalem Police Benevolent Association, which donated $2,000. Others found more creative ways to raise cash. Assistant district attorney Sharif Abaza, Kaminsky's office-mate, announced he would allow the highest bidder give him a crew-cut. With a room full of defense attorneys no doubt eager to take a razor to the prosecutor's head, the bidding quickly climbed to $250. But in a shocking turn of events, Abaza's own mother, Ann Abaza, trounced the competition with a bid of $325. "My own mother?" Abaza whined upon hearing auctioneer Gary Gambardella, a senior deputy district attorney, announce the winner. So far, about $10,000 has been raised to help Kaminsky. Rubenstein said it's a worthy cause. "But for the grace of God, any one of us could be in Brad's situation," he said. "I think everyone in this room recognizes that."

 


 

 

 

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