ROCHESTER, N.Y. —The Wilmot Cancer Institute celebrated a milestone with its 25th Anniversary Discovery Ball Gala, held at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, with the goal of raising funds for cancer research in Rochester.

The highlight of the evening was the inspiring story of Chris Costello, a leukemia survivor who was diagnosed 25 years ago and successfully underwent a bone marrow transplant — thanks to cells donated by Ed Suslovic from Maine.

Both Costello and Suslovic were present at the gala, and have formed quite the bond. Their families have grown close, and Suslovic’s was in Costello’s wedding this past fall, serving as co-best man and even officiated the ceremony.

“I’ll never forget the day I got the call at my office saying, ‘You’ve been matched as a possible bone-marrow donor to a then-10-year-old boy with Leukemia,'” says Suslovic. “And I like to say I had the smallest part to play. I was Chris and his family and friends and a wonderful, amazing team at Wilmot Cancer Center that took my little gift of bone marrow, cut it into him, and the rest is history, as they say.”

The gala serves not only as a fundraiser for ongoing and future cancer research, but also as a testament to the life-changing and enduring connections formed through the process.

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