The Upstate Foundation has received a $247,500 donation from Paige’s Butterfly Run, Inc. (PBR) to support a range of services for children with cancer receiving care at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. The funds benefit pediatric cancer research as well as financial support to families to cover everything from food and gas expenses to medical costs and other services.

The organization raised money through a variety of events throughout the year.

Paige's Butterfly Run, Inc. made the announcement at a presentation at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital Friday Dec. 29.

The donation includes $11,200 worth of books that were purchased by patrons at Barnes & Noble and then donated to Upstate through PBR for distribution to patients.

Since 1997, Paige’s Butterfly Run, Inc. has raised almost $5 million dollars in support of pediatric cancer care at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and the Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate.

The organization honors Baldwinsville elementary school student Paige Arnold, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 1993 when she was 6; Paige died a year later from complications from a bone marrow transplant in an effort to cure her leukemia, at Boston Children's Hospital.

“2023 was a warm and welcoming year for our organization” said Paige’s father and Board Chair Chris Arnold. “The Central New York community really stepped up to support our mission with tremendous fundraising from individuals, corporate sponsorship and personal giving. 

“We at Paige’s Butterfly Run are incredibly happy to be back with a large donation in 2023 to serve the needs of our pediatric cancer patients and families in Central New York. Many thanks to our event participants, donors, sponsors and partners at the Upstate Foundation for making this possible!” Arnold concluded.

Toni Gary, assistant vice president of the Upstate Foundation, applauded the gift. “On behalf of our pediatric cancer patients and families, I want to thank Chris Arnold and the entire team at Paige’s Butterfly Run. They have been indefatigable champions in the fight against pediatric cancer,” she said. “Their support means the world to all who are facing this disease.”

Gregory Conners, MD, MPH, MBA, executive director of Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and chair of Pediatrics, said the support from Paige’s Butterfly Run has been a difference maker in the hospital’s ability to care for children with cancer. “This relationship with Paige’s Butterfly Run is important to us at the children’s hospital and we so very grateful for that,” he said.

Melanie Comito, MD, the Paige Yeomans Arnold Endowed Professor in Pediatric Oncology and division chief of the Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate, thanked Paige’s Butterfly Run for supporting many patient needs and treatments, but also for funding research, whether a clinical trial or basic science research seeking to find new treatments for childhood leukemia.

“More children are surviving childhood cancer and living to adulthood,” Comito said. “The impact of successful treatment for these children and adolescents with cancer is huge and the role of philanthropy cannot be underestimated.”