Former Sea Cliff Mayor Bruce Kennedy has been named the honoree of the 19th annual Cooking for a Cure Fundraiser for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.
“It’s very humbling to be asked,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he is a long-time supporter of the fundraiser started by Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, whose daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child.
But Kennedy said the cause began to take on a more personal meaning after his son, Alex, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes two years ago, at age 25.
“Suddenly, it hit home,” he said.
Kennedy said diabetes has become “more prevalent” in the United States in recent years.
“This is not a small-scale disease,” he said.
Since his son got diagnosed, Kennedy said he’s more familiar with the disease and is honored to be recognized at this year’s fundraiser.
“Being the parents of children who are living with diabetes and thriving after their diagnosis is the latest way in which our lives have intersected, and I am so thrilled that he is this year’s Cooking for a Cure honoree,” DeRiggi-Whitton said in a press release. “I am proud to stand with him and so many other local families in our shared mission.”
Kennedy said the fundraiser has grown since he began attending almost two decades ago. The proceeds, which total over $1 million, go towards the Diabetes Research Institute, which Kennedy says is at the “forefront” of the research industry.
“The search for a cure is something that I’m very passionate about now,” Kennedy said. He said he believes a cure is “on the horizon.”
Kennedy is no stranger to advocacy, though. He said he serves on the board of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse, and Girl Rising, a nonprofit promoting girls’ education.
“I like to do what I can,” he said.
Kennedy said the fundraiser is a “great event,” and said he invites people to participate and donate.
The fundraiser will be on April 9 at the Crescent Beach Club in Bayville. Tickets are $125. For additional information, visit cookingforacure.givesmart.com.
