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Thank you for attending the 19th annual

Syracuse for St. Jude Gala

Presented by DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Law Firm

Syracuse, New York |  March 7,  2026

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Thank you for joining us on March 7, 2026, for the 19th annual Syracuse for St. Jude Gala presented by DeFrancisco & Falgiantano Law Firm at The Oncenter Ballroom in Syracuse, New York, where we came together to support the livesaving mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Finding cures. Saving children.®

Guests enjoyed an evening of live entertainment, cocktails, dinner, a silent auction, a Give to Live auction and an impactful Mission Moment. We also celebrated the life of Officer Colin Hayward-Toland as we presented an award in his namesake — The Officer Colin Hayward-Toland Award.

Matching gifts are an easy way to increase your donation to St. Jude — at no additional cost to you! Many employers support your altruistic efforts by offering matching gift programs to your favorite charities. Check if your employer will match your gift to St. Jude or contact us at matchinggifts@stjude.org.

All proceeds from this event benefit patient and patient families at St. Jude. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

Our presenting sponsor

DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, LLP Personal Injury Lawyers.
St. Jude patient Mayela holding a photo of herself as a child.

St. Jude patient Mayela

St. Jude provides comprehensive care and health equality for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We tailor treatment for each child's unique needs, improving outcomes for some of the world’s sickest children.

St. Jude patient Mayela holding a photo of herself as a child.

St. Jude patient Mayela

 
 

Choose the right planned gift for you

St. Jude patient Han is painting during art therapy with a family member.

St. Jude patient Han, pictured with family

IRA charitable contributions

If you're 70 ½ or older, you can contribute to St. Jude from your IRA and potentially receive tax benefits. You can have your IRA administrator use our sample letter.

Image of St. Jude patient Nora Kay at the St. Jude campus.

St. Jude patient Nora Kay

Donor-advised funds

You can recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund by calling your fund manager or by signing in to your granting institution and selecting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Patient Maelin-Kate smiles while painting a flower.

St. Jude patient Maelin-Kate

Gifts of stock

When gifting stock, you can reference our transfer form, or call us at (800) 395-4341 to inform us of your gift, so we can properly acknowledge your gift and provide you with a tax receipt.

Patient Franser wears a backpack and smiles outdoors.

St. Jude patient Franser

Charitable gift annuities

Charitable gift annuities may interest you if you want to transfer cash or securities to St. Jude and receive lifetime payments for yourself or a loved one.

Our 2026 Honoree

Beth Coughlin

 

Thank you to our committee

Syracuse for St. Jude committee members gather for a portrait between multi-colored balloons.
 
 

St. Jude stories from New York

Patient Colin Hayward-Toland stands with committee members before a St. Jude wall.

St. Jude patient Colin Hayward-Toland (bottom, left) with commitee members Joe and Amy Rossi

This award was created by gala committee members to honor the legacy of Officer Colin Hayward-Toland. At age 2, Colin was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a rare form of brain cancer, and began treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Colin believed that you should “never give up on your dreams."

In 2016, he was able to realize his own dream by being sworn in as an honorary member of the Ithaca Police Department.

On March 17, 2018, after an 8-year fight with cancer, Colin lost his battle. We remember Colin’s legacy with the Officer Colin Hayward-Toland Award, which recognizes a local community member who represents virtues similar to Colin’s spirit of tenacity, resilience and positivity. 

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