Click here to read part 1 of survivor stories.
Stacey Rabbino
Section C2, Row 19, Seats 16-19
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer and Appendix Cancer
On September 27, 2025, the day after her first cancer diagnosis, Stacey Rabbino laced up and took part in the first-ever Run the Steps at Lincoln Financial Field. That day, she made herself a promise: she would be back next year, and cancer wouldn't take her.
In the months that followed, Stacey was diagnosed with two forms of breast cancer and two forms of appendix cancer. Despite a roller coaster of emotions and, at one point, a frightening prognosis, she stayed positive and active. And the Eagles' 2025 season became her motivation. She fought to be at every home game and missed only one. After one of her surgeries, her very first question was, "Can I make it to Sunday's game, and can I drink beer?"
Four surgeries later, in August 2026, Stacey kept her promise. Wearing a shirt that ended with "Go Birds!", she participated in Run the Steps again alongside her daughter and three friends who had helped her through every step.
Her daughter gave her the most strength, putting her own life on hold so Stacey's could continue. Her Section C2 neighbors showed up with gifts and visits, and her section attendant, Caryn, gave her a Crucial Catch pin that she carries every day. "The Linc is my happy place," Stacey says, "and K Lot brings me so much joy."
Her message to others: "Remain positive and active. Stay in control of your own decisions. Stay strong, move forward, and stay true to who you are."
Penny Papandrea
Section 222, Row 5 Seats 1-2
Diagnosis: Leukemia
If you ask Sue Papandrea who her hero is, she'll answer without hesitation: her granddaughter, Penny.
When Penny was just two and a half years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia. At an age when most children are learning their colors and singing their ABCs, Penny began two and a half years of treatment. It was a long road for such a little girl, and for the family who loves her.
Through it all, Penny showed strength far beyond her years. "She was so strong, even when she was scared," Sue says. "I will always remember her strength during that time."
Today, Penny is seven years old and doing everything a seven-year-old should be doing: playing, learning, laughing, and simply being a kid.
For Sue, being an Eagles Season Ticket Member comes down to one word. FAMILY. And when asked what gave her strength through Penny's journey, her answer is just as simple: "Penny."
Sue's message to families facing cancer today is one of hope, rooted in what she has lived. "There is sometimes a perfectly normal life after," she says. "Lean on those who love you, because they want to help you!"
Penny's story is a powerful reminder that some of the strongest fighters come in the smallest packages.
Valerie Sestito
Section 103, Row 25, Seats 1-2
Diagnosis: Stage 3 Lung Cancer (Adenocarcinoma)
Philadelphia knows her voice. For more than 30 years, Valerie Sestito, known on air as Valerie Knight, has been a familiar presence on local radio, and she still delivers traffic reports for KYW at Audacy. But in October 2022, she received news she chose to keep almost entirely to herself.
After a summer of feeling sick, and despite being fit and active, Valerie was diagnosed with Stage 3A lung cancer. She began chemotherapy and radiation right away, followed by a year of immunotherapy. "I was scared," she says, "but determined to beat this thing."
That season, the Eagles were dominant, but Valerie made it to just one game and watched the rest from her couch. Her husband went to two games without her before deciding it just wasn't the same. Still, she knew her longtime seatmates in Section 103 were pulling for her.
Valerie shared her diagnosis only with family and close friends. "I just didn't want to be defined by cancer," she says. "But it's time to tell my story, because I got through, I rang the bell, and I survived!"
She credits her husband, her family and friends, her dog, who sat with her when she couldn't get up, and her doctors. Now, she's back at the Linc, screaming, shouting, and bleeding green with everyone else.
Her message to others: "Stay positive. Visualize coming out on the other side strong. And remember, you are the CEO of your own health."
Kenneth Smaron
Section 203, Row 30, Seats 22-24
Diagnosis: Stage 3 Bladder Cancer
In 2002, at just 40 years old, Kenneth Smaron was diagnosed with bladder cancer. His mind was spinning, and one question rose above all the others: "Am I going to see my children grow up?"
Doctors confirmed it was Stage 3. Dr. Robert Uzzo walked him through his options, and Kenneth chose what was then a newer surgical procedure. Recovery wasn't easy. The first year brought complications and repeated hospital stays, and he still manages lasting kidney challenges today. But Kenneth is now a 22-year cancer survivor. "I owe my life to Dr. Uzzo," Smaron says, whom he still sees once a year.
The answer to the question that once haunted him turned out to be, 'yes.' Kenneth watched his children grow up, and today he has nine grandchildren. "My life is all about them," he says. "I look at them sometimes and think about how lucky I am to see them grow up."
Some of his most cherished moments now come at the Linc, especially the time he shares at games with his oldest grandson, time he knows he could have missed.
During a hospital stay, a chaplain visited Kenneth, and their long talks about cancer and survival changed his outlook on life. His message to others: "Pray and keep a positive attitude. It will be hard when you hear you have cancer, but don't let go."
Richard Sullivan
Section: C17, Row 6, Seats 1-2
Diagnosis: Colon Cancer
Richard Sullivan has served his country and supported his team for decades. A retired member of the U.S. Navy, he has been an Eagles Season Ticket Member since 1985. And after more than 40 years in the stands, he still looks forward to every single game. "Having season tickets means everything to me," he says.
Since 2024, Richard has been battling colon cancer. His fight has included multiple operations and several rounds of chemotherapy. He is now awaiting a scan to determine the status of his cancer, and true to Eagles form, he's going into it with faith and hope.
Richard is honest about how hard the journey can be. "Chemo kicks your butt," he admits. But he has never fought alone. He draws strength from the prayers of his friends and family, his Bible study group, and the medical professionals caring for him. Above all, he says, his faith in God is the key.
Through every treatment, the Eagles have remained something steady to look forward to, a reminder of the joy that's still waiting on the other side of each tough day.
Richard's message to anyone in the middle of their own fight is one of perseverance: "Keep fighting, even when it seems pointless. Faith in God will keep you moving forward."
For a Navy veteran who has never backed down from a challenge, it's advice he lives by every day.
Jonathan Swing
Section 223, Row 17, Seats 9-10
Diagnosis: HPV-Positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma (tonsil)
In November 2024, Jonathan Swing noticed a lump on the left side of his neck. He felt healthy, and early tests were reassuring. But the lump never went away. Jonathan kept pushing for answers, and in April 2025, a biopsy revealed HPV-positive cancer of his left tonsil.
He underwent radiation and chemotherapy. During the first month, he kept life as normal as possible, even driving himself to treatment and umpiring baseball games. Then the side effects hit hard. But Jonathan never gave up. He spent the summer rebuilding his strength, returned to work that September, and in October 2025, he learned he was in remission.
His wife and young children became his reason to keep moving forward. "Their love reminded me that cancer could change my life, but it would not define it," he says.
The Eagles community gave him something, too. "Walking into the stadium, surrounded by thousands of people who knew nothing about my battle but shared my passion, gave me a sense of normalcy and belonging," he says. "I learned that strength isn't never breaking; it's continuing to show up, even when you're broken."
Jonathan shares his story to raise awareness of the link between HPV and head and neck cancer and to encourage others to get vaccinated, pay attention to persistent symptoms, and advocate for themselves.
His message to others: "Keep fighting. Keep believing. Keep showing up. Cancer may become part of your story, but it does not get to write the ending."
Dina Tomczak
Section 114, Row 16, Seats 7-8
Diagnosis: Stage 2–3 triple-negative breast cancer
Michael Galdo is incredibly proud of his daughter, Dina Tomczak, and her story shows exactly why.
Dina was 34 years old and just six weeks removed from giving birth to her second child when she was diagnosed with Stage 2–3 triple-negative breast cancer. As she settled in as a mom of two, what should have been one of the happiest times of her life suddenly became a fight no one in her family was prepared for.
Today, Dina is officially five years cancer-free, and what she has done with those five years is what makes Michael proudest.
At the time of her diagnosis, Dina was a physical education teacher. Since completing treatment, she has become a vice principal and athletic director, and she uses those roles to make a difference for others. She makes breast cancer awareness a priority throughout every athletic season at her high school, involving student-athletes and the entire school community in raising awareness and funds. Each year, she also supports the Shirley Mae Breast Cancer Assistance Fund, helping other families facing cancer.
"Through every chapter of her life, I watched her raise her babies, rebuild her strength, advance in her career, lead young people, advocate for others affected by breast cancer, and continue showing up for the people around her," Michael says.
Michael's message to anyone facing cancer is simple: "Never give up." Fly, Eagles Fly!
Shanna Turtu
Section C5, Row 8, Seats 8-9
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer
Some fans would call a six-hour drive to a football game extreme. For Shanna Turtu, it's just what you do on gameday, and it's one of the reasons her friend David Bottari nominated her to share her story.
A lifelong Eagles fan and Season Ticket Member for more than five years, Shanna moved to Virginia for work, but she didn't let the distance change a thing.
In 2019, Shanna was diagnosed with breast cancer. Through her treatment and her successful recovery, she showed incredible strength, surrounded by the love and support of her husband, children, and friends every step of the way. Shanna has always said that the Eagles and her season ticket group helped her push through.
Today, she is the same devoted fan she has always been, still putting in the miles to be in her seat on gameday, surrounded by the friends who stood by her.
David's message to anyone facing cancer now: "You don't have to go through it alone. You don't have to be strong every minute, and you don't have to put on a brave face for anyone. Take this one day, one moment, at a time. Let the people who love you carry some of the weight when you need them to. You matter enormously, and you are loved."
Lester Weinraub
Section: 104, Row 11 & 12, Seats 11-12
Diagnosis: Multiple Myeloma
In April 2022, Lester Weinraub was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. Shortly after, the disease affected his spine, and for months Lester relied on a wheelchair, then a walker, then canes, until he slowly regained the use of his legs. He underwent radiation, chemotherapy, and, in December 2022, a stem cell transplant. Today, he is in remission.
Of all his memories from that time, his favorite has nothing to do with medicine. It's watching the Eagles win on TV in his hospital room, eating pizza with his wife and kids.
Soon after his diagnosis, Lester's children signed the family up for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Philly Walk. Their team, "Lester's Legion," brought together more than 100 family members and friends and has raised approximately $50,000 for the foundation. In 2023, the MMRF named Lester its Philadelphia "Spirit of Hope" Award recipient. And in 2025, he finally had the strength to complete the 5K walk himself.
A Season Ticket Member for more than 43 years, Lester treasures the bond the Eagles create with family and friends, from a trip to Green Bay with his son and daughter to hearing "Go Birds" from strangers wherever he wears his Eagles gear.
His message to others: "Medical treatment is amazing and changing rapidly. Have confidence that we live in a great community with excellent doctors who are specialists. More importantly, remember your own strength and the strength of your support group."
Christine Young-Gertz
Section C37, Row 10, Seats 24-25
Diagnosis: Endometrial Cancer
Christine Young-Gertz received a warning sign, and she didn't ignore it. That decision made all the difference.
Because she listened to her body and saw a doctor, Christine was diagnosed with endometrial cancer at an early stage. She went through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, and today, she is cancer-free.
Now, she has a simple plea for every woman: "Ladies, listen to your bodies! When something doesn't seem right, see a doctor. It can make all the difference."
These days, Christine is living in gratitude, enjoying her grandchildren and looking forward to the years ahead.
Throughout her journey, she drew strength from her husband, her family, and her dear friends. She also found it in something bigger: a community that cares. "So many facets of our community, like the Eagles, care enough to help out with resources that lead to better care and cures for everyone fighting cancer," she says.
For Christine, that's exactly what makes the Eagles special. "Win or lose, the Eagles bring us together in celebration of our community," she says. "The Eagles organization is easy to love, and this project is a perfect example."
Her message to anyone facing cancer today is gentle and full of heart: "Put one foot in front of the other, every moment, every day. Please know that so many of us are in your corner. And you are in our prayers."
