Charlie Macaluso is a fifth grader at Lloyd Harbor School (LHS) where he attends school alongside his twin brother, Jack. Charlie is currently battling leukemia and when the parents and students at the school heard about it, they took action. This story was originally shared by LHS on their website here.
The “Fight on Strong One” slogan was created at LHS to show support for Charlie and his fight against cancer. All the kids wore the shirts at LHS Field Day to create a unified and supportive message for Charlie in his time of need. The Macaluso family donated the shirts so that every dollar raised from Field Day went to Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro. Second graders also sold paper origami hats at the entrance of field day, raising even more money. The final amount raised was $8,802.00 and the giant check was accepted by Jack, Charlie’s brother.
On June 27, 2025, Charlie and his mom, Amy, dropped off the donation and we had a check presentation to honor Charlie’s hard work and the outpouring of support from his community. No one fights cancer alone, and that’s especially true at Ronald McDonald House.
A Home Away from Home
Amy, Charlie’s mom, spoke about her time at Ronald McDonald House. While Charlie was receiving treatments at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Amy would come to Ronald McDonald House to use the gym. Amy said the gym gave her an outlet to let off steam. One of Charlie’s favorite rooms at Ronald McDonald House was the New York Islanders x Clark Gillies Media Room which opened earlier this year.
Field Day Fundraising
Principal Shanahan from Llyod Harbor School shared:
“This community is simply amazing. In the fall, I learned of Charlie’s illness… My heart was broken when I heard the news. I could not imagine what Charlie and his family were experiencing each and every day…and then, the magic of the LHS community began to reveal itself…I watched the community organize, come together and support Charlie and his family.”
Field Day at LHS was one of many ways the community showed up for Charlie and his family. There are additional fundraising efforts taking place throughout the area to support Charlie and cancer research. Every dollar helps and
Thank you to the Lloyd Harbor School community for their support and care. All of us at Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro want to thank Charlie and his friends, family, and peers for their generosity.