Nancy Zicari Infantino was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was just 25. The Rochester, New York woman took the diagnosis in stride, working to beat the disease while raising four children.

Treatment brought her into remission and Nancy and her husband, Dino, were thrilled with Nancy’s new lease on life.

But the disease came back in 1999. This time it was more ferocious than before. It had spread to her bone marrow and aggressive therapies couldn’t stop the disease. Nancy died on April 8, 2002 at the age of 32, leaving her husband and her children, ages 4, 5, 9 and 14.

Nancy’s family and friends created a foundation - Nancy & Friends Fighting Cancer, Inc. - in her memory, to help find a cure for breast cancer. The organization recently donated $10,000 to the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center in Rochester, New York to support gene therapy studies for breast cancer.

“We are very impressed with the Wilmot Cancer Center and all the good things going on there.” says Bruce Zicari II, Nancy’s brother. “It’s a great organization and there are a lot of important studies going on. It’s a perfect place for funds we have raised in Nancy’s memory.”

The group raised money through donations from friends and relatives. Organizers will soon begin fund raisers to further the effort. “We are going to put this into high gear and really raise some funds to make a difference.” Zicari said.

“We are grateful for the support for our research efforts to find a cure for breast cancer.” said Richard I. Fisher, M.D., Director of the Wilmot Cancer Center. “Fighting this disease, and all forms of cancer, is a community effort and organizations like Nancy & Friends Fighting Cancer are helping us lead the way.”