With assistance from players and cheerleaders participating in the second annual Bellamy and Sons Paving Marisa Rose Bowl, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation will hold a Family Fun Night at PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick.

Exclusively for patients and their families, the event is being conducted June 22 in conjunction with the hospital’s Recreational Therapy/Child Life Department.

Family Fun Night will include boardwalk-style games, prizes, interactive crafts, dinner, music, a visit from the hospital’s certified pet therapy dog, a photo booth, and more.

As part of the charity all-star football game’s community service component, players and cheerleaders participating in the contest are volunteering their time and youthful energy to assist with the event.

All proceeds from the Marisa Rose Bowl will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital, and the Edison-based Lakeview School, a program of the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities.

The game, which features the top graduating seniors from Middlesex County high schools in an intra-county showcase, will be played June 29 at Woodbridge High School’s Nicholas A Priscoe Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Earlier this month, a contingent of Marisa Rose Bowl players and cheerleaders volunteered to take part in classroom visits and a pep rally at the Lakeview School. The experience profoundly affected many of the attendees, and The Marisa Tufaro Foundation expects the June 22 event at PSE&G Children’s Hospital will have a similar impact.

Since its inception less than six years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than a quarter of a million dollars to assist pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

Marisa Rose Tufaro survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old.

Hospitalized at different periods throughout her life for a total of more than two years, Marisa benefited from events similar to the June 22 Family Fun Night, which helped break the monotony of a lengthy hospital stay and took her mind off her worries or discomfort.

At the beginning (infant) and near the end (teenager post-transplant) of her life, Marisa benefited from Children’s Specialized Hospital’s outpatient services.

Conducting the Family Fun Night is a small way for the foundation bearing Marisa’s name to give back to Children’s Specialized Hospital, which has made a profound impact on the lives of countless Middlesex County children and their families, including several connected with the Marisa Rose Bowl.

A state-of-the-art RWJBarnabas Health facility, PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital is New Jersey’s only inpatient pediatric rehabilitation hospital.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation conducted consecutive Family Fun Nights at the hospital prior to the pandemic and looks forward to the event’s return.

About Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation

When you give to Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) Foundation, 100% of your donation supports the programs and services of CSH that are transforming the lives of children with special healthcare needs. The CSH Foundation receives philanthropic support from those who share our mission and commitment to ensuring that all children with special healthcare needs receive the life-changing care they need to reach their full potential. To help or learn more, visit https://give2csh.org.

About Children’s Specialized Hospital

Children’s Specialized Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is the nation’s leading provider of inpatient and outpatient care for children and young adults from birth to 21 years of age facing special healthcare challenges from chronic illnesses and complex physical disabilities like brain and spinal cord injuries to a full scope of developmental, behavioral, and mental health concerns. At 15 different New Jersey locations, our pediatric specialists partner with families to make our many innovative therapies and medical treatments more personalized and effective so each child can reach their full potential. For more information, visit rwjbh.org/childrensspecialized or follow us on Facebook, Linked In, Instagram and Twitter.

Children’s Specialized Hospital is New Jersey’s local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.