Stephen Piscotty’s devotion to finding a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and his grace in handling his mother’s decline and death from ALS, is the reason he’s being honored Thursday by Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Two disparate diseases, but the same yearning to end the suffering they cause. Piscotty, the Oakland A’s outfielder who is this year’s winner of the prestigious “Hutch Award,” feels a kinship with those fighting to end cancer.
“We want to end these terrible diseases affecting so many families,” he said in a phone interview. “Having gone through all this, I have a greater appreciation for these organizations and the work they’re putting in.