'From Chemo to Surgery, She Has Been Calm and Positive.'

OFF TO THE RACES CARROO THOUSANDS PARTY, RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY BREAKS THROUGH FOR RUTGERS PAGE A5 SPORTS, C1

OCTOBER 20, 2013 $2.00

AIMEE’S STORY ACARING COMMUNITY People ‘From chemo to surgery, make the she has been difference Oct. 26 is the day organizers of local calm and positive.’ projects need help By Paul C. Grzella @PaulGrzellamycj

For Maria Strada and Pete Clark, Saturday is all about be- ginnings. Strada, the executive director of Middle Earth, hopes the Make A Difference Day basket- ball game in Bound Brook her organization is hosting that af- ternoon will introduce the broader community to her youth-services organization. “I hope people come out and support the charities that we are trying to raise money for,” Strada said. “I also hope that they see how much effort the kids have put into the different activities going on that day, and see that they really care about our community. “This is also a great opportunity for people to learn about what we do. We’ve been around for 30 years, but I’m always sur- prised that there are a lot of people who don’t know about all of the services we provide.” The Make A Difference Day project being coordinated by Clark at North Brunswick High School, where he is principal, involves refurbishing a butter- Breast cancer patient Aimee Parani rests in a “quiet room” prior to double mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery on Oct. 10 at fly garden that was severely Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. JASON TOWLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER damaged by superstorm Sandy and since has fallen into further disrepair. “I want people to understand Surgery helps close book on breast cancer chapter that this is something anyone can do,” Clark said. “People can help us and get ideas about an By Cheryl Makin :: @Cheryl Makin event that they can do next year. I want projects to be hap- Third in a series pening all over the township, so that it becomes a real move- NEW BRUNSWICK — The day that Aimee ment.” Parani thought would never get here ar- Both of these projects are rived in a rainy haze. It was Oct. 10, the day being funded by $5,000 grants of her bilateral mastectomy and recon- from the Gannett Foundation. structive surgery. They are among the dozens of “For so long, we were just taking it one projects happening locally and day at a time — through the chemo, then the thousands occurring nationally delivery. When we first got the date for the as part of the USA Weekend- surgery after a followup visit from the che- sponsored Make A Difference mo, we were given a date the week before Day. my sister’s wedding,” she said. “We knew The projects happening Sat- that wasn’t good. The next date was three urday can be done alone or by weeks later. That was much better. But, friends, family, co-workers or when we heard the date, it just seemed so strangers who see a need and far away. ” Chris Parani (left) waits with his mother-in-law, Millie Fraley, want together to do something Dr. Deborah Toppmeyer of Rutgers Can- and sister-in-law Kim Pope, while his wife, Aimee, undergoes to make life better for their cer Institute of New Jersey first saw Parani surgery. JASON TOWLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER neighbors. with a “new breast mass and 12 weeks preg- For more than 21 years, nant” in February. ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Make A Difference Day has “At the time, she had been seen in Florida been powered by hundreds of and came up here. We did chemo up front to In connection with the series “Breast cancer, a baby and the BRCA supporting newspapers and shrink the tumor. It had also spread to one gene: Aimee’s story,” see MyCentralJersey.com story on Aimee long-standing partner Points of lymph node that was palpable,” Toppmeyer Parani’s recovery at home and care after surgery. Plus, a video Light to mobilize millions of said. “We did the chemo first as opposed to exclusive: An inside look at Point Pleasant native Aimee Parani's people across the U.S. for a sin- the surgery first. We wouldn’t be doing any- battle with breast cancer — http://mycj.co/15SC7ON gle day to help change the com- thing differently in terms of her prognosis, munities in which they live. but her being pregnant The organizers of these two local projects are working with See AIMEE, PageA2 dozens of similar community- See DAY, Page A4

COLOR IN BLACK & WHITE INDEX LOTTERIES ...... A2 OBITUARIES .A12 @ISSUE ...... F1 OPINION ...... F3 PR initiatives not working; we need ADVICE ...... B11 SPORTS ...... C1 (%4#4'2..&-&/ CLASSIFIED .... D1 TV ...... B13 4#0" ("5= 3!:/9." 79.+1$ to crack down on, confront bullies !!!!!!!! "!#"$)( *&!'$) *+!% Ireally tried this time. I want- player who is projected as a top ed to hold it in, but I can’t. selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, Today, I again am going to type Clowney a couple of weeks back +%'.% about bullying. took himself out of the lineup In previous episodes, you have before a game and was thrown read me complaining about what I under the bus by his head coach (,*#!$ &"#!-) call useless public relations initia- Steve Spurrier and widely as- tives about bullying. What’s sailed by the news media and by wrong with them? Well, first, fans on message boards galore. these initiatives would have you Clowney said he was injured. believe that only children get definition of what a “man” is sup- Many from his group of critics bullied. Wrong. Second, they posed to be, you will face even assume that he just is trying to would have you believe that sim- more bullying — in the form of protect himself from getting hurt ply telling someone you are being ridicule and such. before he signs a multimillion- bullied is going to result in you Do you want an example? The dollar National Football League getting assistance. Wrong. Third, most recent glaring case I can contract. Of course you have to $-,!,'$!*()+ %&"'-# we live in a society in which if site is the media backlash against hear all the pundits talking about +++0)(-%"$(#,.-(-&*&+&#&/.0'"! you are male and do not “man University of South Carolina “real men” play hurt for the good %*% 3&) *- 4,(&+/ !) "($.'#210/ 45 up,” “act strong,” or live up to football defensive end Jadeveon +)."" '%#-$&% (%,%"#* '/!#% 45!/Mon-Fri.'0-10am-6pm,(0&/ +,1" )#Sat2"10am-5pm.$*1./ 3*-!/Closed+,1"Sundays)%2" some ridiculous TV-generated Clowney. An outstanding football See COOKE, Page A4 Page A2 Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013 K1 Home News Tribune MyCentralJersey.com

WEATHER COMFORTINDICATORS ALMANAC AREA FIVE-DAYFORECAST New Brunswick Readings Sunburn Index: 4 Garden Forecast: Values are for24hours ending 7a5p.m..m. Air Quality: Good Sunny. Highs in the yesterday. Today Heat Index: lower 60s. West winds Information provided by Today Tomorrow Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 8a.m. 52° 10 to 15 mph. Rutgers Meteorology Department, noon 56° Cook College. Temperatures: 4p.m. 61° High...... 70 Low...... 39 Average...... 55 Normal High ...... 64 TIDES Normal low...... 47 HIGH TIDES LOW TIDES Normalaverage ...... 53 A.M. P. M. A.M. P. M. High this month...... At Sandy Hook Low this month...... Today 9:14 9:40 3:07 3:46 Precipitation: Tomorrow 9:55 10:25 3:48 4:28 KeyportatRaritan Bay Yesterday...... 0.00" Month-to-date ...... 0.56" Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Today 9:10 9:36 3:13 3:52 Tomorrow Year-to-date...... 37.51" 9:51 10:21 3:53 4:34 Normal year-to-date ......

Records: High temp...... 82 (1945) SUN AND MOON Low temp...... 30 (1948) Last New First Full Precipitation ...... Quarter Quarter High temp. today ...... 80 (1969) Low temp. today...... 31 (1974) 63/40 65/47 67/41 59/38 58/36 Precip today...... Oct 26 Nov 3 Nov 10 Nov 17 Degree Days: Sunset today ...... 6:10 p.m. Cooling degree days...... 0 West winds 10 to 15 knots with gusts up to 25 knots. Waves around 2ft. Sunrise tomorrow...... 7:15 a.m. Month-to-date ...... 7 Moonrise today...... 7:16 p.m. Season-to-date...... 609 MARINE FORECAST Moonset today...... 8:50 a.m. This date last year...... Normalseasontodate

LOTTERIES AIMEE SATURDAY, OCT. 19 NEW JERSEY Continued from Page A1 NEW JERSEY Midday Pick-3: 002 Midday Pick-3: 342 Straight: $297.50 changed what we opted to Straight: $259.50 Box: $99; Pair: $29.50 do when.” Box: $43 Midday Pick-4: 5410 The chemotherapy Pair: $25.50 Straight: $2,605; Box: $108.50 shrunk the tumor consid- Midday Pick-4: 4611 Evening Pick-3: 227 erably, Toppmeyer said. Straight: $2,733.50 Straight: $206; Box: $68.50 Box: $227.50 Pair: $20.50 “At first, it was big,” Evening Pick-3: 647 Evening Pick-4: 8797 the 39-year-old Parani Straight: $263.50 Straight: $2,422; Box: $201.50 said. “But after the first Box: $43.50 Jersey Cash 5: 4, 21, 22, 23, chemo treatment, it was Pair: $26 31 not there. You could not Evening Pick-4: 9425 5of 5 pays $72,813; 4 of 5 feel it.” Straight: $2,712 pays $608; 3 of 5 pays $11 Parani went on to fin- Box: $113 NEW YORK ish five months of chemo- Jersey Cash 5: 8, 9, 10, 19, 25 Midday Daily: 800 therapy treatments on 5of 5 pays $63,639 Lucky Sum: 8 4of 5 pays $243 July 22 and delivered her Midday WinFour: 1532 3of 5 pays $7 healthy girl, Paige Virgi- Lucky Sum: 11 na Parani, on Aug. 23. NEW YORK Evening Daily: 467 Up to this moment, the Midday Daily: 746 Lucky Sum: 17 past year has been full of Lucky Sum: 17 Evening WinFour: 3093 Midday WinFour: 4466 Lucky Sum: 15 milemarker events — Lucky Sum: 20 Take-5: 8, 9, 17, 24, 26 finding a lump, moving to Last month, breast cancer patient Aimee Parani played with her 4-year-old son Gregory Evening Daily: 685 Pick 10: 3, 8, 12, 15, 17, 20, 22, Florida from St. Thomas, outside her parents’ Point Pleasant. JASON TOWLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Lucky Sum: 19 24, 29, 30, 36, 41, 46, 67, 69, the realization that she Evening WinFour: 7462 73, 74, 78, 79, 80 was pregnant, discover- lateral mastectomy — went to the surgical wait- team — Our Bosom Bud- Lucky Sum: 19 PENNSYLVANIA ing the baby was a girl would most likely take ing room after a sweet dies — to walk in the Lotto: Late drawing 1 Cash 5: 7, 12, 19, 32, 36 only to be told the next about 2 ⁄2 hours, with send off to his wife. American Cancer Soci- Take-5: Late drawing Midday Daily: 176 day that the lump was Herbstman joining her at “She made it so easy,” ety’s Making Strides Pick 10: Late drawing Midday Big 4: 7302 breast cancer, finding the the operating table once he said. “Throughout this Against Breast Cancer to- PENNSYLVANIA Midday Quinto: 77898 right team of doctors, “one side is done.” The re- whole thing, from chemo day in Point Pleasant. The Cash 5: 6, 10, 33, 38, 41 Evening Daily: 726 starting chemotherapy, mainder of his recon- to surgery, she has been family intends on walk- Midday Daily: 325 Evening Big 4: 2191 ending chemotherapy, structive surgery will calm and positive. She ing, though Aimee Para- Midday Big 4: 9365 Evening Quinto: 17875 1 having a baby and her take about 1 ⁄2 hours. was never fragile and in ni’s participation is un- Midday Quinto: 89731 Treasure Hunt: 5, 7, 21, 23, youngest sister’s wed- “Aimee is having a bi- her bed. We did not have sure. Evening Daily: 714 29 ding. Now, the day that lateral nipple sparing to walk on eggshells “The night before the Evening Big 4: 2530 MULTISTATE Evening Quinto: 09911 Parani calls the end of a mastectomy,” Kirstein around her. We could surgery, this is the neigh- Mega Millions: 5, 20, 45, 48, Treasure Hunt: 3, 5, 16, 19, chapter in this book about said. “I will take the barely take care of her as bor who came over with a 56; Mega Ball: 1 21 breast cancer had ar- breast tissue out, leave she was too busy taking pair of pajamas for Ai- MULTISTATE rived. the nipple in place and care of everybody else.” mee,” Fraley said. “And a Powerball: Late drawing “I am ready,” she said. take out the lymph node, Aimee Parani’s par- T-shirt from Hooters.” “I am so ready.” and margins around it. ents — Paul and Millie Dr. Herbstman will place Fraley — arrived with big FRIDAY, OCT. 18 Breaking news Up early and raring in the implant, and Aimee sister Kim Pope. The to go ... sleepily will look like herself.” newlyweds Jill and Ran- Kirstein had promised For Aimee Parani, the dy Hamill were expected to come tell the family Exhausted from get- only time she broke down that evening from their about Aimee Parani’s ting up well before the took place before the sur- honeymoon in Cabo San condition as soon as her Today In History crack of dawn — and a gery. Known to have “lit- Lucas, Mexico. part of the surgery was hungry baby at 2 a.m. — tle veins,” it was hard to Brother-in-law Pat complete. The day be- Today is Sunday, ings into alleged Com- Aimee and Chris Parani find one where they could Pope was helping man the fore, a dye was injected Oct. 20, the 293rd day of munist influence and in- made it to Robert Wood insert the intravenous fort and corral the chil- into Parani that would as- 2013. There are 72 days filtration in the U.S. mo- Johnson University Hos- therapy. Telling her to dren back home. He was sist in finding the affect- left in the year. tion picture industry. pital in New Brunswick “breathe,” through her aided by a close family ed lymph node and tumor. On this date: 1964: The 31st presi- from Point Pleasant well tears, Aimee Parani still friend “Great-Grandma” “We will test her while 1803: The U.S. Senate dent, Herbert Hoover, before the 5:30 a.m. joked and said she never Gladys Metzger as well she is sleeping in the op- ratifies the Louisiana dies at 90. check-in. No traffic, and took the childbirth class- as an aunt and uncle — erating room,” Kirstein Purchase. 1967: Seven men are record time for the drive es. Kathy and Ernie Gouker said. “If the test shows no 1903: A joint commis- convicted in Meridian, that usually takes 90 min- “This will be the worst —who, after hearing of further tumor cells, we sion rules in favor of the Miss., of violating the utes. part of the day,” Kirstein the pending surgery, de- will not take anymore and United States in a bound- civil rights of three slain “We got here in about said. layed their trip back to take care of it right there. ary dispute between the civil rights workers. 45 minutes,” Chris Parani “The only time I had a Florida after the wed- This particular surgery is District of Alaska and 1968: Former first la- said. “Early. We were the hard time was when they ding. A little later, Chris’ common for those that Canada. dy Jacqueline Kennedy only ones on the road.” were trying to find a parents, Kathleen and carry the gene for breast 1947: The House Un- marries Greek shipping Soon, the action began vein,” Aimee Parani said. Frank Parani, joined the cancer. While Aimee’s American Activities magnate Aristotle Onas- in the “quiet room” of the “I think that’s also when it group to wait out the sur- story is not common, her Committee opens hear- sis. hospital’s same day surgi- all hit me and it hit me a gery. procedure is. It is pretty cal suite for the “first little hard. That’s when I Settled in at the wait- run of the mill,and that is case of the day.” The Par- cried. As they got me into ing area, there was a lot of exactly what we want.” anis joked that she out of the OR, I was nervous be- glancing at the constantly After three hours, at everybody should not be cause I wasn’t drugged changing list of patient noon, Kirstein appeared placed in a “quiet room.” yet. I started getting up- statuses — green for in the waiting room. CIRCULATION & HOME DELIVERY Known for her chattiness set because they couldn’t pending, pink for in sur- “We took four lymph Amember of the Gannett Group CUSTOMER SERVICE: and friendliness, Aimee find the vein. Then, the gery blue for in recovery nodes and tested them 92 E. Main St., Suite 202, Somerville, NJ 08876 Toll-free: Parani never comes anesthesiologist finally and white for discharged. and they were negative 1-800-777-3455 across as quiet. found a vein. I think he The screen seemed to dis- (for cancer cells),” Kir- Vol. 135, No. 224 October 20, 2013 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Sun. 7:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. Dr. Robert Herbstman said, ‘Here comes your play Aimee Parani’s iden- stein said. “That is a good THOMAS M. DONOVAN Walk-in hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.- of Contemporary Plastic cosmos. No, I think we’ll tification number as be sign for her prognosis. PRESIDENT/NEW JERSEY PRESS MEDIA 5p.m. 732-643-4110 [email protected] Surgery, with offices in give you the Grand Mari- green forever. Finally, We didn’t find the tumor. If you miss delivering of the NEWSROOM Sunday print edition, a Red Bank and East ner.’ Then I was out.” around 9 a.m., it switched It’s gone. It went really, 908-243-6600; Fax: 908-243-6645; Sports: 732-565-7237 replacement may be requested Brunswick, came in to Aimee Parani said the to pink, and Chris Parani really well. She is stable by calling 1-800-777-3455. HOLLIS R. TOWNS EDITOR/VP NEWS/NEW JERSEY PRESS MEDIA “draw a little bit” and go whole time Kirstein and a knew the surgery was un- —she is great. She re- 732-643-4210 [email protected] Each Full Access sub- over the details of the sur- nurse were holding her der way. sponded really well, and PAUL C. GRZELLA scription includes access GENERAL MANAGER/EDITOR, HOME NEWS TRIBUNE/COURIER NEWS to mycentraljersey.com, gery and post-op days. hand and telling her “It’s Time was spent talking when we got the news, a 908-243-6601 [email protected] tablet, mobile and the Most likely, her surgery OK.” about the news of the day, big cheer went up in the JAMES FLACHSENHAAR e-Newspaper. For more MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CONTENT AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT information, contact would not be “same day” “She was telling me sharing old familiar fam- OR.” 732-643-4269 [email protected] 1-800-777-3455. and Parani would be ad- that was the hardest part ily stories, particularly Kirstein said she left JAY JEFFERSON COOKE ASSISTANT EDITOR/PRINT mitted for at least one of the day and that she ones featuring Aimee Herbstman with “one 908-243-6603 [email protected] OBITUARIES DAVID SIMINOFF ASSISTANT EDITOR/DIGITAL To place an obituary: night. knew it was painful. She Parani; texts were ex- side’s implant done, and it [email protected] 888-516-0060 “I mark out the land- kept telling me every- changed with those not looks great.” Fax: 888-516-9420 CIRCULATION Email: [email protected] marks of the surgery,” he thing looked good,” she present, photos of the re- Then, two hours later, 1-800-777-3455 [email protected] Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. said. “Mainly where the said. “From the time I got cent wedding and honey- Herbstman came to the Sun., noon-4 p.m. curve is and the midline. there that morning, ev- moon as well as a few waiting room smiling ADVERTISING To place an In Memoriam KAREN GUARASI REGIONAL VP OF ADVERTISING or Card of Thanks (must be The landmarks are differ- erything went so smooth- games of solitaire were with his news. 732-643-3644 [email protected] received 3 days before ent lying down than sit- ly. They were all so reas- on an iPad. Though an app “Everything came to- SHARON COLE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF CLASSIFIED publication): 732-643-3630 [email protected] Call 732-643-3626 or fax ting up, and the marks suring,” on his phone, Chris Para- gether really well,” he 732-643-3734 JOSEPH MILLER NORTH JERSEY SALES MANAGER guide us in the creation of ni also was able to keep said. “We used the 375 732-565-7420 [email protected] space.” Aimee’s support tabs on their business in (size of implant) which CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING HOME NEWS TRIBUNE Toll-free in NJ: 866-746-4468 (USPS 143-200). Published Aimee Parani called it St. Thomas — Picaso’s gives her a nice shape. A daily by Home News Tribune, system DISPLAY ADVERTISING adivision of Gannett Satellite “doodling,” and Chris Coffee Bar. little fuller than what she Place a display ad: 732-565-7406 Information Network, 3601 Parani jokingly offered “The relatives have Paul Fraley told of the already had. It went ex- Highway 66, Neptune, NJ FULL ACCESS SUBSCRIPTION RATES 07754. Periodicals postage the opportunity to draw a the hardest part of the job neighbors who have ral- actly as the game plan. »Digital Access Only (excludes home delivery of the print paid at Neptune, NJ 07754. happy face. He declined. on the day of surgery,” lied around Aimee Para- Dr. Kirstein was able to edition): $12.00 with EZ Pay. POSTMASTER: Please send »Including Monday-Sunday print edition delivery: $22.00 address changes to Home While tired, Aimee Kirstein said. “They will ni. One, Debbie Alfonso, remove the tissue, and per month or $18.00 with EZ Pay News Tribune, 3601Highway Parani joked that at least be anxious.” herself a breast cancer »Including Wednesday+Friday+Sunday print edition de- 66, Box 1550, Neptune, NJ livery: $16.00 per month or $14.00 with EZ Pay 07754. she would be able to sleep And they were anx- survivor, has readied a See SURGERY, Page A3 »Including Sunday print edition delivery: $12.00 per most of the day. The sur- ious, but Aimee Parani’s month or $10.00 with EZ Pay EZ Pay is a convenient method for automatically paying gery was expected to take optimistic spirit kept the your subscription. To start or switch a subscription pay- five hours. Breast sur- nerves at bay. Honing in ment to EZ Pay, call 1-800-777-3455 or go to www.my- /146B, 51?C 26C newspaperservice.com. Terms and conditions apply. geon Laurie Kirstein on her positivity that ev- came in to see her patient erything would be better NEWSSTAND RATES Wheels For Wishes Benefiting Daily single-copy rate ...... $1.00 and said her part — the bi- than fine, Chris Parani Sunday single- copy rate ...... $2.00

MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Monday through Sunday including full digital access ...... $22.00 Friday/Saturday/Sunday including full digital access ...... $14.00 @ Sunday including full digital access ...... $12.00 B> +": 5"!B"% Corrections Policy '((% Rates that include print edition delivery apply to areas where carrier delivery ser- - '!"" 4"A?18" )?1;># 0+.29(=( vice is available. The Thanksgiving Day print edition is delivered with every sub- /"8D:FE=A" - 2" 011"#@ 088 4"A?18"B =>33?3C $! +$@ scription that includes print edition delivery and will be charged at the then regular The Home News Tribune corrects its mistakes and Sunday newsstand price, which will be reflected in the November payment. Sub- clarifies stories ungrudgingly. Call the following num- - 2" 08B$ 011"#@ ,$6@B* /$@$!1%18"B & <74B scriptions that include print edition delivery are also delivered the following premi- ber weekdays: 908-243-6600. ;G""AH)#!;EHG"H+#!I $ 7 um print editions (2013 dates): 1/1, 7/4, 9/11, 11/11, 11/28, 11/29, 12/25. 2>AA* 3<& 0-0.&9'' AP-5000657362