2022 Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete Paul “PJ” Gammarano, Sr. was recently interviewed for an in-depth profile by the Staten Island Advance.

“Gammarano, a prostate cancer survivor, suits up in goal three days a week — donning 50+ pounds of gear and a goalie mask. He sets up between the pipes at the Staten Island Skating Pavilion, or at Brooklyn’s Aviator Sports Center, where players one-third of his age rifle shots at the 6-by-4 net behind him.”

‘There’s hope. It’s not a death sentence. It’s not an excuse to stop,’ said Gammarano, who cited fellow cancer survivor and NHL Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux.

‘Take a note from Mario Lemieux…if he can fight cancer and set all sorts of records, I can at least play,’ he said. ‘If you do get some sort of diagnosis like that, don’t give up.’ ”

Read the full article here.

Read PJ’s introductory blog for Senior Planet here.

Photo by Jason Paderon for the Staten Island Advance