The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley (PCFLV) paid tribute to their late friend and former next door neighbor in the Banana Factory, Ray Smicker, with a ribbon cutting ceremony recently. Smicker, owner of Silver Images in the adjoining space and steadfast supporter of PCFLV, passed away in 2016 from cancer. PCFLV then expanded their office suite into the vacant digital print shop and named it the “Ray of Sunshine Room” in his honor.

“Ray was a special friend to PCFLV, and we are so proud to be able to honor his generosity,” said Michelle Zenie, PCFLV executive director. “We are excited to be able to host many different activities and functions in this room.”

Along one wall is a large, white-painted section where children can draw with dry-erase markers whenever they and their families visit the office. Local artist Ellen Kalinosky, herself a bone marrow cancer survivor, “doodled” a mural of images and symbols over top of the area.

According to Kalinosky, she began drawing while recovering from a bone marrow transplant to treat her aplastic anemia, PNH and MDS.

“Don’t ever count anybody out,” Kalinosky said of her survival.

Several young cancer warriors and their families were on hand for the dedication, as well as Ray Smicker’s son Andrew, a musician living in Virginia.

PCFLV is a local non-profit, dedicated to providing services and programs to local pediatric cancer patients and their families, along with bereaved families.

For more information, visit pcflv.org.