The Peru Gazette

This is your chance to support a family with Peru ties whose son is undergoing cancer treatment

By John T Ryan

Peru/Plattsburgh —If you’ve never been to Peru’s Courthouse, you may not know Holly Stone. She’s been a Peru court clerk since 2011. Holly and her husband Terry’s 25-year-old son Austin is battling brain cancer.

Austin Stone is a 2016 Beekmantown High School/CVTEC and 2023 Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) graduate. Before the onset of his illness, he worked in Rochester as a computer game design and development engineer.

Peru Town Judge James Kirby, who has worked with Austin’s mom for many years and has been battling cancer himself for over two years, commented. “I’ve met Austin. He’s a very nice man. We couldn’t ask for a nicer family. Cancer is an awful thing for a family to go through.”

The first sign of Austin’s cancer came on November 19, 2023, when he suddenly lost consciousness. On January 5, physicians diagnosed his illness as a rare form of cancer called oligodendroglioma multifocal. He has four cancerous brain tumors. Associated symptoms commonly include seizures, headaches, altered sensations (strange smells or hallucinations related to the sense of smell), muscular weakness (mainly down one side of the body), and a loss of control of bodily movements. Austin’s experiencing all of those symptoms.

Austin’s Aunts, Sandy Rasco, Judy Rasco, Gail LeBeau, and Uncle Art Rasco, are organizing a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for April 27 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at the Quarry Road American Legion in Plattsburgh. There’ll be an auction, raffle, music, and great food. The dinner, raffle, and auction proceeds will help with Austin’s medical and travel expenses to Burlington and Boston. Auction donations and gift cards to help purchase dinner supplies are needed.

If you would like to discuss a potential collaboration or to make a donation, you can contact Art at 518-569-1859, Sandy at 518-293-1116, Gail at 518-225-2186, or Judy at 518-569-9849.

Given Holly Stone’s long and valued service to our community, the Peru Gazette hopes Peru will rally behind the Stone family.