EGP Oceanside's Fall Fest benefits resident battling breast cancer

EGP Oceanside raised more than $12,000 for a customer battling breast cancer at its third annual Fall Festival on Oct. 8.

Each year, the gastropub on Long Beach Road gives back to a patron with the lively fall fundraiser. This year, Gloria Basile, 35, of Rockville Centre, and her family were a clear choice, organizers said.

Basile was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer on Feb. 19. She’s gone through five and half months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy with reconstruction and an axillary dissection. She continues to receive radiation treatment.

In September, she and her friends dined at EGP Oceanside to celebrate the end of her chemotherapy treatment. Owner Tim O’Hagan and his daughter, general manager Brianna O’Hagan, picked up the group’s entire tab that night.

“She comes into the restaurant every now and again, so we wanted to help,” Brianna said. “[After that night], one of her friends left a review on Facebook, so we reached out to her and asked if it would be OK to fundraise for Gloria.”

On Columbus Day, a bright, sunny afternoon spent at the restaurant’s outdoor patio and pumpkin patch, they did just that. Family and friends of Basile, as well as members of the community, joined for a day of food, live music and activities.

Profits from pumpkin picking, PopThis popcorn sales, T-shirts and bracelets were donated to Basile, her husband and two children who attend Oceanside schools. A portion of the restaurant’s profits also contributed to the fund, which amounted to over $12,000 when the event was over.

“It all wouldn’t have happened without you guys,” Basile sent to Brianna via text message after the event. “I’m not on any social media, so I truly did not realize how many people were thinking of me throughout all this. My heart exploded and I am just so overwhelmed by it all.”