NJ family’s request to light Empire State Building for childhood cancer denied

The management company for the Empire State Building has turned down a request to light the building up in gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Brian Donnelly, whose daughter Julianna died from an incurable brain cancer at the age of 6-and-a-half, tells CBS New York his request has been rejected for the second year in a row. He and his wife, Doris, believe the gesture is the best way to bring awareness to cancer in children, even if were for a short period of time.

"If it was half a day or an hour, it would be something that shows they do care,” said Doris Donnelly.

Empire State Realty, the company that manages the 102-story building built in 1931, did not give the Donnellys a specific reason for their rejection but reiterated their tower lighting policy.

The Empire State Building receives far more lighting applications from organizations around the world than it is able to accommodate," states the policy. "The Empire State Building is under no obligation to provide specific feedback to any individual or organization regarding the status, merit and/or denial of its application."

In a statement to CBS New York, Empire State Realty pointed out that it haslit the building for a number of cancer-related events and charities including World Cancer Day, Blood Cancer Research and Pediatric Cancer Treatment.