The Newport Gulls and Newport This Week are sponsoring "Jake Cathers Night" on July 25 to help him and his family in his fight against Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. Visit Jake to give to the cause.
JAKE CATHERS NIGHT WITH THE NEWPORT GULLS
MIDDLETOWN, RI (JULY 15, 2025) – In February, Jake Cathers — a Middletown native — was diagnosed with Stage Four Pancreatic Cancer. The Newport Gulls and Newport This Week are teaming up to support Jake and his family in this fight against cancer.
Recently, the Gulls and Newport This Week sent out the letter below seeking the community’s support for Jake and his family.
Friday, July 25
6:35 pm
Cardines Field, Newport
Hello Gulls Family,
Newport This Week and the Newport Gulls are partnering to support one of our own community members, Jake Cathers. Jake was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and undergoes chemotherapy treatments weekly at Newport Hospital. Jake is a resident of Middletown with his wife, Leslie, and their three children: Jackson, Merritt, and Georgia. He is a graduate of Rogers High School and Rhode Island College. Jake, along with his wife Leslie, own and operate four retail stores in Newport. These stores have won multiple years of recognition for Best of Newport and Best of RI in Newport Life Magazine and Rhode Island Monthly, due in part to the stores’ active participation in local charities fundraising including Star Kids, Newport Hospital, Child & Family Services, Lucy’s Hearth, and more. Additionally, Jake manages social media pages and occasionally writes content for Newport This Week. He also writes a blog about his experiences parenting, specifically sharing anecdotes about parenthood and his special needs son, Jackson, who has a rare genetic disorder called Angelman’s Syndrome. He is nonverbal and struggles with global developmental delay. Jake has been an active member in his community throughout his life, some of which include:
- Newport County Regional Special Education Local Advisory Committee
- Middletown Prevention Coalition - Board Chair
- Newport Life Magazine Groundbreaker Award Recipient
- Women's Resource Center - Men Who Make a Difference Honoree
- Middletown Little League - Girls Softball Coach
- Unified Volleyball – Coach - Middletown High School
- Head Coach - Girls Softball - Gaudet Middle School
- Coach - Girls Softball - Middletown High School
- Coach - Girls Tennis - Middletown High School
The Newport Gulls and Newport This Week are honored and excited to be supporting Jake & his family in this fight. The Newport Gulls have set up a GoFundMe, along with Jake Cathers wristbands for sale, to support Jake & his family, with all proceeds going directly to the family as they navigate this new challenge. Friday, July 25th at 6:35 pm Newport This Week and the Gulls are hosting Jake Cathers Night, where all proceeds raised during the game will be donated to the family as well. Below you will find a link to the GoFundMe, and a link to the wristbands on the Newport Gulls website.
https://gofund.me/1f9751dd
https://newport-gulls-ltd.square.site/?shipping=true&item=193 - 12
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Jake
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant community located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.com