The Claussen family, whose youngest son, Tyler, second from left, lost some of his hearing as a result of chemotherapy, views Donato Tramuto as an inspiration and a role model. (Rory Sweeting/Staff Writer for The Portland Press Herald)

PORTLAND, MAINE, AUGUST 3, 2026 — Ahead of a gala at Camp Sunshine in Casco celebrating his 70th birthday and the 25th anniversary of the TramutoPorter Foundation, Ogunquit philanthropist Donato Tramuto reflected on the tragedies in his life and the work his foundation has done to improve the lives of vulnerable people in Maine and beyond.

The venue, a Casco-based summer camp for children with life-threatening illnesses, is one that carries a lot of meaning for Tramuto.

Tramuto recalled suggesting to Joanne Bean, CEO of Camp Sunshine and a member of the TramutoPorter foundation’s board, that the camp hold a session for the families of children who had lost their hearing, as Tramuto had when he was 8 years old. The first such session was held in 2024. Tramuto said the program, now in its third year, would be endowed in perpetuity by his foundation.

Excerpt reposted with many thanks to The Portland Press Herald, Rory Sweeting

Bean said the foundation is grateful for the generosity of the TramutoPorter Foundation, and to be able to assure growing forward that they would be able to hold a hearing loss session. The TramutoPorter Foundation’s session serves children with life-threatening illnesses who experience hearing loss as a reaction to treatments, rather than focusing on children who were born deaf. Bean also praised members of the TramutoPorter Foundation’s board for volunteering at the camp during the week-long session.

Eric and Amanda Claussen, who recently spent a week at Camp Sunshine with their family, talked about the impact the program had on their youngest son, Tyler, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 23 months and experienced hearing loss as a side effect of chemotherapy. Eric and Amanda said the week at Camp Sunshine was a lovely opportunity to step away from the hardships of Tyler’s cancer journey, and to meet families in the same situation. The Claussens praised Tramuto as an inspiration for children experiencing hearing loss…

Read the original, full article at The Portland Press Herald