Pat Lamorgese always knew he had friends at the Throgs Neck Bridge, where he and his wife, Cookie, have worked as bridge and tunnel officers for 20 and 14 years, respectively. But when a group of his colleagues started a wide-spread campaign to raise funds and find a bone marrow donor for his leukemia-stricken daughter, it was more than he ever expected.

"How do you thank somebody for trying to save your daughter's life," he said, describing the campaign this week. "It's like she has 200 guardian angels."

Michelle Lamorgese, 21, was diagnosed with Leukemia in early May, and finding a suitable marrow donor is her only hope for survival. The North Massapequa woman, who graduated from Farmingdale High School and is employed by a Bethpage ophthamologist, has already undergone extensive chemotherapy at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset while doctors continue to search for a bone marrow donor. Bone marrow samples from family members have tested negative for a match.

In response to both the difficulty of finding a match and soaring medical expenses not covered by Michelle's health insurance, the Bridge and Tunnel Officers who work at the Throgs Neck Bridge have created the "Friends of Michelle" foundation to help her. The response has been overwhelming in the Bronx, where the effort began, and this week an appeal is being started closer to Michelle's home, in communities such as Massapequa, Farmingdale, Bethpage and Hicksville, according to Bridge and Tunnel Officer Thomas DeSimone, a leader of the campaign.

"Throughout the MTA bridges and tunnels, the response has been outstanding. And we're beginning to get donations now from neighborhood vendors in the Bronx, because we reached out here first, because this is where we are all the time," said DeSimone, a Hicksville resident. "We handed out flyers all around this area." In addition to asking for donations from people from the Bronx to Long Island, the bridge and tunnel officers are selling raffles to help the Lamorgeses.

In addition to DeSimone, several other Long Islanders have been closely involved in the effort. Organizers include Ray Webb, general manager of the Throgs Neck Bridge and resident of Farmingdale, Anthony Mattia, a maintenance employee at the bridge and resident of Bethpage and Officer Joseph Ditillo of Shirley. Officer Dennis Lombardi of the Bronx has also been instrumental in the campaign.

"The effort has brought together the officers, the supervisors, the maintenance men, management - everyone is pitching in," said DeSimone, noting that many of the employees have known Michelle since she was a child, through parties and picnics that Bridge and Tunnel families have shared over the years.

The Lamorgeses are originally from the Bronx; they moved to Long Island five years ago. So their strong ties to the New York City borough have also kindled much generosity - from Michelle's former neighbors, teachers, and other community members.

Although organizers do not yet have an estimate on how much money the campaign has raised, Pat Lamorgese said he is amazed at how much it has already helped his family. "It's a significant cost. It's a big-time, big operation - big money. And she's got health insurance, but there's just so much that they'll cover. So what they did was help me probably save the house, and save our life," Lamorgese noted.

He added that he is deeply encouraged by the thoughtfulness his co-workers have shown him and his daughter. "Most people would just say 'Oh, poor Patty,' and just go on to the next guy, but this is," he said, pausing. "They actually took an active course in what was going on. It's like their kid. It is like their kid."

Those who would like to contribute to the fund may send their donations to Friends of Michelle, P.O. Box 1665, North Massapequa, New York 11758. For information about being a bone marrow donor or to find a donor center near you, call the National Marrow Donor Program toll-free at 1-800-MARROW- 2.