Beating Cancer One Step at a Time
Becton faculty and students celebrated Childhood Cancer Awareness month by participating in the Join Hands Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund (TCF) 5k Walk/Run in Saddle Brook on September 29th.
Photo by M. Vaccaro
October 10, 2019
“I thought we did a great job!” Physical Education Instructor Mrs. Jessica O’Driscoll expressed. The gym teacher and students Javier Pose and Francesca Dato won first place in each of their age divisions at the run. The school raised $2,359.25 in donations for children living with cancer, surpassing their original goal of $1000. 40 people joined the “Becton Pack” team and attended the 5k, including former students that graduated long ago. The entrance fee for the event was $27.75, which all went straight to the TCF foundation.
Becton has been raising awareness for childhood cancer for years. Their usual methods have been collecting donations during the last week of September and everyone wearing yellow or gold on that Friday, correlating with the color of the childhood cancer awareness ribbon. For some, the walk and run were a dedication to loved ones who either live or have lived with the disease. Mrs. O’Driscoll, whose friend overcame leukemia as a child, said: “It’s honoring my friend and honoring a great cause that helps kids.”
The TCF has been advocating for children with cancer and serious blood diseases since it was founded 35 years ago. As of 2019, the organization has raised $74,244.25 with the help of 421 participants and 38 teams in the 5k.
