Saratoga Springs girls lacrosse to honor memory of Olivia Allen with LaCROSSe Out Cancer Challenge
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> The Saratoga Springs High School and the Jamesville-DeWitt High School lacrosse teams will come together in a spirited match-up this coming Monday, April 22 at 4 p.m. at Saratoga Springs High School to honor the memory of Olivia Allen, a friend, and schoolmate lost to leukemia one short month ago.
By accepting the LaCROSSe Out Cancer Challenge to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), these youth lacrosse players are uniting to raise money for childhood cancer research to fuel the discovery of modern cures so more kids can survive and beat this devastating disease.
Allen succumbed after living with blood cancer for nearly a year. Regrettably, her experience is not unique. More children under 20 years old are lost to cancer than any other disease. As the players hope to underscore, funding breakthrough research is the only way to develop innovations that can save lives.
“We are proud of the way our players are stepping up to help other kids. Unfortunately, too many of them have a friend, relative, or peer who has faced cancer. We all feel that it’s important to contribute and ensure a better future for kids,” Jennifer Furze, Head Girls Lacrosse Coach for Saratoga Springs High School said.
“Creating a world without pedi
atric cancer takes all of us,” Bonnie Lattimore, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation explained.“Research takes a lot of funding and progress is limited by a lack of resources. We’re grateful to the Saratoga Springs High School Varsity Girls Lacrosse for helping to fill the funding gap.”
Before the opening draw, the players from Jamesville-DeWitt will complete 47 passes with the players from Saratoga Springs in honor of Olivia Allen and the 47 kids diagnosed with cancer daily in the U.S. Their goal is to raise $10,000 and have raised nearly $7,000 so far. There is still time to help them reach or exceed the goal. Each $50 raised supports a vital hour of research. To help them reach their goal, one may visit this site: https://cure.pcrf-kids.org/ team/573884
Additionally, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation will bring a large whiteboard check that will be presented at 4 p.m.
Due to research advances, overall survival rates for childhood cancers have grown by 70 percent in the past 40 years. Still, about 20 percent of kids with pediatric cancer do not survive today.
About two-thirds of those who do will suffer long-lasting chronic health conditions from their treatment and one-quarter will face severe or life-threatening late effects from their treatment.
To address these challenges, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation invests in research that pushes the boundaries of science and accelerates the development of new treatments and diagnostic tools specifically for children’s and young adults’ developing bodies.
To learn more about childhood cancer research, and how you can help, visit pcrf-kids.org.