Bay Ridge

Xaverian students tie giant gold ribbon around school for cancer awareness

Not a stunt, but a message of hope, educators say

September 19, 2014 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Students from Xaverian High School and Genesis, a program housed at Xaverian, show their support for the “Go Gold Bay Ridge” campaign.
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There’s plenty of gold in Bay Ridge!

Students at Xaverian proudly displayed gold ribbons inside and outside the school building at 7100 Shore Road in Bay Ridge on Sept. 16 to announce their participation in “Go Gold Bay Ridge,” in support of children with cancer. Students from Genesis, Xaverian’s middle school program, also took part in the “Go Gold” campaign.

In fact, it was members of the middle school’s Student Leadership Council who led the effort, cutting 400 yards of gold ribbon and working with high school students to hang the ribbon around the exterior of the school.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the “Go Gold Bay Ridge” was launched earlier this month by Bay Ridge Cares, a non-profit group, as a way of having the neighborhood join a larger, nationwide “Go Gold for Cancer’ phenomenon in which cancer advocates are urging the owners of famous buildings like One World Trade Center and famous landmarks like the Coney Island Parachute Jump to display gold lights in tribute to the courage of children with cancer. The “Go Gold” campaign also highlights the need for more funding into research for a cure, according to advocates.

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Bay Ridge Cares has handed out fliers and gold ribbons all over the neighborhood to urge residents to post the fliers, wear the ribbons and decorate their homes and businesses in gold.

Bay Ridge residents are being asked to support the Go Gold effort by shining yellow light bulbs on their front porches and in their front windows, placing strings of yellow lights around their windows, tying gold bows around trees and wearing gold ribbons.

Xaverian’s participation in the “Go Gold Bay Ridge” campaign was inspired in part by Camille Orrichio Loccisano, the mother of Francesco “Frankie” Loccisano, a Xaverian student who died of cancer in 2007.

Orrichio Loccisano, founder of the Francesco Loccisano Memorial Foundation, also known as “Frankie’s Mission,” is one of the cancer advocates working on the nationwide “Go Gold” campaign.

It meant a great deal to her that students at Xaverian and Genesis went gold, Orrichio Loccisano said. “It’s wonderful that our young people [are] carrying the message. And it’s particularly meaningful to my family because we are part of the Xaverian family. My son Frankie was a student there and he loved Xaverian,” she told the Brooklyn Eagle.

Frankie Loccisano was a Xaverian junior when he died.

Orrichio Loccisano said the pretty gold ribbons carry an important message. “We need to spread awareness. Not enough money is being spent on research. We’re the richest, most powerful country in the world and we can’t cure childhood cancer? Come on!” she said.

 


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