NORWICH – For a second straight year, Norwich High School students, athletes, cheerleaders and their coaches have joined in the fight against cancer.
On Friday night, members of the football and cheerleading squads – in addition to other sports teams throughout the fall season – will show their support by donning the traditional breast cancer awareness color of pink, according to NHS Varsity Cheerleading Coach Marie DeSarro.
“October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and although the football, cheerleading and other fall sports teams will be showing their support wearing the traditional color, we’ve decided that we also need to show our support for the many other types of cancer,” she said. “Cancer has affected so many people in the high school community, including students, teachers and coaches, and it’s important for us to show those people that we support and want to help them and their families fight for a cure.”
Following last year’s “pink” football game, a number of other fall sports teams wanted to get involved, said DeSarro. This year, the cheerleaders and cheerleading booster club reached out to all of the school’s fall sports team coaches, asking for their support. Throughout the week, teams have been wearing a certain color associated with cancer awareness, such as pink (for breast cancer), blue (colon cancer) or purple (universal for all cancers).
The support, said DeSarro, has been tremendous. And what began as cheerleaders wearing a small pink ribbon on their uniforms has grown into a school-wide campaign for cancer awareness.
“This growth in awareness is because of these passionate young women,” said DeSarro of her cheerleaders. “They cheer for more than just our high school sports. They cheer for our community and those who struggle with this disease. They have been a loud voice and have undying spirit in the fight against cancer.”
Brooke Parmalee, NHS cheerleader and junior, said while she’s never been personally affected by cancer, that doesn’t change her feeling that it must be attacked like the enemy it is.
“We will push forward to find a cure and we’ll cheer on,” she added.
For NHS senior Kayla Crandall, however, the disease is a big deal.
“People close to me have been hurt by this horrible sickness and it takes faith to make it through ... all you can do is hope things don’t get worse,” said Crandall. “The most important thing you need is being loved and having the ones who care for you there to help. This game is very important to us, it shows that our school cares about awareness, and we’re here to show we have the courage and the strength to show cancer that it may hurt one person, but we fight back like an army.”
Angie Tito, a senior at NHS who lost her father to the disease, the fight is a personal one.
“I do not wish the same agony my mom and I went through with the loss of my father on anybody,” said Tito. “It’s our duty, not just the cheerleaders, but everyone, to stand up and give a helping hand to those who need it.”
The second annual “pink” football game and senior night will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Ulrich Field.