October 24, 2017

CANCER DRIVE 22 KIDS CARING FOR KIDS: REMEMBERING LAURA COTESTA

Lockerby Cancer Drive Committee under Principal Craig Runciman

Co-chairs: Grade 12 LCS students Mia Jensen and Morgan Joly

  • Student Committee: Julie Bertrim, Sarah Bilgasem, Sammy Brown, Abhi Chinnsane, Autumn Dini, Zoe Fredette, Sydney Gardner, Rogan Gutwillinger, Jasmine Kord, Garett McCulloch, Sydnie Stinson, Mia Valliere

  • Teacher Representatives: Ms. S. Benton, Ms. D. MacLennan, Ms. P. DeSanti, and Ms. K Rodriguez

Key Dates:

  • Motivational Pep Rally: 12 October 2017

  • Cancer Drive: 26 October 2017

  • Thank You Assembly: 27 October 2017

thestudburystar.com 25 Oct. 2017

For Grade 12 Lockerby student, Sarah Bilgasem, cancer drive is personal. She understands the emotional and financial toll that cancer can exert on families. When she was ten, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – bone cancer. For eight months, she and her mother travelled weekly to Toronto for her treatments, away from the rest of her family, from school, from friends. She confesses that she was scared.

Now at Lockerby, she approves of the cancer drive experience: “it’s really heartwarming to see people, help [others] who are going through the same experience as me.” She “really wanted to be a part of the solution to keep families up here in the north and have our treatment here in our own cancer centre.”

CBC News. 26 Oct. 2017; CTV News. 26 Oct. 2017.

Activities and Fundraising Events:

  • Cancer Drive Carpool Video (part of the Motivational Assembly)

  • Bagging groceries at Food Basics

  • Silent Auction

  • Cancer Drive Sweater Sales

  • Buttons: “Fight Like a Viking”

At the Thank You Assembly, the Cancer Drive Committee announced the result of Lockerby’s fundraising efforts: $55,500. Their 22-year total now surpassed $900,000. All the funds collected have gone directly to the paediatric oncology unit at the Northeastern Cancer Centre. For Tannys Laughren, executive director of Northern Cancer Foundation, “It’s been 22 years of something special and that’s just awesome.”

She also thanked all involved:

  • LCS teachers and staff for their hard work

  • Vikings and their cancer committee “for organizing and managing this great event”

  • The Greater Sudbury community for once again supporting children all over Northeastern Ontario who come to the NECC for treatment”

  • Pina Cotesta, “for keeping Laura’s dream and memory close to her heart and close to ours”

Principal Craig Runciman thanked everyone who contributed to the success of this important initiative, especially the people of Sudbury who have continued to support Kids Caring for Kids for the past 22 years.