Growing up as a daughter of Cooper breast surgeon Dr. Kristin Brill, Grace Bischoff has seen the impact cancer has had on lives.
Now a sixth grader at Moorestown Upper Elementary School, Grace and her friend, Victoria Figon organized Pink and Proud Spirit Day at school to raise the awareness of breast cancer and support breast cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.
Pride the Tiger, Michael D’Ascenzo, Assistant Principal at Moorestown Upper Elementary School, student Victoria Figon, student Grace Bischoff, Susan Powell, Principal, and Dr. Michele Hassall, Assistant Principal.
During the week leading up to Spirit Day in October, Grace and Victoria promoted sales of Pink and Proud bracelets and made daily morning announcements.
“We shared our research about famous people who fought breast cancer – Robin Roberts, Olivia Newton-John, Nancy Reagan and Judy Blume,” Victoria explained.
Meanwhile, the school secretaries organized and counted the bracelets for the homerooms and the homeroom teachers sold close to 1,000 Pink and Proud bracelets.
“The entire school supported the week of breast cancer prevention awareness,” said Michael D’Ascenzo, Assistant Principal. “We commend Grace and Victoria for their leadership, maturity and kindness for this fundraising initiative that will benefit Cooper.”
L-R: Pride the Tiger, student Victoria Figon, student Grace Bischoff and Susan Bass Levin, President and CEO of The Cooper Foundation.
On Pink and Proud Spirit Day, all of the school’s 935 students and 140 staff wore pink – from bracelets and headbands to boas and shoelaces.
“It was fun seeing everyone wearing pink,” said Grace, who plans to continue to promote breast cancer awareness.
Susan Powell, Principal, said the Pink and Proud Spirit Day focused on spirit and service, and was a great lesson for the students.
“I think it built a sense of community and the students were able to recognize that it doesn’t take a lot to help other people,” Powell said. “It all tied in the themes – Choose Kind and Stand Out – from our Read It Forward program book, Wonder by by R.J. Palacio.”
On November 14, wearing hot pink “Fight like a girl” T-shirts and shoelaces, Grace and Victoria presented a donation of $700 to Susan Bass Levin, President and CEO of The Cooper Foundation. The funds will support breast cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. The school administration, school mascot, Pride the Tiger, and families attended the check presentation.
L-R: Jolanta Figon and her daughter, Victoria Figon, and Grace Bischoff with her mom, Dr. Kristin Brill, director of The Janet Knowles Breast Cancer Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.
Dr. Brill, director of The Janet Knowles Breast Cancer Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, said she enjoyed watching Grace pick out pink hats, bracelets and headbands for classmates to wear on Spirit Day.
“I think it’s neat that the kids recognize that they can make a difference,” she said.