On Friday, October 18, the stands of the Wildcat stadium are expected to be filled once again with cheering fans and eager community members. However, this time, the arena will be filled with more than just football frenzy and spectating delights, it’s also dedicated to pediatric cancer.
The annual Blackout Pediatric Cancer game, which over the course of 16 years has become the most attended high school sporting event in the community, raises thousands of dollars each year for the Helen Devos Pediatric Oncology Resource Team (PORT). Funds raised are directed towards making children suffering from cancer more comfortable during their hospital stays at the Helen Devos Childrens Hosptial in downtown Grand Rapids. They achieve this by providing care bags for patients and their families, snacks in the hospital, a decorated room for patients with long stays as well jsut overall support for the duration of their stay.
To bring awareness to this cause, the high school held an assembly to talk about the meaning behind the game and the work PORT does for these children. PORT coordinator Melissa Wittlinger spoke at this assembly and attested to the impact Northview’s donations have on those going through treatment.
“Your donations and your spirit provides hope for those children who are in a very hopeless situation. Your community steps in and provides things that medicine and insurance do not,” Wittlinger said. “We have a custom-designed room for each and every patient who’s going to go through a transplant. What that room does is the day that they come in and they’re anxious about going into that room, it provides a distraction and comforts that they might not even have at home in their bedroom. The encouragement that provides is priceless, I cannot even tell you how much that means.”
PORT can not make this impact without help from the community. The high school raises money through Blackout t-shirt sales, raffle tickets and sponsoring personalized football jerseys to honor those who have battled with cancer. Students will also have the chance to assist with this event by managing card-making stations, passing donation buckets through the bleachers at the game, handing out programs to fans as they enter and selling t-shirts at lunches and the game.
Students were invited to help PORT change the lives of cancer fighters. Even the busiest of students can lend a hand. Senior Hannah Hoover volunteered during her lunch period selling shirts to make a difference, despite her hectic schedule.
“The t-shirts are the biggest fundraiser to raise money for these children so I advertise at lunches,” Hoover said. “I can’t do that much because I’m busy the entire [football game] with cheer and marching band, but I can do stuff in school to help.”
The varsity football team plays a great role in this fundraiser by not only providing the game, but also representing a family name touched by cancer. Senior Andre Johnson will be playing in his fourth blackout game and reiterates how moving and important this cause is for the players.
“When it comes to playing in the Blackout Game it’s like, we’re going out there to play for us but we’re also playing for fans as well as the names on our backs,” Johnson said. “It causes us to play harder and it’s even more emotional because of the name that’s attached to it and the cause we’re supporting.”
The game will take place tonight at 7 p.m. in the Wildcat Stadium against the Holland Christian Maroons. The community encourages all who are able to come out and support not only our football team, but also the lives of those currently battling cancer.
