Framingham cheerleaders raise more than $10,000 to help breast cancer patients
FRAMINGHAM - Under Friday night lights, the Framingham Flyers varsity cheerleaders keep spirits high from the sidelines. And it is their spirit - not competitive, but caring - that is so worth cheering.
Led by freshman and sophomore sisters, the team raised more than $10,000 for the Ellie Fund - the same organization that supported their family when those girls were just three and four years old.
"I have metastatic breast cancer. I've been living with cancer for almost 13 years. I actually had chemotherapy today; I got out about two hours ago," said the girls' mother, Jess Leip.
Cheerleaders sell sweatshirts
The team turned October's awareness month into breast cancer action month, selling sweatshirts all over school and the city.
"We started with selling like 50. They kept coming with all these orders and saying can you make more? We ended up making 500. We made these sweatshirts at home!" the mother said proudly.
"It was really overwhelming but it felt really good that everyone wanted to support, and it just felt like we were doing something really big and it made me really happy to be able to help," said sophomore Hannah.
Ellie Fund to help 2,000 patients this year
These dollars will make an unforgettable difference, for the 2,000 patients the Ellie Fund expects to serve this year.
"To feed families, to get patients transportation to and from treatment, even to help them get things like oncology massage which really helps the symptoms," explained Meredith Mendelson, executive director of the Ellie Fund.
The Leips will never forget that kindness, after all these years of active treatment.
"She's a really strong, loving, caring person. I'm really proud of her," said Izzy of her mom.
So, they pay it forward, giving help and hope to others.
"My mind is blown; blown away that a simple little pink word on a sweatshirt could raise so much money. We're so happy it's going to Ellie Fund and it's going to help a lot of people," said an emotional Jess.