Posted by Andy Shi
On Saturday April 7, the Skidmore Softball team presented a check for more than $2,000 to the Andrew J. Gargiso Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for cancer research and care.
The Andrew J. Gargiso Foundation was founded in 1999 in honor of Andrew J. Gargiso, who, at age 4, was diagnosed and hospitalized with stage four, Burkitt's Lymphoma/Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Gargiso's eventual recovery inspired his parents to create the foundation to alleviate the pain of other cancer patients and provide funds for cancer research.
Gargiso is a healthy 18-year old freshman at the University of Scranton. His sister, Christina Gargiso, is a Skidmore senior on the softball team.
According to the foundation's Facebook page, Gargiso has taken action to help others who suffer from cancer as he once did. His current initiative, dubbed "Exergaming," targets patients, whether currently undergoing treatment or finished, who do not have enough physical activity in their lives.
"Exergaming," according to the page, increases physical activity for cancer patients, with the intention of making these patients physically and mentally healthier.
Inspired by Gargiso's story, the Skidmore Softball team in February raised money for the foundation by auctioning off several items, including tickets to see Adam Lambert, the Philadelphia Eagles, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and to an assortment of other getaways and events.
The team donated $2,350 to the Andrew J. Gargiso Foundation with the intention of helping cancer patients and their parents cope with the pain and suffering, according to Julia Schwartz '13, a member of the team.
To learn more about the Andrew J. Gargiso Foundation, visit their Facebook page.