Gold Laces Give Critical Support
March 1, 2017
Girls’ varsity soccer held an intra-team fundraiser in early February for the Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer campaign, a program sponsored by the Go 4 the Goal foundation which raises money to support kids with cancer and their families.
The nationwide campaign, which was introduced to the Cougars by junior Molly Ikeya, raises funds by selling gold shoelaces for $5/pair. 80% of the funds are donated directly to the Psychology Oncology Program at Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Services provided by the program include emotional support and psychotherapy for patients, siblings and parents, as well as school, and social reintegration.
Today, over a quarter million athletes around the country have contributed through the program.
“[Molly Davis and I] play on the same club team together and her older brother had cancer when he was younger, so that’s how we got connected to the program,” said Ikeya, explaining how her club teammate from Acalanes introduced her to the campaign.
“I was approached last year by the founders of Go 4 The Goal because they partnered up with Children’s Hospital in Oakland, which is where my brother was treated in their oncology department for a brain tumor. They knew I was a local athlete and asked me to help them out,” explained Molly Davis, who plays on the Acalanes varsity team and on the same club team as Ikeya. “I’m really happy about the outcome because I know how much the psychology oncology program needs this money, and I’m happy to give back to them after everything they’ve done for my family.”
The Campolindo squad raised $580 by purchasing shoe laces for each player and from other miscellaneous donations from friends and family. Davis was able to raise about $5,000 overall after reaching out to all 3 high schools (Campolindo, Miramonte, and Acalanes) in Lamorinda.
“I’m hoping that I’ll be able to bring [the program] to my college team next year and attempt to get the other sports there to do it as well,” added Davis, who will be playing soccer at the University of Louisiana this fall.
