The Wantagh Girls Varsity Soccer team turned their Oct. 1 game against North Shore into a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, raising nearly $700 for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Senior captains Juliana Cerasi and Lyla Ingrili organized the event, with support from the whole team.
“They both did this. They jumped on board and were just very excited to plan it all,” said Kathy Cerasi, Juliana’s mother.
Kathy explained that Juliana was motivated by her grandmother’s battle with breast cancer. “The inspiration behind all of this is my mother-in-law had breast cancer, and my youngest is very close to her grandmother, and she kind of wanted to do something,” Kathy said. “Obviously, it's for everybody, but that's where all her drive came from for this, so it was really nice,”
The players designed black T-shirts with the word "fight" and set up a donation box at the game. They also decorated the field with balloons, ribbons, and played with pink hair bands. Before the match, Juliana and Lyla gave a speech dedicating the game to the American Cancer Society. The North Shore team participated by wearing pink ribbons.
In 2024, an estimated 19,160 women in New York will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. While breast cancer primarily affects women, men can also be diagnosed. More than 4 million breast cancer survivors live in the U.S., including over 150,000 individuals with metastatic breast cancer.
The death rate from breast cancer has dropped 42% between 1989 and 2021, thanks to earlier detection and advances in treatment, according to the cancer society. Despite this, Black women are 41% more likely to die from breast cancer than White women, with the disparity doubling for women under 50. Breast cancer, according to the cancer society, has also surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among Black women.
“I was very proud of her,” Kathy said of her daughter. “She's always been a very thoughtful and caring person. She's not just an athlete in school, she's also very thoughtful and wanting to help others. So, I just love it.”
Since 1993, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $600 million in breast cancer research. They offer 24/7 support through their helpline at 800-227-2345. For more information on breast cancer, visit cancer.org.