PC Students Join the Fight Against Carcinoid Cancer

PC Students Advocate for Carcinoid Cancer Awareness

Last year, I made the difficult decision of sharing my Carcinoid cancer diagnosis with the students, faculty and staff of Paramus Catholic High School (PC), where I teach 11th and 12th grade English. Since then, the outpouring of care and concern from the PC community has been overwhelming; and when I mentioned that this year was the first ever Worldwide NET Cancer Awareness Day (WNCAD), my students were eager to advocate for an increased awareness of this rare disease. Below are just a few of the ways that PC joined the fight against Carcinoid cancer:

Paladin News Network Anchors

Every morning, the students, faculty and staff of Paramus Catholic High School tune into a live broadcast over Paladin News Network (PNN) for prayer, the pledge, and announcements. During the month of November, the students of PNN decided to help raise awareness about neuroendocrine tumors by delivering their telecast in front of a greenscreen featuring zebra stripes and a Carcinoid Cancer Awareness logo.

Paladin Awareness Cancer Team Table

On November 10th, the students of PACT - PC's cancer awareness club - set up a table outside of the cafeteria to distribute information about NET cancers. They also created and administered a quiz on Carcinoid cancer, which over 300 students took in order to win prizes such as zebra striped pins, stickers, and bracelets. PACT also decorated their bulletin board with zebras and facts about Carcinoid cancer.

792 Signatures: WNCAD Proclamation

In addition to student-sponsored advocacy, on November 10th my colleagues in the English department took a break from vocabulary, grammar, composition, and literature to talk about my story and encourage students to sign the WNCAD Proclamation, which acknowledges the need for increased awareness about NET cancers and better access to treatment for Carcinoid cancer patients. Because of their efforts, we gathered 792 signatures in a single day.

Our school's mascot, a Paladin, is a knight of uncommon valor and virtue who fights injustices in the world - I'd say that the students and faculty of PC have certainly lived up to the Paladin legend through their incredible efforts in supporting the Carcinoid cancer community.