Community Corner

Haddonfield Comes Together for Child Struck with Cancer

Jason Garstkiewicz, a 7th grade Haddonfield Middle School student who was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Haddonfield is coming together to support Jason Garstkiewicz, a 7th grade Middle School student who was diagnosed with bone cancer shortly before Christmas.

An avid sports enthusiast and athlete, Jason plays basketball, football and lacrosse, so when he was first diagnosed, a group of parents from Jason’s 7th grade lacrosse team reached out to Go4theGoal Foundation to order a few hundred NEON yellow shoelaces to distribute to kids around town to show both support for him and his family and to raise awareness about pediatric cancer in the community. “Within hours we had orders for almost 1,000 laces, and ‘Lace-Up & Help Kick Pediatric Cancer’ was born,” said Jean-Anne McMahon, a Haddonfield resident and friend of Jason’s family. “Due to the overwhelming demand, we ordered an additional 3,000 laces!”

The spirit is also catching on in local schools.

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"Currently, the students and staff of all three elementary schools and Haddonfield Middle School along with the majority of town sports' teams are currently participating in the "Go 4 the Goal" fundraiser," said Jessica Miller, a media specialist at the and schools.

Go4theGoal’s NEON yellow shoelaces are already being worn by Haddonfield middle and basketball teams and will be on sale for $3 per pair at the three elementary schools and the Middle School on Wednesday, February 8. Laces will also be available for sale on February 10– 12 at Kings Court; at several town sports events and at many Haddonfield retailers, including Haddonfield Running Company and for $3. Proceeds will benefit both Jason and his family and the Go4theGoal Foundation.  Laces are available for purchase at Shop G4G on the Go4theGoal.

Find out what's happening in Haddonfield-Haddon Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Go4theGoal Foundation, based in Merchantville, is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charitable organization founded in 2006 by Dr. Richard and Beth Stefanacci, soon after their oldest child was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Together with funds raised privately and its many unique awareness and fund-raising campaigns, including “National Dress 4 Pediatric Cancer Day™” and “Lace-Up 4 Pediatric Cancer,” Go4theGoal provides children undergoing cancer treatment and their families with financial assistance, runs fun hospital-based programs, grants special wishes and supplies Apple® electronic products to children and pediatric oncology units in more than 30 hospitals across the country. Since 2007, G4G has funded over $500k in innovative pediatric cancer research.     


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