![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
Recently diagnosed with lymphoma, Liz Lofurno, sophomore, raises money for the Angel Hair Foundation
Lofurno, in association with other students, designed shirts and ribbons to sell. All proceeds go to wigs for cancer patients.
After being diagnosed with lymphoma, Liz Lofurno, sophomore, decides she needs to give back to others in her situation. Lofurno and friends have successfully designed and sold 461 shirts and raised over $4,000 in support of the Angel Hair Foundation.
Suddenly, Liz Lofurno, sophomore, realized that something was wrong. Lofurno was developing frequent fevers and shakes, night sweats and eventually she noticed a bump on her chest. Little did she know that after a trip to the doctor’s office, her life would change drastically.
“ I was shocked when diagnosed, but now everything makes sense,” Lofurno said. “I wasn’t able to exercise at what I thought was my full ability.” Lofurno noticed signs that something was going on when she didn’t feel up to all her normal activities. A week later after her visit with the doctor, she began chemotherapy for her aggressive lymphoma.
“Even though my stage is high, my doctors and the statistics are in my favor,” Lofurno said. The chances of full recovery for Lofurno, according to Cancer Research UK are 92 percent.
“My treatment plan is five cycles of chemotherapy,” Lofurno said. Each cycle is 21 days, and the total treatment will last about six months. After that, she will likely go through radiology before recovery.
“The support is crazy, I never expected the support to be so incredible and heartwarming,” Lofurno said. Many students have purchased shirts designed by Lofurno and her close friends with proceeds going to the Angel Hair Foundation. Over $4,000 has been raised in just a few days. Some of those most involved are Allison Comings, spohomore, McKenzie Hill, sophomore, and Riley Murphy, sophomore.
“We have been trying to spread the campaign through social media and talking to friends at school,” Murphy said. “We made the fundraiser website hoping to make $100 and sell 50 shirts, but we ended up selling 461 and making $4,614.”
“Our shirt sales are crazy and it makes me smile every time I see that number go up,” Lofurno said. The average wig the Angel Hair Foundation produces would cost the recipients $4,000, but the foundation gives free wigs to young cancer patients.
“I think the support is definitely helping Liz. It really shows how close the community of West Linn is. It’s really heartwarming,” Murphy said.
“The shirts were designed by me and my friends,” Lofurno said. The wristbands and t-shirts are turquoise, which is Lofurno’s favorite color. The ribbon is lime green, which is the color used in support of lymphoma.
The West Linn High School girls soccer team has also raised money for the hospital Lofurno is being treated at by making and selling t-shirts.
“We’ll see what the future holds,” Lofurno said.
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