By Tara Kemble '17

Ewing, NJ ... The College of New Jersey baseball team is participating in the Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer initiative in association with the Go4theGoal foundation. Led by Head Coach Dean Glus, the players and coaches will be wearing gold laces today (Friday) in their game against Stockton University at 3:30 pm in George Ackerman Park.

Go4thegoal's mission strives to improve the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research, and granting personal wishes. Through their first-hand experience with pediatric cancer and medical background, Go4theGoal provides the best practices to patients, their families, and the hospitals and staff that care for them.

Go4theGoal was founded in 2006 only weeks after Richard Stefanacci was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. After a yearlong battle, Richard lost his fight with cancer just a few months shy of his 15th birthday. Though Richard lost his battle, Go4theGoal's determination to continue their mission remained and was only strengthened when his cousin Blake was diagnosed with another rare cancer, Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, on March 11, 2010. Blake bravely fought her cancer and is now a 4-year survivor.

Though cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children, it receives less than 4% of federal funding towards research. Go4thegoal seeks to not only raise funding for research, but also to make a difference in the lives of those fighting everyday. Get involved by Lacing up 4 Pediatric Cancer or visit Go4thegoal.org.