Students in Southern Calif. don superhero capes to raise childhood cancer awareness, support classmate

REDLANDS, Calif. -- Redlands Christian School students in Southern California came dressed in superhero capes to support fellow classmate, 8-year-old Frankie Grieco-Roth Friday.

The second-grader is two-and-a-half years into remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood leukemia.

She is now making childhood cancer awareness her mission by giving back.

Frankie and her mom, Gissell Grieco-Roth will be walking in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual 'Light the Night' walk at the Fontana Speedway next month.

"It really gives us an opportunity to get out there and promote awareness and funding and memory of the ones that have passed on," said Grieco-Roth.

Their team, "Frankie's Fighters," are raising money to help the organization which has committed to investing $50 million towards childhood blood cancer research and treatments.

"For some reason, pediatric cancer just gets very minimal," Grieco-Roth said.

To help Frankie reach her goal of raising $20,000 for LLS, her classmates wore capes and donated $1 or more.

"We actually put it together in a week or so because we knew September was the month that they were honoring childhood cancer and blood cancer," said Principal William Johnson. Johnson, teachers and school administrators also donned their superhero capes.

"We are a pretty tight community. We have known Frankie, we've watched all that has gone on with her and the kids know who she is because of that," said Johnson.

If you would like to donate to Frankie's campaign click on the link: https://pages.lls.org/ltn/ocie/InlandEm19/frankiesfighters#welcome-to-frankie's-fighters-fundraising-page

To learn more about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or find a local chapter log onto www.lls.org.