Inaugural Lime Light Gala
As posted by Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com
Over 300 lacrosse supporters packed the Hyatt Regency Hotel Friday night to celebrate the life and legacy of Nick Colleluori in the Inaugural Lime Light Gala hosted by the HEADstrong Foundation.
WMMR Radio personality Casey Fosbenner and John Clark, the NBC 10 Sports anchor, served as emcees for an event that raised funds and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the work of Dr. Stephen J. Schuster at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Colleluori was a former lacrosse standout at Ridley High who never allowed a lack of size or any challenge to stand in his way. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma while a sophomore lacrosse player at Hofstra University on Long Island and attacked his condition with the type of vigor that has made him a legend in lacrosse and well beyond.
Most of the speakers Friday talked about how Colleluori dealt with his diagnosis of a dreaded blood cancer. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he accepted the challenge of fighting not only his disease, but working to find a cure for anyone that had blood cancer.
Colleluori used his nickname, “Head,” and the word, “strong,” and developed the HEADstrong name. His family, a large, hometown Delaware County clan, has continued his fight for a cure by raising more than $1 million for cancer research, development and awareness.
Colleluori passed away on Nov. 28, 2008. Since then, the HEADstrong Foundation has become entrenched in the world of lacrosse through the Nick Colleluori Classic, lime green laces and apparel (lime is the color designated for blood cancer awareness), a lacrosse club team, and dozens of other community service events with the intent of delivering Nick’s message.
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