Holmes, PA- In an effort to further their mission of promoting blood cancer awareness within the lacrosse community the HEADstrong Foundation is proud to announce a new partnership with Aloha Tournaments. Together they will present a series of competitive youth tournaments around the country entitled The HEADstrong Foundation: Tour For A Cure. Dates and locations have yet to be disclosed however the duo plans on presenting two events in 2012 and plan on adding two additional events annually through 2015. The Tour For A Cure is an outreach milestone for the HEADstrong Foundation who is currently in their 5th year of operation.
“On behalf of Nick and the HEADstrong Foundation, we are ecstatic to partner with Aloha Tournaments in the fight against blood cancer. The reputation of Aloha speaks for itself and gives the Foundation the ability to share Nick’s message, spreading awareness and continuation of making a difference through the sport that was so important to him. This alliance allows the HEADstrong Foundation to reach beyond Philadelphia with the hope of inspiring our youth and is a logical step to meet the demands of our supporters”. Cheryl Colleluori, HEADstrong President.
"Aloha Tournaments is proud to partner with the HEADstrong Foundation. We hope that our experience in developing and producing lacrosse tournaments will complement the HEADstrong Foundation’s goals of raising support and awareness of blood cancers. The Aloha Tournaments family has personally been affected by this disease and we are honored to work with the HEADstrong Foundation to spread Nick’s message and help others that have had their lives impacted by blood cancer. Our goal is to create a series of lacrosse tournaments around the country for players ranging from ages 7 through 17. There will be an educational part to each event and we will encourage players to learn about and raise funds for the HEADstrong Foundation. Our goal is to have players work hard for a great cause while having fun with their friends, families and teammates." Ray Schulmeyer and Chris Hutchins, Aloha Tournaments
The HEADstrong Foundation was created in 2006, in the wake of Nicholas “HEAD” Colleluori’s inspirational 14 month battle against non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. During his fight Nick underwent intense chemotherapy, radiation, an auto immune stem cell transplant other experimental medicine to combat the disease. As a patient living with the disease Nick was determined to start a foundation focused on promoting blood cancer awareness and improving the quality of life for patients that would follow in his footsteps. From diagnosis Nick was an advocate for blood cancer; he wanted to make a difference and he chose the lacrosse community as the avenue to promote awareness because that was the community that so graciously supported him in his fight.
While waiting to go into the operating room for a procedure Nick designed our foundation’s logo, a lacrosse stick on its side with a cancer ribbon around the HEAD. The color palette that Nick chose was “Lime green” represented Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and “royal blue and gold” which represents his alma mater, Hofstra University; his lifeline during his illness. On November 28th, 2006 Nick lost his battle to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma HEADstrong Foundation and has impacted the lives of thousands of people. The HEADstrong Foundation is our promise to our Nick.
For more information on the HEADstrong Foundation: Tour For A Cure or to support the HEADstrong Foundation directly go to www.HEADstrongfoundation.org.