BERKELEY, NJ — For the eighth year in a row, Berkeley Township is taking time to honor the life of a local girl who died from cancer at just 13-years-old. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the town once again will be "wrapped in gold."
Emiliana O'Brien was a Berkeley resident who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in June 2015 and died on Dec. 1, 2015. Since her death, her family launched the non-profit Emiliana's Hope, as her pet peeve was that childhood cancer had a lack of funding and awareness, according to her mom Janet O'Brien.
Sept. 17 is "Emiliana O'Brien Day" in Berkeley, and Mayor John Bacchione read a resolution in honor of that at a recent Township Council meeting.
Bacchione encouraged residents to "wrap our town in gold to recognize and affirm our commitment to fighting childhood cancer."
During September, gold ribbons can be seen throughout town, at places like Town Hall and Veterans Park.
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Through the years, Emiliana's Hope has donated thousands towards childhood cancer research.
For more information about Emiliana's Hope, visit their website or their Facebook page.
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