CLARKS GREEN, Pa. -- If you've seen a lot of the color gold recently, it may be because gold is the color associated with childhood cancer.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and students at Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green did their part to acknowledge it. They wore gold shirts and formed a human gold ribbon outside the school, showing compassion for families dealing with a pediatric cancer diagnosis.
"We here at Our Lady of Peace have been touched by childhood cancer over the years," said Principal Ann D'Arienzo.
Inside the school are notes of warm wishes for those who've been touched by cancer.
That would include Tori Donahue from Dunmore, someone those students probably don't even know. She's a mother of three who shared her family's story with Newswatch 16.
Last September, her 9-year-old son Luca was diagnosed with leukemia.
"I didn't understand what was going on, but the first thing you think of is not, my child has cancer," Tori said.
The past year has been trying for her family, particularly for Luca's siblings.
"My older daughter Serafina struggled tremendously. This was her best friend, and I think a lot of people tend to forget about siblings in these situations.
Tori says Luca is now in remission but will continue to be treated for a while. He's feeling well and is back to school.
She's looking into starting a foundation, but in the meantime wanted to thank the organizations that have helped her family: St. Baldrick's Foundation, St. Jude's Research Hospital, and Alex's Lemonade Stand.
"These are foundations that are taking your monetary donations and very specifically applying them to childhood cancer research."
Back at Our Lady of Peace, students showed off their monetary donations -- water bottles full of dimes, about $100 in each -- whatever they can do to help.
"This is children helping children. There's nothing more beautiful," D'Arienzo added.