Student Spotlight (page

By Jisha Samuel

Isabella Fuertes is a freshman at Garden City High School. While Isabella may only be fourteen, she's done things that few fourteen year olds have done. Shortly after the 20212022 school year started, she founded the Cranes for Cancer organization.

In fact, this September marked the first anniversary of Cranes for Cancer. Isabella was inspired to create Cranes for Cancer because of the story of Sadako Sasaki. Sadako was born in Hiroshima, Japan just around the time the first atomic bomb was dropped. She was diagnosed with leukemia, a lifethreatening cancer, at the young age of eleven. Due to the limited access to treatment, doctors believed she wouldn’t survive it. However, Sadako remained strong throughout her illness and believed in a Japanese tradition, which held that if an ill person folds 1000 paper cranes, the gods will grant them one wish. Sadako was determined to achieve this feat word and made it her goal to fold 1000 cranes. Sadly, Sadako died on October 25, 1955, having folded 664 paper cranes. Although she did not achieve her goal, Sadako left a legacy of persistence and optimism that grants hope to all patients battling cancer.

After hearing Sadako’s story, Isabella stated, “cranes, for this project, represent hope and comfort. Cranes equal peace. ” Cranes for Cancer first gained publicity at the GC Cares-AThon, held at the Middle School in January 2022. She shared Sadako’s inspiring story and taught listeners how to fold cranes. After that, she was interviewed by a popular news network, spreading Sadako’s story further. Isabella became even more inspired when a Japanese mother told her that she was very grateful for the project. She said that the more people fold the cranes, the stronger and higher the wish will be carried. Isabella’s ultimate goal for Cranes for word Cancer is to raise awareness for leukemia patients and their needs. She hopes to make positive change in the world. Her beginning goal was to raise $1000 by folding a string of 1000 origami cranes. After reaching her goal, she planned to go further, raising even more money. She has folded around 400 cranes so far. Isabella says that she has more things planned for the future, and she's not finished yet. She needs as much support as possible! The project can only succeed if the community joins together to support those fighting leukemia.

Fun Fact: On a memorial arch for Sadako, there is an engraved quote that reads, “This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world. ” If you wish to donate to St. Jude's, whose mission is to find a cure for pediatric cancer, you can do so using the following QR code: