Hills East Girls Tennis Serves Up Support for Childhood Cancer Awareness

The Half Hollow Hills East girls varsity tennis team recently hosted a special Gold Laces match in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, turning a day on the court into an opportunity to support a very important cause.

The Hills East players showed their support by wearing gold laces in creative ways throughout the match, including using them as hair ties and bows. The team also made a donation to the Daniela Conte Foundation, helping support an organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children and families affected by childhood cancer.

The Daniela Conte Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020 by Daniela’s parents, Anthony and Katia Conte, to honor the memory of their oldest daughter, Daniela. Daniela passed away from rhabdomyosarcoma at just 8 years old.

The foundation was created from a family’s personal experience with the devastating impact of childhood cancer. Today, the organization works to raise awareness, provide financial support to families affected by childhood cancer and fund research, with a particular focus on embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS).

The foundation raises money through a variety of community events and initiatives, including 5K races, galas, corporate partnerships, merchandise sales and other fundraising efforts.

For the Hills East tennis team, supporting the foundation provided an opportunity to use their platform to bring attention to a cause that reaches far beyond the tennis court.

The team is also enjoying a strong season on the court. Under head coach Steven Ferrantello, the Hills East girls entered the week with a 7-4 overall record and a 6-3 mark in Conference 1. The team has been especially hot recently, winning three consecutive matches and six of its last seven.

While the players continue to compete for victories on the court, their Gold Laces match showed that some wins have nothing to do with the final score.

By coming together to support the Daniela Conte Foundation, the Hills East girls tennis team helped raise awareness for childhood cancer while showing the strength of a community coming together for an important cause.