[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]After head custodian Alice Gallegos was diagnosed with breast cancer, the cheerleaders decided to employ half of the “Big Blue Goes Pink” earnings to support her battle against breast cancer.

The birth of “Big Blue Goes Pink” originated when two cheer mothers’ were diagnosed with breast cancer. The event usually consists of cheerleaders selling shirts from September 29 through October 9 to aid Susan G. Komen’s quest to find a cure for breast cancer. However, this year, the shirt sales will have a more direct impact.

“I hope it helps her,” cheer coach Danielle Weber said. “I wish I could just pay for all of it. If this was the smallest thing we could do to help, it’s for such a good cause. It’s the least we can do for her.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Personalizing “Big Blue Goes Pink” started three months ago: The day Gallegos drove home from Baylor Medical Center with news from “Dr. B” that she had breast cancer.

“They told me and I thought I was going to die,” Gallegos said. “You’re shocked. I felt like everything was over for me.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Successful shirt sales in the eyes of Weber came as a result of passing the initial goal of raising $2,000. All in all, the cheerleaders raised $2,340 to give to Gallegos, over $300 more than their target.

“I explained to the girls … this year it has a bigger meaning because it’s going to somebody who is really fighting it,” Weber said. “So when we explain that to the girls, and they knew why we were doing this, they were more excited. It’s easier to buy into something when you can see the person and know the impact you’re having.”

Hospital bills ranging from $500 – $3,000 pile in, but Gallegos pays what she can, which often means in multiple payments.

“I tell them to bill it home,” Gallegos said. “I’ll pay little by little. I try to pay as much as I can right now.”

As soon as faculty members discovered Gallegos’ situation, support for Gallegos came in love and money, and soon the idea to fund her bills took hold and grew to using the “Big Blue Goes Pink” shirt sale funds to support her on a larger scale.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_raw_html]JTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJpbmZvZ3JhbV8wX21lZGljYWwtZXhwZW5zZXMtb3Zlci10aHJlZS1tb250aHMlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZlLmluZm9nci5hbSUyRmpzJTJGZW1iZWQuanMlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlM0NkaXYlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMndpZHRoJTNBMTAwJTI1JTNCYm9yZGVyLXRvcCUzQTFweCUyMHNvbGlkJTIwJTIzYWNhY2FjJTNCcGFkZGluZy10b3AlM0EzcHglM0Jmb250LWZhbWlseSUzQUFyaWFsJTNCZm9udC1zaXplJTNBMTBweCUzQnRleHQtYWxpZ24lM0FjZW50ZXIlM0IlMjIlM0UlM0NhJTIwdGFyZ2V0JTNEJTIyX2JsYW5rJTIyJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRmluZm9nci5hbSUyRm1lZGljYWwtZXhwZW5zZXMtb3Zlci10aHJlZS1tb250aHMlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmNvbG9yJTNBJTIzYWNhY2FjJTNCdGV4dC1kZWNvcmF0aW9uJTNBbm9uZSUzQiUyMiUzRU1lZGljYWwlMjBFeHBlbnNlcyUyME92ZXIlMjBUaHJlZSUyME1vbnRocyUzQyUyRmElM0UlMjAlN0MlMjAlM0NhJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJjb2xvciUzQSUyM2FjYWNhYyUzQnRleHQtZGVjb3JhdGlvbiUzQW5vbmUlM0IlMjIlMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyJTJGJTJGaW5mb2dyLmFtJTIyJTIwdGFyZ2V0JTNEJTIyX2JsYW5rJTIyJTNFQ3JlYXRlJTIwSW5mb2dyYXBoaWNzJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]“She’s such a wonderful person,” Weber said. “She’s kind and generous and has been at Hebron since it opened and that says a lot about a person. I wish I could do more … than just give her the money.”

Gallegos is not only respected for her character, but in her status of being one of eight faculty members who remained at the school since its opening. According to Stroud, mopped floors, clean bathrooms and a ready learning environment are all a result of the time Gallegos put into making the school a better place for students.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

“She never complains,” Student Council Sponsor Benjamin Stroud said. “Alice puts so much effort into making sure [students] feel safe and are in a clean environment to learn. If I walked out, [the school] will have a replacement like that, by the next day. I can’t say that about Alice.”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Students and faculty alike then had the opportunity to chip in $20 toward helping Gallegos and receiving a shirt at the same time. Shirt sales ended October 10 with a total of 234 shirts sold. The shirts were delivered October 16 and 17, just in time for students to wear them to the “Big Blue Goes Pink” pep rally.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][image_with_animation image_url=”5978″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]The cheerleaders model the “Big Blue Goes Pink” shirts during their performance. Photo By:  Hannah Arnold[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Posters created by the cheerleaders with supportive phrases hung throughout the hallways in order to offer visual support for Gallegos.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][image_with_animation image_url=”6025″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]”Big Blue Goes Pink” posters ranged from phrases of “Pink Out for Alice” to “#Support Alice.”  Photo By: Olivia Bragg[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]To contribute even more money toward Gallegos’ medical bills, student council set up a table at all lunches, selling pins for $2 each from October 15 to 17. As a result, an additional $50 will go toward Gallegos’ medical bills.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_raw_html]JTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJpbmZvZ3JhbV8wXzIwMTQtNDkxMjc4MjAyOTcxJTIyJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyJTJGJTJGZS5pbmZvZ3IuYW0lMkZqcyUyRmVtYmVkLmpzJTIyJTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNFJTNDZGl2JTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJ3aWR0aCUzQTEwMCUyNSUzQmJvcmRlci10b3AlM0ExcHglMjBzb2xpZCUyMCUyM2FjYWNhYyUzQnBhZGRpbmctdG9wJTNBM3B4JTNCZm9udC1mYW1pbHklM0FBcmlhbCUzQmZvbnQtc2l6ZSUzQTEwcHglM0J0ZXh0LWFsaWduJTNBY2VudGVyJTNCJTIyJTNFJTNDYSUyMHRhcmdldCUzRCUyMl9ibGFuayUyMiUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZpbmZvZ3IuYW0lMkYyMDE0LTQ5MTI3ODIwMjk3MSUyMiUyMHN0eWxlJTNEJTIyY29sb3IlM0ElMjNhY2FjYWMlM0J0ZXh0LWRlY29yYXRpb24lM0Fub25lJTNCJTIyJTNFMjAxNCUyMCUzQyUyRmElM0UlMjAlN0MlMjAlM0NhJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJjb2xvciUzQSUyM2FjYWNhYyUzQnRleHQtZGVjb3JhdGlvbiUzQW5vbmUlM0IlMjIlMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyJTJGJTJGaW5mb2dyLmFtJTIyJTIwdGFyZ2V0JTNEJTIyX2JsYW5rJTIyJTNFQ3JlYXRlJTIwSW5mb2dyYXBoaWNzJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]“[I was] very excited and very surprised,” Gallegos said. “I didn’t think I was going to get all the support I’m getting. It’s … amazing how students are nice and supportive. It’s a great school, a great family here.”

As a final closing of “Big Blue Goes Pink,” cheerleaders lined up to honor Gallegos at the October 17 pep rally, after a day of “pinked out” students, and presented her with a large check, like one seen on television.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][image_with_animation image_url=”5977″ animation=”Fade In” img_link_target=”_self”][vc_column_text]Weber presents Gallegos with the check for $2,340 after all the shirt sales were finalized. Photo By: Hannah Arnold[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]“When we told [Gallegos] we were going to do this for her, she started crying,” Weber said. “Then I started crying, and [head choir director] Ms. Forester started crying. It’s a family unit here so we support each other.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]