Community Corner

Breast Cancer Bus Brings Hope to Hope Street

The pink "Hope Bus" made its way to Sovereign Bank on Hope Street in Bristol on Friday to promote breast cancer awareness.

The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation's Hope Bus made a special stop at Sovereign Bank on Hope Street in Bristol on Friday.

Bristol's Branch Manager Paula Andrews asked the foundation to spend the day on Hope Street to spread awareness and help raise funds for the organization's annual Flames of Hope event. Andrews has been communicating with the organization with Laurie Cordeiro, a close friend who is battling breast cancer who also offers her services to the foundation. 

"We put canisters in all of the stores in this Gooding Avenue area collecting donations for the event," Andrews said on Friday. "But we're hoping to get a nice big total today."

Find out what's happening in Bristol-Warrenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Andrews' goal is to raise $5,000 between Friday's donations and the canisters that she will be picking up on October 6.

"We're collecting the money so Laurie can carry her torch in the Flames of Hope and so others can participate," she said.

Find out what's happening in Bristol-Warrenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In their first two hours on the bus, Andrews, Cordeiro and volunteers from the GGBCRF welcomed in dozens of Cordeiro's friends and supporters who handed over checks and cash for the cause.

Judy Squires, Bristol's Fourth of July Committee Chairperson, was one of many who stopped in on Friday afternoon and dropped off checks. Squires, who knows Cordeiro from working together on the committee, came with three checks in hand.

"People started giving me checks to bring to you from our meeting last night," Squires told Cordeiro, who seemed overwhelmed with sincere emotion. 

Cordeiro, 49, of Bristol, says she has always been very involved in the community. And the love and support for her and the cause showed through as dozens of people walked up the Hope Bus steps to embrace her and make their donation. 

To find out more about the Hope Bus and the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation visit their website. Click on the "Keep me posted!" tab below the story to be notified when the Hope Bus will be in town again and look for a follow up article in the coming weeks to learn more about Cordiero's extraordinary fight against a rare form of breast cancer. 


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