Officer collects with 'Cans for Cancer'

In life, encountering major struggles is unavoidable. Yet it is the way one deals with these struggles that is the true definition of character.

Steve Bianchi has been working as a police officer for the Boston College Police Department for the last 18 years. He is the person responsible for starting the motorcycle unit of the BCPD and he uses his own personal bike to patrol campus.

Last May, Bianchi's 12-year-old son Danny was diagnosed with a rare form of adult cancer that has forced him to recently undergo a nine-hour surgery at Massachusetts General hospital. Though Danny has lost his sense of smell (anticipated with that type of surgery), he is in good spirits and healing well.

In an effort to raise money for cancer research, Bianchi has become involved with Relay for Life-All University. This "competition" brings together teams from different colleges in the Boston area to determine which school can raise the most money for cancer research. After the fundraising has been completed, the teams will meet up at Harvard University and participate in an all night walkathon around Harvard's Gordon Track.

As of now, BC has 16 teams competing and is leading the pack in total donations. Bianchi's team, "Sky Rockets in Flight," which is composed of Bianchi, four female BC students, and one male BC student, has raised over $750 and expects to surpass its $1,000 goal by the time the competition is over.

One of the reasons why Bianchi's team has done so well is because of his creative fundraising techniques.

Whereas most teams rely on the standard fundraising methods of sending out e-mails to friends or selling luminaries, Bianchi has developed a technique he calls "Cans against Cancer."

"I have taken it upon myself to make up fliers and send them out to all the RAs telling them to tell the students to collect their bottles and cans instead of just throwing them away.

"When they have a full bag, they send me a page. I respond, pick up their cans, take them to the store to be recycled, and whatever money we make from that goes toward the team donations and in the end, cancer research."

Bianchi has been pleased with all the support he has received for the Relay for Life, but he is also grateful for the kindness the athletes of BC have shown his son, who is a big Eagles fan.

"BC has been really supportive. I e-mailed Steve Gionta of the hockey team asking him if he would sign a poster for Danny, and he was gracious enough to give him a hockey stick signed by the four captains and a poster signed by the entire team.

"I did the same thing with Craig Smith of the basketball team and he gave Danny a poster signed by all the players. So now Danny has these posters nicely framed in his room and he really enjoys them."

Danny, a die-hard Red Sox fan, also got the opportunity to meet some of his favorite players when he recently visited Fenway Park.

"We were in Fenway Park and he got to meet all his idols … my idols too. You know, going to the dugout and talking to Johnny Pesky for half an hour, then going upstairs and getting both his baseballs signed by Bill Mueller who afterward turned around and gave Danny his batting gloves. And then Bronson Arroyo and Gabe Kapler walked in the room and were like 'Hey Danny, how are you doing?' The smiles on his face from the gazillion of pictures we took that day were something amazing," said Bianchi.

Bianchi admits that Danny's cancer has been difficult for both he and his son to cope with. Danny's surgery was very intensive and the minimum six to eight months of chemotherapy treatment is not something he is looking forward to.

Yet, if there is anything positive that came out of Danny's sickness, it is Bianchi's new appreciation for people's natural benevolence.

"Just knowing that there are people out there who are constantly looking for ways to make the world a better place makes me feel better. There are so many charities and organizations which try to solve every one of the world's problem. A lot of times, you take things for granted," he said. "Until something hits home, such as cancer, you don't really know how important these organizations are.

"When something like this happens, I think the most rewarding experience is learning there are organizations constantly pushing and acknowledging the survivors out there who have gone through the same struggles you have, and who can help you out."

For anyone who is interested in learning more about the Relay for Life, visit the Web site at http://www.acsevents.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=12450.

And for those who have cans or bottle to donate to Bianchi, feel free to contact his pager at (617) 486-4444.