School Community Rallies to Help Naperville Family Man Fight Pancreatic Cancer

The Walker School community in Clarendon Hills may appear curiously purple Thursday, as The Paciga Miracle Network encourages students, staff and parents to don the color of pancreatic cancer support.

Naperville residents Joe Paciga, his wife Shannon Paciga — a Walker School third grade teacher — and their two daughters, Olivia and Tessa, learned in Aug. 2014 that Joe has pancreatic cancer. Friends, fellow parents and even strangers have responded by raising funds and support through T-shirt sales, donations and a benefit for Joe.

“Joe is this big, gregarious, happy guy,” said Christine Ferris, Shannon’s teacher partner at Walker School. “He’s turned every negative into a positive. Everyone who meets Joe loves him instantly.”

The Paciga Miracle Network has sold more than 200 T-shirts emblazoned with “Go Joe” and his mantra, “Failure is not an option, just wait and see” in anticipation of Thursday’s Paciga Purple Day. Seven dollars from each $15 shirt went to the family.

Wearing purple, buying Go Joe shirts or supporting the cause isn’t mandatory or school sponsored, but Ferris said parents have enthusiastically taken the reins on promoting the efforts.

One mom will even take photos of students wearing purple Thursday for a book for Shannon, who has been on leave from school to care for Joe.

The culminating event of community support will take place Feb. 28 with the Go Joe Benefit at Lemon Tree Grocer in Downers Grove. Tickets are $60 each. They include appetizers, two drink tickets and DJ entertainment, and they can be purchased online or at the door.

Ferris and Jenny Wilton, a teacher at Clarendon Hills Middle School, are hosting the benefit. Ferris, who has experience fundraising, said they’ve sold about 150 tickets, and around 200 people, including the Paciga family, are expected to attend.

Entertainment also includes a silent auction, a live auction, raffles, CDs of Joe’s favorite songs, and people are again encouraged to wear purple.

Ferris said the Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Teachers’ Association helped to spread the Paciga family’s story around District 181, and every school community in the district created baskets for the raffle.

“It’s so cool to see the school community, the district community and people who don’t even know Shannon or Joe are helping,” Ferris said. “It renews that human spirit. It’s an awesome time, even though its a horrible thing going on, knowing we can come together and work to help.”

For more information, visit The Paciga Miracle Network page on Facebook or email gojoepaciga@gmail.com.

Photos provided by The Paciga Miracle Network.

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