September 17 Named 'Emiliana Day' In Berkeley

BERKELEY, NJ —Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato proclaimed that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and that Sept. 17 would be Emiliana Day, in honor of the Berkeley girl who died from cancer at 13-years-old in 2015.

The day is named after Emiliana O'Brien, who at just 12-years-old was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She was diagnosed in June 2015 and died on Dec. 1, 2015.

Since her death, Emiliana's Hope, a non-profit foundation, was founded by her parents to raise money and awareness as Emiliana's pet peeve was the lack of funding and awareness for childhood cancer, said mother Janet O'Brien.

Through the years, the foundation has donated thousands, Amato said. In 2018, Emiliana's Hope donated $10,000 to Emiliana's doctor at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and donated $15,000 to the Dana Farber Institute in 2021, O'Brien said. The money was raised through fundraisers and donations, she said.

In the month of September, Berkeley residents are encouraged to wrap the town in gold, hang gold ribbons from homes and businesses and wear gold on Sept. 17. Berkeley puts up gold ribbons at town hall, at the police station and at the recreation center.

This is the sixth year of the proclamation. For more information about Emiliana's Hope, visit their website or their Facebook page.

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