Published: April 16, 2009 10:40 pm      

DONATION: NU students grant Lockport girl's wish

LEWISTON — The Hansen home in Lockport will be receiving a facilities upgrade thanks to the Niagara Purple Eagles.

Niagara’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Student Government Association collectively raised more than $5,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation, which will allow 12-year-old Briana Hansen to practice gymnastics and dancing in her basement.

Briana, who has been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, spoke confidently to a group of more than 50 people in front of the university’s Castellani Art Museum on Thursday before accepting the gift.

“My wish is to have my basement turned into a dance studio and gymnastics recreation room,” she said. “It’s going to have matted floors, mirrors on the walls, gymnastic equipment, and a television with (the Nintendo video game) Wii Fit.”

Briana was accompanied by her parents, Brian and Amy, her younger sister Olivia, and her cousins, Heather and Jenny Ricciuti, of Youngstown. Jenny currently attends Niagara, while Heather is an alumna.

Along with dancing and gymnastics, Briana also participates in swimming, softball, basketball, soccer and skiing.

“Anything that exercises her lungs will ultimately keep her healthy,” her mother, Amy Hansen said.

Make-A-Wish also could’ve arranged a celebrity meeting or a trip, Amy Hansen said, but the family decided that “a gift that keeps on giving would be best.”

“This is a very special day for NU athletics and the entire NU student body,” said Jessel Mangal, co-president of SAAC and a member of the baseball team.

Mangal said Niagara athletes raised more than $2,600 selling Make-A-Wish star magnets.

“We really took charge on this and the student-athletes were really committed to selling their stars,” he said. “And Josh Coyne and the student government helped us on the last mile of our journey.”

When it was found out that they needed more money to grant Briana’s wish, the Niagara student government came up with matching funds, donating the proceeds from comedian Demetri Martin’s concert at the Gallagher Center this Sunday.

“St. Vincent De Paul asks three questions,” Coyne, president of the 2010 class, told the crowd. “What must be done? What must I do? And what must we do to meet the challenges that we see so clearly before us?

“These are the questions that student-athletes and student leaders ask on this campus every day.”

Heather Alessi, a representative for the local Make-A-Wish chapter, thanked the students.

“More importantly than the dollars,” she said, “thank you very much for caring for our community.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The local chapter has granted more than 1,700 wishes since being founded in 1992, according to the organizations Web site.

To get involved in Make-A-Wish, or to refer a child, visit www.wnywish.org or call 810-WISH.

Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.