Students and staff support Beloved school community member diagnosed with cancer.

By Chloe Zhang

Steve Bassignani is an adored member of the community and school of Hopedale.

Bass is a loved member of the community, but he is also a gifted self-taught photographer who spends his free time photographing high school sports. 

After Bass’s retirement in 2015, he devoted his time to his passion for photography. Steve believes that if you do something you enjoy, you never work a day in your life. 

This summer Bass was unfortunately diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Bass started going through chemo shortly after and is still fighting the cancer. Due to his chemo, Bass has not been able to come to sports games or the school. However, even though he has been away, he continues to impact the students of Hopedale Jr. Sr. High School. 

The students of Hopedale continue to miss Steve, here are what some of the students have to say about Steve: 

“Steve made and continues to make an indescribable impact on our community. His love and care for the students is incredible and he leaves a mark on every student in this school. His funny personality and contagious smile brighten every student’s school day and he is truly missed.” -Maida H.

“Steve has always been everyone’s number one fan! He always tries to make students feel included and welcomed.  I am forever grateful for all the memories he has given me. “- Maddie D.

“Steve is such a big inspiration to me as a photographer because he’s always taking photos and spreading joy” - Luke W.

“Steve always brings a light to every room he walks into. He is such a positive and uplifting person and never failed to put a smile on my face. I miss seeing in the hallway, at games or at town events. I am forever grateful for his role in this school.” - Mia C

Since he was unable to see the students at school around his birthday, the staff and students of Hopedale came together to celebrate Bass. On Oct. 4, all students and staff wore shirts in support of Bass in unity, generously donated by an unknown community member. It is clear that Bass has left a great impact on the people of Hopedale and is greatly missed around the school by everyone. We all hope for him to continue fighting and recover quickly.

Pancreatic Cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when malignant cells form in the Pancreas and cause them to deteriorate. Cancer of the pancreas is one of the deadliest types of cancer, with a survival rate of 12% in the United States. If you would like to help fight this deadly disease, here are some resources you can educate yourself and donate to: https://lustgarten.org/ or  https://www.npcf.us/