The Ohio Northern University Women's Soccer team has started off the new season with high expectations on the field; but the team is also hoping to have an impact off the field.
The team has joined forces with Friends of Jaclyn; a foundation whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other child hood cancers to raise awareness through their Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines and Guardian Angel Programs.
The Women's Soccer Team has recently adopted Tori, a 13 year old girl who has been fighting cancerous tumors affecting her brain since she was 8 months old. The purpose of this program is to pair an afflicted child and their siblings/family members with a local high school or college sports team in their community.
The foundation began in 2004 when nine year old Jaclyn Murphy was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. Throughout her diagnosis and treatment for the medulloblastoma Jaclyn was adopted by a collegiate lacrosse team as an honorary member.
In developing a relationship with the coaching staff, players and the college community Jaclyn shared her dream of helping all of the sick children in the hospital with her family. In 2005, the Murphy family created the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors.
The family adopted the saying "Live in the Moment…Play in the Moment" which they ask the athletes and afflicted children to do every day. Today, they have helped nearly 600 families.
The Coaching Staff became familiar with the Foundation and Jaclyn's story after it aired on HBO Sports with Bryant Gumbel and immediately contacted them.
"We talk a lot to our players about opportunity, not just as a student-athletes on the field but taking advantage of opportunities each and every day," said Assistant Coach Katie Robinson. "What better way to experience that than to welcome Tori and her family and have the opportunity to get to know, support and motivate her through a difficult time".
"We are so happy and very fortunate to have Tori join us for this upcoming journey," said Head Coach Mark Batman. "When Tori entered our locker room for the first time and saw the girls, it was wall to wall smiles, from both Tori and our girls. We are excited to be a part of her life and we welcome Tori with open arms to our soccer family."
The team hopes to continue raising awareness and will choose a game from their 2015 campaign to collect donations for the Friends of Jaclyn foundation and the Gillham family.
For more information regarding this foundation and the families they have helped please visit their website at http://friendsofjaclyn.org/.
