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This video, put together by the Sacred Heart Gazelles Lacrosse team (a "3 peated" Michigan High School State Champs 2007), is incredible and is reflective of true "Champions" these high school student athletes are off the field.[googlevideo:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6182740717856113464&hl=en]
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CSTV's 2007 Tewaaraton Awards Show which aired June 7, 2007. This show includes a special presentation of CSTV's annual Diane Geppi-Aikens Scholarship to benefit the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. Read more about it here. [googlevideo:http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-364781083072317607&hl=en]
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This video was taken at the Brain Tumor Awareness Banquet. Press the triangle button to play the video. [googlevideo:http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=829923507952361798&hl=en]
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ADOPTED!
Columbia University Women's Soccer
Adopted: February 2008
At 3 months old I learned that Ashley had a disorder known as Neurofibromatosis Type 1. At the age of 2 Ashley was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor on the optic nerve and in the chiasm area of the brain attached to her pituitary and hypothalamus glands.
Ashley underwent 60 weeks of chemotherapy treatment to stabilize her tumor, and thankfully today it has remained stable. Although Ashley’s tumor is stabile she battles various medical issues. Ashley has scoliosis, balance and coordination issues, depth perception issues, visual loss, early onset of puberty due to her tumor and cardiac issues. Her disease has caused small tumors to grow on her legs, arms and back, these tumors can be painful and irritating to Ashley. Her disease has no rhyme or reason to it. Tumors can pop up anywhere at any time, so it is a constant waiting game to see what problem will occur next. Ashley has eight different doctors that she visits every 3 to 4 months and MRI’s with sedation at least 2 times a year.
Despite everything she has gone threw this amazing little spirit continues to brighten the world and especially mine. When you look at Ashley she looks just like every other kid you would never know that by the time she turned 6, she had buried friends, had and continues to survive her brain tumor and the effects of it, but most of all that none of this has broken her little spirit to love life no matter what comes her way.
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ADOPTED!
St. Joseph's Women's Lacrosse
Adopted: February 2008
Adoption Story from CSTV
Let me tell you a little something about my daughter Carly. Carly has been a fighter since conception and has battled her way through many events. Throughout my pregnancy, Carly insisted on coming early and although we fought very hard to keep her at bay, Carly was born 7 week earlier than expected. Fortunately she had no effects from the early birth except being placed on a heart monitor for six months. So I new from then that she was someone very special not just because she was my daughter but because she was a fighter and in what was to come in her life the best position to be in.
Carly was a typical little girl growing up. She loved to sing and dance. During the summer of 2003 at the age of 8 Carly started to experience headaches. With a family history of migraines that was what it was chalked up to be. However, they become more persistent and after several weeks and many tests and no explanations I decided to go to the ER and that was the beginning of her entire nightmare! Within three days Carly was airlifted to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she would undergo brain surgery for placement of a shunt to help control the fluid that was building up around her brain. With still no explanation as to what was causing them we left he hospital 10 days later. They knew Carly has 12 lesions in both her head and spine but none were operable and were not indicative of tumors. We could only wait.
Several weeks later an MRI was done and another lesion had grown where it could be biopsied. This was when we found out that Carly had what is known as Primitive Nuero-Ectodermal Tumors (P.N.E.T.) of the head and spine. We were told of a level two study that was being done that may help but that hope of survival was not good. Knowing that Carly was a fighter, we took that chance and have never regretted it since. Carly underwent 5 rounds of very harsh chemotherapy, followed by a stem cell transplant, followed by 7 weeks of radiation therapy. All and all she spent approximately nine months in the hospital and missed all of third grade. Fortunately at the end of this hospital journey in July of 2004, Carly’s tumors were all gone and the prognosis was looking great!
It has been 3 ½ years since her last treatment and she has had no reoccurrence. Carly is still closely monitored every 6 months and will have some lasting effects from treatment including some hearing loss but she has not let that keep her down. In fact Carly was just recently inducted into the Junior National Honor Society. This whole process has changed our family and Carly in so many ways. Carly is so dedicated to helping other kids now and does what she can to promote that. Carly is very active in Girl Scouting and loves to hold events to raise money. She recently participated in the “Freezin for a Reason” polar plunge for Camp Sunshine and looks forward to attending Camp Sunshine this year as she has done in the past. We have met many new people and friends along this journey and thank God everyday for what we have and who we have met along the way. Now you know a little more about my girl and why we love her so much. Would we have given up this journey in a heart beat, of course we would have, will we ever give up the fight, never!
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Adopted!
St. Bonaventure Men's Swim Team
Adopted: January 2008
Zachary (Zack) is a typical nine-year-old boy. He loves transformers, star wars, legos, and video games. He was diagnosed with juvenile pilocytic astocytoma in the celebellum and thalamic regions at the age of four. He underwent surgery fours days after doctors discovered a massive four-inch mass which left him unable to use his right side. After a month in the hospital, he regained limited use of his right side. He still wears leg and arm braces. During the past four years he has undergone intensive OT/PT/Speech. Zack has learned to compensate very well with his left side, which has caused problems with atrophy in his right arm and hand. He does constraint-induced therapy (casting the good arm) and botox injections to help with his right-sided hemiparesis. The tumor and cystic component have returned, so Zack is on the wait and watch phase of his journey. He loves riding his recumbent three-wheel bike. Zack has participated in sports, but they’re rather difficult. He tries to keep up with his peers and gives it all. He has a very positive attitude and outlook on life.
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A wonderful video produced by the Northwestern Wildcats LAX. It talks about why they adopted Jaclyn, the flap they created when they wore Jaclyn-Designed flip flops when they visited the President George Bush at the White House. [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0FwuvZNVbk]
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ADOPTED!
Georgetown Women's Lacrosse
Adopted: February 2008
Allison is a sixteen year old survivor who was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age nine. Allison’s tumor is a ganglioglioma. Gangliogliomas are mixed cell tumors containing both neural ganglionic cells and neural glial cell components. (Connective tissue and gray matter.) Although these tumors are rare, their prognosis is generally very good. Allison’s ten year survival rate is 90%. Dr. Sutton at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia thought she would be back to school within three weeks.
We were informed after the surgery that Allison was “devastated by surgery”. It happens to some patients and the doctors don’t know why, or who will be affected. Sometimes after surgery the physicians hold their breath fearing the worst and the patient is fine. Other times, all looks well and the patient has severe deficits. Allison was still in the hospital three weeks after her surgery. She couldn’t walk, talk, sit up or eat without assistance. Her IQ dropped to a 46.
Allison was discharged as an outpatient to The John Heinz Institute of Rehab. Medicine. There she had speech and language, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, five days a week for four months. Because of her physical and cognitive disabilities Allison had to transfer from a Catholic school to the local public school. That fall Allison started back to school with an aide by her side, but no friends in sight. It was very difficult.
Allison continues with her therapy twice a week after school. The little girl who couldn’t walk joined the middle school cross country team. She was quite an inspiration to her coach, team mates, and other runners. She is a great swimmer and she loves to sing and dance. After taking a year off, Allison returned to school this year with a new independence and without her aide. It has been a long, difficult journey, but we have all grown through this experience. We tend to cry harder, laugh louder, and enjoy every day to the fullest. Our family motto is “Life is short, you have to be Happy”.
Allison lives in Northeastern PA with her parents Paul and Molly, her brother Matthew and Athena her black lab.
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ADOPTED!
Washington and Lee Men's Lacrosse Team
Adopted: March 2008
At 4 years old Drew was diagnosed with a highly aggressive, adult brain tumor, rarely seen in children. The name of this beast is a Glioblastoma Multiforme. We were told to go home and enjoy our time of 5 – 12 months. I am happy to say it has been 4 years and Drew is doing well. Drew is a very loving and fun child. He has never met a stranger. Drew loves everyone he meets. He is known to shower everyone with his love, hugs and kisses.
On April 22, 2004, Drew was diagnosed with brain cancer. On the 26th he had a 2 ½ hour surgery to remove 98% of the tumor. The surgery went well and Drew recovered quickly. We noticed his right arm and leg were weak and he had less movement control. He would drag his right leg and was no longer able to write with his right hand. The limbs got better in time, but not fully controllable. Drew had to learn how to use his left hand with his right hand as assistance.
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ADOPTED!
La Salle Women's Lacrosse
Adopted: January 2008
Rebecca was a normal 4 ½ year old sweet little girl until April of 2004 when she was diagnosed with medullablastoma. The doctors told us that the tumors were inoperatable. The tumor in her head was too close to the brain and if they did operate, she would have been brain dead. She also has a tumor at the bottom of her spine and if they operated on that one, she would have been paralyzed. So, Rebecca had no surgery for the tumors. Rebecca went through six weeks of radiation, then a year of chemotherapy. Her tumors have shrunk, so her treatments did work. Also, Rebecca is bound to a wheelchair because of the tumor on the bottom of her spine. She cannot walk, but with physical therapy, she can schooch all around on the floor. Today, Rebecca is doing as well as she can. She is in second grade and goes to school all day. She has good days and bad days, but that is to be expected. Today, Rebecca is a tough little eight-year-old girl. She has hopes and dreams. Me as her mother, I hope that the Lord will let her have her hopes and dreams. She is doing well right now.
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Sunday, 30 March 2008 |
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Two top-ten lacrosse teams unite to benefit the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation in an event that raised over $30,000 for pediatric brain tumor awareness.
Chicago, IL - For the second consecutive year, WomensLax.com and Amonte Sports teamed up with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation to present the Friends of Jaclyn Challenge, a women’s lacrosse contest featuring two of the nation’s top teams that consummates a weekend designed to help foster public awareness of pediatric brain tumors. This year’s game, held at Northwestern’s Lakeside Field, brought together the top-ranked Northwestern Wildcats and their adoptee, Jaclyn Murphy, and fellow top-10 resident Georgetown, and their adoptee, Alli Mendofik.
The Challenge begun with a banquet on Thursday night (March 27) recognizing the work of the Foundation before drawing the following night in an instant classic. The dinner, which was attended by both teams, was an opportunity for followers to be introduced to the two vivacious young women who had been adopted by their respective teams, as well as other members of the community who have served crucial roles in the work of the FOJ Foundation. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from representatives of other teams who have also adopted young people through the efforts of the Foundation. The adoption program improves the quality of life for both the members of the teams as well as the children afflicted with the challenges.
Emceed by Denis Murphy, Jaclyn’s father, the dinner served as an opportunity for the public to be introduced via video to the nearly two dozen other collegiate athletic teams who have adopted brain tumor survivors and to learn that each person associated with the program has a chance to grow and learn from the adoption experience. Taylor Downs, the captain of the men’s soccer team at Amherst, and head coach Justine Serpone both attended to give the perspective from the Lord Jeffs, while Bayly Buck, a camp counselor who had befriended the Murphys years ago, also presented her thoughts to the attendees. The Foundation presented participation trophies to both Northwestern and Georgetown, recognizing their roles in the progress of the Foundation. |
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