By Caleb Scott
ADA — For the third consecutive season, the No. 15-ranked Ohio Northern women's soccer team will host its annual Friends of Jaclyn contest at Kerscher Stadium as it hosts Muskingum on Saturday, Oct. 21.
The Polar Bears (13-1-1 overall, 6-0-0 OAC), became members of Friends of Jaclyn in 2015; 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.
Through the foundation the women's soccer team adopted Tori Gillham, then 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.
While the team hopes to show support and love to Tori and her family as she undergoes chemotherapy treatments, Tori and her mom have shown tremendous support for the team. Tori has been named #41 of the Women's Soccer team and spends home games on the sidelines with the team while wearing her ONU jersey.
For more information regarding this foundation and the families they have helped please visit their website at http://friendsofjaclyn.org/.
