FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - With a little help from an organization called Friends of Jaclyn (FOJ), the Adelphi University women's lacrosse program added another star to their 2018-19 roster, in the form of five-year old Alexia "Lexi" Corvino, who suffers from a very rare and complex form of Mitochondrial Disease.
Not only did the team "adopt" Lexi, but welcomed her mom, dad and older brother Frankie on a cool Friday in early September.
The team was introduced to the Corvino family through Friends of Jaclyn, a not-for-profit that aims to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with local teams, clubs and community groups.
Denis Murphy, father and founder of FOJ, was on-site for the ceremony and shared a little of his story before turning it over to Lexi and her family.
In 2004, nine year old Jaclyn Murphy was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. Through chance events she became connected to and later adopted by Northwestern Univesrity women's lacrosse team as an honorary team member. The team went on to a perfect season, winning their first NCAA national championship in 64 years.
Later, Jaclyn shared her dream of helping all of the sick children in the hospital with her family and in 2005 the foundation was born.
"The entire coaching staff at Adelphi have done more than just enhance the lives of the Corvino family -- they've just put into motion the development of leaders both on and off the field," commented Murphy.
"We can't wait to see how Lexi grows with this team, we know she is in great hands with Coach McCabe and Frankie Caridi at the helm!"
Melissa Corvino, Lexi's mother spoke to the group and explained what her daughter battles every day after being diagnosed with this rare disease.
"They [FOJ] have brought more hope and light into our lives and extended our amazing family and supporters with uniting us with Adelphi women's lacrosse," she remarked. "This is more than Lexi and Frankie "joining a team" to us, it's the start of a forever bond we now have with Lexi's new sisters."
"We can look forward to cheering on the girls instead of dwelling on our harsh reality we face when Lexi is sick. Just in the past week I have seen both kids have so much to look forward too rather than seeing worry and fear."
The team enjoyed dinosaur nuggets with ketchup - Lexi's favorite- and funfetti cupcakes before heading out to Motamed Field to take some photos and play some games.
"For starters, I never truly understood the meaning of toughness until I met Lexi, or as we like to call her "Lexinator," said senior captain Chelsea Abreu.
"The number of hurdles that Lexi has had to overcome up until this point in her life and her resiliency through it all, is a true testament to her strength. Although she is only a kindergartner, Lexi's vibrant and outgoing personality goes well beyond her years. On behalf of the entire AU family we would like to thank the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation for matching us with our forever friend in Lexi. We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this journey."
Click the following links to learn more about Friends of Jaclyn and Lexi's Might to Fight.
- Information for this release provided by Adelphi Sports Information
FRIENDS OF JACLYN
The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers and to raise awareness through their Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines and Guardian Angel Programs.
We do this by pairing the afflicted child and their siblings with local high school and college sports teams, campus clubs, and arts programs in their community. If your team or club is ready to start making a difference in a child’s life please register today!
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.