Embrace the Impact: Delaney Joins Saint Michael's Swimming & Diving Through Team Impact

Embrace the Impact: Delaney Joins Saint Michael's Swimming & Diving Through Team Impact
Posted: Oct 04, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's men's and women's swimming & diving teams are proud to announce the addition of 9-year-old Delaney Johnson of Essex Junction to their rosters through their partnership with Team IMPACT. Johnson was introduced on Friday at 4 p.m. in the Tarrant Recreation Center's Hall of Fame Room.

Team IMPACT is a non‐profit organization that improves the quality of life for children facing chronic or life-threatening illness through the power of team. Johnson, who will join her teams at practices, meets and other team functions, has been battling alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) since shortly after being born. AHC causes a range of paralysis, from simple numbness in an extremity to full loss of feeling and movement, lasting for minutes, hours or even days.

"We are so happy to have Delaney and her family as part of our team," said swimming & diving head coach Eileen Hall. "Having her and her sisters swimming with us and cheering at meets will motivate us to be our best. We have already learned a lot about courage and determination from Del and are proud to call her a teammate. As we face our school year and season and the challenges that accompany it, we will all be stronger because of our connection. Team IMPACT has been amazing in helping us meet Del and her family and start this new partnership."

The Purple Knights supported Delaney and her family on Sept. 9 at the fifth annual Del's Ride and Trail Run, a mountain bike and trail run event that raised more than $22,000 for Cure AHC, a global initiative. The fundraiser was held at Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski and Bike Center in Huntington, and has led to more than $92,000 being raised in the last five years. Learn more at cureahc.org and delsride.org.

 

-Information for this release provided by Saint Michael's Athletic Communications - 

ABOUT TEAM IMPACT

Team IMPACT is a Boston-headquartered non‐profit organization serving children who are facing life‐threatening or chronic illnesses by creating unparalleled team-based support systems. Core to its model is leveraging the power of teamwork by matching these courageous kids with college athletic teams. Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched nearly 1,600 children with more than 500 colleges and universities in 48 states, reaching more than 50,000 student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child's support team. Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support while the student-athletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective.

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.