Team Plays Lacrosse for Little Leukemia Victim
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - Six-year-old Ella has Leukemia. She is not alone in her fight. Ella has a team which includes her mother and father Patrick and Kelly Young.
“We’ve been in this fight for about a year and half,” said Kelly Young. "We have about 11 months to go until she is completely off treatment. Then, of course, she will be watched for the rest of her life."
Ella has more than just her mom and dad on her side. She has an actual team of some of the top high school lacrosse players in Metro Atlanta. A team called Team Lax for Leukemia, which not only plays in tournaments across the southeast, the boys also help to raise funds for children like Ella as well as increase awareness about the disease
“It has helped me with the process. It has given me an outlet and with all the support from the kids, it’s just been amazing,” Patrick Young said.
The back of each boy’s lacrosse helmet has the words “For Ella” written in bold black letters on a bright and shiny orange background. “For Ella” with an orange ribbon for Leukemia awareness are printed on the sleeves of their uniforms. The team was started by Ella’s dad, a varsity lacrosse coach for Northview High School for two years during which time his team won the 2014 state championship. Team Lax for Lacrosse also has a website (www.lax4leukemia) and is a 501(c)(3) charity that accepts donations in support of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Many of the items donated were important in Ella’s treatment there.
“One very cool thing, they are called Chemo Ducks,” said Megan Hicks, a team mom. “They are little stuffed animals that simulate what a child is going through. They have little mini ports on them. And the children love them.”
When we asked Ella if she liked lacrosse, she grinned and quickly said: “No, not really,” as laughter erupted from those gathered around our interview with her parents. During that game we watched as Ella was understandably more content with a Disney coloring book while keeping a teammate’s dog company in the stands. But Patrick said his daughter definitely feels the boys’ love for her.
The roles of player and spectator are reversed on this special team. As the boys took the lacrosse field under a picture-perfect Autumn sky, they huddled with all hands in and shouted, “Ella on three! Ella on three! One! Two! Three! And then the roar: “ELLA!”
That weekend, Team Lax for Leukemia won the Southside Holiday Classic lacrosse tournament in Peachtree City by going 5-0. The boys presented their championship plaque to Ella.