Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's softball team will be joining forces with a local Wyckoff family for the second time on Saturday, April 15th, to spread awareness of Eosinophilia Esophagitis (EE).
The Roadrunners and the Schuh family became instant friends some two-plus years ago when an article published back in February of 2015 hit home for a local mother.
The Bergen Record covered a story about then senior,
Kim LaPenta (
read here) in 2015 and her laundry list of medical conditions and severe allergies that she suffers from each and every day. The story was a positive one. How Kim has grown to be the woman she is today because of her daily challenges with EE, asthma, severe dairy allergies and more. The story spoke about how the softball field was her safe haven for many years and how she has proven that despite her daily challenges, she can still be successful on the field and in life.
A local mother, Ms. Colleen Schuh of Wyckoff, responded to the article. "Thank you so much for the recent article about this young girl and EE. My son, Peter is an 11 year old boy with EE, Celiac Disease, Sugar Issues, Asthma, and Allergies. He was diagnosed with EE after spending most of last year (2014) sick. He is a local Wyckoff athlete that lives to play sports. It's inspiring to see this girl's story because his dream is to remain playing sports through college. Thank you for shedding light on this rare illness and sharing her inspiring story. Stories like these help educate community."
The athletic department reached out to Ms. Schuh and invited the family to join forces with the Roadrunners to spread awareness about EE and other medical conditions our children suffer from on a daily basis. On Saturday, April 25, 2015, the Schuh family attended a Ramapo softball game. Peter and the family were able to meet Kim, a senior at the time, and during pre-game announcements the department addressed the crowd regarding the struggles these two young athletes face each day.
This Saturday the Roadrunners and the Schuh family will again join forces to spread awareness and raise money for the Cured Foundation. The games start at 1pm. Join us at the Athletic Center. (https://curedfoundation.org/)
Both Peter and Kim boast courage in fighting the battles they fight each and every day. They live their lives to the fullest and enjoy their involvement in sports. The two have shown their bravery by sharing their stories to help spread awareness!
EE awareness week is May 14-20. For more information visit: www.apfed.org!
