Eva shows off her signed Letter of Intent as the newest member of the Stonehill volleyball program. |
EASTON, Mass. (December 15, 2014) – The Stonehill College volleyball program has announced the signing of seven-year old Eva Fox of Pembroke, Massachusetts, to its roster through Team IMPACT.
Team IMPACT (Inspire, Motivate, Play Against Challenges Together) is a New England based non-profit organization that aims at improving the quality of life for kids facing life-threatening illnesses by creating unparalleled team based support systems with area college athletic teams. Eva is the latest from Team IMPACT to join the Skyhawk family as the volleyball team joins the men's soccer, baseball, football, men's and women's basketball, field hockey and ice hockey teams to be involved with the program.
Eva became very ill in February of 2012 before being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a form of cancer in which malignant cells are overproduced in the bone marrow and can spread to other parts of the body. Shortly after returning home from an initial six-week stay at the hospital, Eva was hospitalized in the intensive care unit for an additional month with pancreatitis. Changes in her treatment brought improvement, and this past April, Eva finished her treatment as her cancer was declared to be in remission. Eva still makes regular visits to the clinic, as her treatment is now in the maintenance phase.
"We feel very lucky to have found a match with Team IMPACT," head volleyball coach Lauren Amundson said. "This is an organization that does so much good for so many people, and we're excited to be a part of that. The team got to meet Eva and her sister Grace last week, and the enthusiasm from both sides was so much fun to watch. Our team is lucky in so many ways, and having Eva with us will be a great reminder to never take things for granted. We're looking forward to welcoming her and her family into ours."
Eva, whose twin sister and best friend Grace also joined the Stonehill volleyball program, loves to swim, dance, and eat, with her favorite foods being macaroni and cheese and cake. Both Eva and Grace enjoy TV shows such as the Thundermans, and their favorite athlete is David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox.
Members of the volleyball program also expressed their enthusiasm for the newest additions to the team. "As a team, we are all so excited to welcome Eva and Grace to our Stonehill Volleyball family," said Meaghan Martin, a junior defensive specialist and accounting major. "They will be a fantastic addition to our team. They are so cute and lovable that they just make us smile with their presence!"
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