ESU Rallying Behind Student’s Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser

The East Stroudsburg University campus community is rallying behind a student’s effort to raise funding for muscular dystrophy that was inspired by her bond with a nine-year-old boy battling the condition.

Alexa Taylor, a junior double majoring in early childhood and elementary education and special education, has partnered with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) to raise $1,200 by selling paper shamrocks through the end of March as part of MDA’s national fundraising campaign.

Sold for $1 each, the shamrocks fund research towards finding a cure for muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass, according to the MDA. A portion of each $1 raised also goes towards helping families pay for medical expenses, Taylor said.

After the shamrocks are sold, they are displayed in the hallway of Stroud Hall’s second floor, where Taylor and supporters came together to decorate with posters, flyers and banners sharing facts about muscular dystrophy. The materials are all in green, the color associated with muscular dystrophy awareness.

In the fundraiser’s first few days, nearly 200 shamrocks were sold, Taylor said.

“It’s all coming together,” she said. “It’s been so exciting to see the support.”

‘Part of the family’

For Taylor, the cause is a personal one.

Nine-year-old Ian Girvin is currently fighting a common but severe form of the condition called Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Taylor said. Taylor met Ian in 2020 while she was coaching a special needs cheerleading team in her hometown of Lancaster, Pa. He was diagnosed with DMD the following year at the age of five.

The two quickly formed a close bond, with Taylor pitching in to help Ian’s family by babysitting, driving him to doctor’s appointments, helping out with schoolwork, or taking him to the pool during the summer, she said.

“He’s like a little brother,” she said. “He’s part of the family.”

Though Ian recently underwent a successful treatment to stabilize progression of DMD, he is no longer able to walk on his own and requires a wheelchair, Taylor said. However, the family’s insurance claim for one was denied, she said.

Ian’s case, and similar ones affecting children and their families around the world, illustrated the need for fundraisers and motivated Taylor into action, she said.

“Ian deserves a childhood where he is able to do everything his peers do,” she said.

Supporting the cause

Since launching the campaign at the beginning of March, there has been no shortage of support.

The College of Education, the Council for Exceptional Children, Kappa Delta Pi, Lambda Iota, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Alpha Sigma Tau and Unified Sports, an inclusive sports program affiliated with the Special Olympics, have all joined in the effort to sell shamrocks. Taylor said she expects more campus organizations to get involved throughout the month.

Students are also stopping Taylor around campus to buy shamrocks, she said.

“It makes me happy to see I’m supported by others and that they want to help to make this dream a reality,” she said.

In addition to the fundraiser’s impact, Taylor is also finding enrichment of her own, she said.

Coupled with her work as vice president of ESU’s Best Buddies program and lead mentor for students in the Career and Independent Living and Learning Studies (CILLS) program, her experiences organizing the shamrock sale exemplifies her Commitment to Self-Growth and Dedication to Empowering Others, two of the seven Ways of the Warrior.

“This is all about showing people, ‘Here’s what’s happening. Let’s come together and fix this,’” she said.

Anyone interested in purchasing a shamrock to support the MDA can message Taylor at ataylor31@live.esu.edu or “musculardystrophyesu” on Instagram, contact any of the participating groups, or stop by an upcoming event:

• On Monday, March 17, and Thursday, March 27, Sigma Sigma Sigma will be selling shamrocks in the University Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• On Monday, March 17, and Thursday, March 20, Alpha Sigma Tau will be selling shamrocks in the University Center from 1 to 3 p.m.

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