Fresno State Athletics
There's Something About Sarah
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Jan. 2, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. -
There is a line in a song that says, "feed my will, to feel this moment." The line is saying, inspire me! Help me to taste, not waste, every drop of my life. It's a fact. We need people to inspire us. And there is nothing wrong with that. Inspiration always comes full circle. It never stops. Around and around it goes. To be inspired just once shows we as human beings are capable of living more passionately and simply than we do.
Sarah Papazian inspired me. I was an 18 year-old student-athlete, an incoming freshman, when I got the privilege to meet Sarah. Sarah was a 10 year-old fifth grader with acute undifferentiated leukemia. I heard about the Big Hero/Little Hero program from my coach and I decided to join it. This became the best decision I ever made.
The purpose of the Big Hero/Little Hero program is to develop relationships between Fresno State student-athletes and Valley Children Hospital's patients. This relationship is important because it gets the kids away from the hospital. It is a relationship with someone who is not trying to take the child's temperature or poke them with a needle. It's a one on one relationship. The relationship between the student-athlete and patient is expected to run one to two years, ideally longer. My relationship with Sarah is running onto four years.
The idea of the program is the big hero and little hero get together once a month during the school year. Sometimes it is a pizza party, a trip to the Metropolitan Museum, or the big hero softball game. There is always a special Christmas party at Valley Children's hospital. And my relationship with Sarah has evolved into more than five or six meetings a year. I have gone to the movies with her. Attended her family's Christmas party. Been to her church fashion shows. And I celebrated my 20th birthday with her and her family. Her family has become my second family.
The Big Hero/Little Hero program evolved from the Cal Bowl Buddy Booster program that paired student-athletes from the competing team with young patients from Valley Children's Hospital. When the Cal Bowl ended in 1991, the Rotary Club of Fresno wanted to continue pairing Valley Children's Hospital patients with Fresno State student-athletes and the Big Hero/Little Hero program was born.
The program began with one get together each year. As word got out on the success of the program by showcasing the children's enthusiasm and Fresno State's love affair with these children, the partnership evolved into a six to seven-time celebration during each year as the Rotary Club of Fresno continues to provide financial support.
The name Big Hero/ Little Hero speaks volumes about why this program is so special. As 12-year member Jane Papazian says, "We came up with the name Little Hero because these kids are surviving disabilities. They are such little fighters. Some of these kids have had multiple operations and dealt with cancer treatment."
The key word here is 'kids.' It's not fair. Kids are too young to have had to endure that kind of pain physically and emotionally. Getting to know Sarah's trials and tribulations through this program has put my life into perspective. Is working out really that hard? Is studying for my finals really that stressful? Is my version of a 'bad day' really that bad? The little heroes are not just inspiration to the big heroes. The big heroes are also inspiration to the little heroes.
As committee member Lorna Milligan said, "The athletes are heroes to these kids. You can see the admiration in the kids' eyes. It gives the kids someone to look up too."
And as a Fresno rotary member and Fresno State Associate Athletics Director Diane Milutinovich, who oversees the program for the athletics department, says, "It's important because when you are healthy its good to give to someone who might not have all the things you do."
And from a parent's perspective on the program, Sarah's mom, Sandy, said, "some of the kids have life long illnesses that they are dealing with. Being with the big hero takes them out of that arena. They can talk sports with someone else. They can ask what college life is like because the reality is that some of these kids will never get to go to college."
What has Sarah, my little hero, got out of this program?
"I got a second older sister. I know a whole lot more about track and basketball. And I learned never to high five a volleyball player!"
I was inspired by Sarah the first time I ever met her. She had no hair. Her face was pale. Her body looked weak. She was in the midst of her two-year battle with cancer. But Sarah had this unwavering spirit in her voice and heart. That inspired me.
Thank you Sarah for inspiring me to not give up in my life, for being the little sister I never had. The most important thing that came out of Fresno State for me was you. You have been my angel, and then some.
by Jennifer Smith