Colin LindenmayerApril 26, 2008Even though she can't see the field, Macie Morse attends every Colorado Ice home game.Macie, a 15-year-old ninth grader at Wellington Junior High School, has optic nerve hypoplasia. Ice kicker Deric Yaussi has developed a fundraiser to pay for a procedure to hopefully cure the blindness-causing syndrome.The fundraiser, dubbed "Kickin' It For Macie," has its own announcement during halftime of United Indoor Football League games at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland. People are encouraged to donate any amount of money per point Yaussi scores this season. In addition, buckets are passed through the arena during the game to collect donations from the crowd."I've heard about other fundraisers throughout the league and I thought it was my turn," Yaussi said.At the Ice's home opener on April 10, fans donated over $1,000. Money collected from the Ice's April 18 game combined with other donation sources for Macie total about $11,000."We're getting donations from people all over that we don't even know and never heard of just because they know that Deric is doing this," Macie's mom, Rochelle Morse, said.Yaussi said he hopes to raise all the money for the procedure -- which costs about $30,000 and isn't offered in the U.S. -- but if the funds fall short, he's glad he gave the family a head start."The goal right now is just to raise as much as possible," Yaussi said. "(Macie's) family is very appreciative for what I'm doing."Optic nerve hypoplasia is one of the leading causes of blindness in children. The disorder causes fibers in the eyes' nerves to stop growing. The procedure the Morses have decided on, which is only offered in China, gives the patient cord blood stemcell injections. The blood comes from donated umbilical cords.Though Macie's operation would be considered a case study, the injections have been performed on 10 children, all of which experienced improvements in their vision. Macie has no vision in one eye and very poor vision in the other.When Yaussi informed the Morses he had decided to help raise money for the injection, the family flooded with emotion."Macie started crying. Her mom got real emotional," Yaussi said.Said Rochelle: "I don't even have words for it. People just don't do that nowadays."Yaussi met the Morses through his mom, Carol Yaussi, who works with Rochelle at Poudre High School. When the two became friends and introduced their families to each other, Yaussi found out about Macie's condition.He said he created the fund because he had the ability to help a family friend in need.The fundraiser isn't distracting Yaussi from his kicking. Heading into tonight's road game against the Omaha Beef, he ranks first among United Indoor Football League kickers in scoring with 56 points, first in field goals per game with 1.83, and first in point-after-touchdown percentage at 92 percent (23-for-25).
http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/20080426/SPORTS/824980934
Showing posts with label Macie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Macie. Show all posts
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Yaussi kicks it for Macie
Yaussi kicks it for Macie in home openerBY HAP FRY HapFry@coloradoan.com
LOVELAND - Macie Morse is trying to see, and Deric Yaussi is putting his best foot forward to ensure that she does.
The Colorado Ice kicker booted two field goals and added two extra points in the Ice's home-opener Thursday night against the Billings Outlaws.
Yaussi hopes to help raise aproximately $40,000 for Morse, who suffers from optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) and is nearly blind.
That money would be used to send Morse to China where she would receive a stem-cell injection that has been successful in treating people with ONH.
Morse and Yaussi filmed a segment, which was shown at halftime, together urging people to donate money and or sponsor him by making a financial pledge for every point he scores this season.
A silent Bud Center crowd then saw a video of what Morse's every day experiences are like.
"I pretty much cried all the way through it," said Rochelle Morse, Macie's mother. "It's just unbelievable that this is all happening. Just the generosity of all the fans, the Ice and Deric Yaussi has been incredible."
LOVELAND - Macie Morse is trying to see, and Deric Yaussi is putting his best foot forward to ensure that she does.
The Colorado Ice kicker booted two field goals and added two extra points in the Ice's home-opener Thursday night against the Billings Outlaws.
Yaussi hopes to help raise aproximately $40,000 for Morse, who suffers from optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) and is nearly blind.
That money would be used to send Morse to China where she would receive a stem-cell injection that has been successful in treating people with ONH.
Morse and Yaussi filmed a segment, which was shown at halftime, together urging people to donate money and or sponsor him by making a financial pledge for every point he scores this season.
A silent Bud Center crowd then saw a video of what Morse's every day experiences are like.
"I pretty much cried all the way through it," said Rochelle Morse, Macie's mother. "It's just unbelievable that this is all happening. Just the generosity of all the fans, the Ice and Deric Yaussi has been incredible."
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Kicker points worth more than wins for local teen
Colorado Ice kicker Deric Yaussi, left, has started a fund to benefit Macie Morse, right, who suffers from blindness caused by optic nerve hypoplasia. The fund, known as Kickin it for Macie, accepts pledge amounts for every point Yaussi kicks this season.
Kickin It for Macie
To help Macie Morse out, send donations to Macie's Vision Quest, c/o Warren Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1319, Wellington, CO, 80549.
What is optic nerve hypoplasia?
"Hypoplasia" means smaller than normal. Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) refers to small or underdevelopment of the nerve which transmits vision signals from the eye to the brain. This is usually associated with permanent vision loss, which may be mild or severe. ONH may affect either one or both eyes.Source: American Association for Pediactric Ophthamology and Strabismus.
Kicker's points worth more than wins for local teenBY SEAN DUFF SeanDuff@coloradoan.com
Every point Colorado Ice kicker Deric Yaussi scores is critical for his football team.
But the field goals and extra points he puts through the uprights are crucial for Macie Morse, a 15-year-old ninth grader who attends Wellington Junior High School.
Morse, an Idaho native whose family moved eight years ago to Wellington, was born with optic nerve hypoplasia.
The medical definition of hypoplasia means smaller than normal. Optic nerve hypoplasia refers to underdevelopment of the nerve which transmits vision signals from the eye to the brain.
In layman's terms, she can't see.
Morse, an articulate, thoughtful teen-ager, described it this way.
"It's the cord that connects from the eye to the brain that sends information from what your eye sees to the brain," Morse said. "That cord didn't fully develop. My left eye didn't develop at all; my right eye has a little bit."
Morse said she can see well enough out of her right eye to walk, and she can read print if it's 3 or 4 inches from her face. That's about the extent of her vision, though.
The impairment has made life difficult for Morse, her mother, Rochelle Morse, said.
"It's not pretty how she is treated at school," Rochelle said. "She gets made fun of a lot; she takes a lot of physical abuse. Kids are mean; they're awful, tripping her and pushing her into lockers and stuff."
It was during these trying times that Randy Yaussi, Deric's father and a longtime Poudre School District educator and coach, was filling in as principal at Wellington Junior High.
"He got to see how Macie was treated," Morse said. "He said he had to go into his office with tears in his eyes."
There is no treatment for OPN in the United States. But while searching the Internet one day, Morse came across a treatment program in China.
"They're doing stem-cell injections in China on kids with ONH that seem to be working," Morse said. "They're actually all different kinds of places - Mexico, Dominican Republic, South Africa. The reason we chose China is they're adding nerve growth as well."
Morse said the cost of the treatment and travel to China is about $30,000. And that's where the Yaussi family came up with a plan to help raise money for Macie Morse.
"I've known Macie for a while," said Deric Yaussi, a former Poudre High student whose mother, Carol, and Rochelle Morse work together at the school. "I wanted to do something to help her get her sight. The best position for me playing for the Ice was to have a fundraiser. I can raise money for every point I make."
So Yaussi started Kickin It for Macie, where people can pledge any amount of money for every point he makes in the United Indoor Football league season or just give an outright donation. The Ice (1-3) plays its home opener tonight against the Billings Outlaws, and Yaussi has scored 35points in the first four games.
"She's a great girl," Yaussi said. "Some of the things she's had to go through, like getting her head pushed into a locker, are things no one should have to go through."
Rochelle Morse said about $2,000 has been raised so far. She's hoping the Kickin It for Macie campaign will bring her family much closer to their goal of $30,000. The family is hoping to go to China by Christmas.
"The more I score, the more I help the team and help Macie," Yaussi said. "It benefits both."
Macie, who describes Yaussi as a "football hunk," says she is very happy at having a chance to see.
"I can't imagine what it would be like," Macie said. "I've dreamt about it forever.
"My first thing I want to see is my mom. Then I want to see as much as possible."
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080410/SPORTS/804100352/1006/SPORTS
Kickin It for Macie
To help Macie Morse out, send donations to Macie's Vision Quest, c/o Warren Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 1319, Wellington, CO, 80549.
What is optic nerve hypoplasia?
"Hypoplasia" means smaller than normal. Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) refers to small or underdevelopment of the nerve which transmits vision signals from the eye to the brain. This is usually associated with permanent vision loss, which may be mild or severe. ONH may affect either one or both eyes.Source: American Association for Pediactric Ophthamology and Strabismus.
Kicker's points worth more than wins for local teenBY SEAN DUFF SeanDuff@coloradoan.com
Every point Colorado Ice kicker Deric Yaussi scores is critical for his football team.
But the field goals and extra points he puts through the uprights are crucial for Macie Morse, a 15-year-old ninth grader who attends Wellington Junior High School.
Morse, an Idaho native whose family moved eight years ago to Wellington, was born with optic nerve hypoplasia.
The medical definition of hypoplasia means smaller than normal. Optic nerve hypoplasia refers to underdevelopment of the nerve which transmits vision signals from the eye to the brain.
In layman's terms, she can't see.
Morse, an articulate, thoughtful teen-ager, described it this way.
"It's the cord that connects from the eye to the brain that sends information from what your eye sees to the brain," Morse said. "That cord didn't fully develop. My left eye didn't develop at all; my right eye has a little bit."
Morse said she can see well enough out of her right eye to walk, and she can read print if it's 3 or 4 inches from her face. That's about the extent of her vision, though.
The impairment has made life difficult for Morse, her mother, Rochelle Morse, said.
"It's not pretty how she is treated at school," Rochelle said. "She gets made fun of a lot; she takes a lot of physical abuse. Kids are mean; they're awful, tripping her and pushing her into lockers and stuff."
It was during these trying times that Randy Yaussi, Deric's father and a longtime Poudre School District educator and coach, was filling in as principal at Wellington Junior High.
"He got to see how Macie was treated," Morse said. "He said he had to go into his office with tears in his eyes."
There is no treatment for OPN in the United States. But while searching the Internet one day, Morse came across a treatment program in China.
"They're doing stem-cell injections in China on kids with ONH that seem to be working," Morse said. "They're actually all different kinds of places - Mexico, Dominican Republic, South Africa. The reason we chose China is they're adding nerve growth as well."
Morse said the cost of the treatment and travel to China is about $30,000. And that's where the Yaussi family came up with a plan to help raise money for Macie Morse.
"I've known Macie for a while," said Deric Yaussi, a former Poudre High student whose mother, Carol, and Rochelle Morse work together at the school. "I wanted to do something to help her get her sight. The best position for me playing for the Ice was to have a fundraiser. I can raise money for every point I make."
So Yaussi started Kickin It for Macie, where people can pledge any amount of money for every point he makes in the United Indoor Football league season or just give an outright donation. The Ice (1-3) plays its home opener tonight against the Billings Outlaws, and Yaussi has scored 35points in the first four games.
"She's a great girl," Yaussi said. "Some of the things she's had to go through, like getting her head pushed into a locker, are things no one should have to go through."
Rochelle Morse said about $2,000 has been raised so far. She's hoping the Kickin It for Macie campaign will bring her family much closer to their goal of $30,000. The family is hoping to go to China by Christmas.
"The more I score, the more I help the team and help Macie," Yaussi said. "It benefits both."
Macie, who describes Yaussi as a "football hunk," says she is very happy at having a chance to see.
"I can't imagine what it would be like," Macie said. "I've dreamt about it forever.
"My first thing I want to see is my mom. Then I want to see as much as possible."
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080410/SPORTS/804100352/1006/SPORTS
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