TEMPLE, Texas — Two Central Texas soccer coaches are giving back to the community by hosting a charity soccer tournament event for the third year in a row. It's all to help raise funds for a specific family or group in need.
Centex Storm soccer coaches, Abby and Jonathan Hernandez chose Maddie Proctor this year, a young girl who suffers from Rett syndrome. She is 1 out of 350,000 children in the world with this diagnosis.
"Our close friend let us know about what was going on with Maddie, and it was just a no brainer that we wanted her to be our cause this year," Abby Hernandez said. "Our win is giving whatever we can to donate to Maddie."
Rett syndrome is a rare disorder leading to severe impairments. It affects nearly every aspect of life, including the ability to speak, walk, eat and breathe easily.
"For Maddie's specific deletion, there are 47 registered girls in the world, 47 with her specific deletion," Adriene Proctor, Maddie's mother, said.
Maddie Proctor is in eight therapies a week. Through daily physical therapy and a gait trainer, she is currently learning to walk.
"It is so important for her to get therapy every single day, occupational therapy and physical therapy to help her learn to keep that preserved hand movement to help with the preserved speech," Adriene Proctor added.
While the therapy is essential for children like Maddie, it comes at a high price. But with the help of the Hernandez family and a strong community, Maddie and her family will be able to continue the fight.
"They are giving my child additional years on her life," Adriene Proctor said. "That's priceless."
The GoFundMe for Maddie can be found here.
Adriene Proctor says as much as she appreciates the awareness and attention, there are other matters out there and wants to speak out for those who don't always get the chance to be heard.
"Bell County has an influx of special needs families due to being home to McLane Children's Hospital as well as Fort Hood (Fort Cavazos)," Adriene Proctor said. "With Maddie's new diagnosis, we want to take our family pain and strife and turn it into something beautiful. We not only want to be Maddie's voice, but we want to be a voice for all families and children who fight daily for things we all take for granted."
More ways to help in the community: