PURCHASE, N.Y. – For the Manhattanville men's basketball team, the program's Most Valuable Contributor wears #5 to games and yet has never played in a game, never been to college and can't even get his driver's license yet. So when 14-year old AJ Buchanan faced a setback in his battle against cancerous brain tumors, there was no hesitation in the team's response.
But while Manhattanville came immediately to their teammates' aid both emotionally and financially, it was a team not on the Manhattanville schedule this year that provided the impetus to form the “AJ5 Fund” and spread AJ's story to a larger audience.
That team was the Elms College men's basketball team, who saw the story on the Manhattanville Athletics website and volunteered to not use the team's meal money for one night and instead donate the money to AJ and his family.
“I found out about AJ through the Valiant website, as [head coach] Pat Scanlon is a friend and from time to time I check out how the Valiants are doing,” said Elms head men's basketball coach Ed Silva. “When I read AJ's story and his involvement with the basketball team, I was deeply touched. I went to my captains and spoke with them about AJ and without hesitation they thought that giving our meal money ($10 each for the game) was something they wanted to do. As a coach, this is one of the valuable examples that we use to teach life lessons. We are hoping Pat and his Valiant players get AJ back on the bench soon.”
With one simple gesture and the donation of a single game's meal money, a group that had never met AJ had touched his life and provided crucial support to him and his siblings as he continues his daily fight with cancer, a fight that was come to the forefront again after a brain tumor returned and necessitated his return to the care of doctors at The Maria Fareri Childrens Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. And with that unsolicited donation, the men's basketball team was encouraged to give up a meal of their own and spread the word about a courageous young man in hopes of providing him with much-needed support and encouragement.
The team hopes that all those that read of AJ's story will be encouraged to make a similar sacrifice to help an incredible young man get back onto the court along with the players and coaches who have become like family to him. Even just one day's meal money can make a world of a difference to AJ and all those like him who battle with brain tumors.
“A week later, I'm still humbled by the generosity of Coach Silva and the Elms basketball team,” Scanlon said. “I've known Coach Silva for a few years, and I think he's a great coach and an even better person. So, upon reflection it's not surprising that his team thought to do this for AJ. I think it's just a great example of what a team is capable of doing off the court. It's a powerful message they sent, not because of the amount of money, which is very generous, but more so because it's a group of 'strangers' stepping up with action to support and encourage a young man and family who could use it.”
AJ's story is a long and winding one. He first dealt with brain tumors at the young age of nine, when he spent nine months in the hospital battling cancer. His younger brother, Devon, also was born at the same time in a different wing of the same hospital in which AJ was fighting for his life. AJ barely survived his ordeal thanks in large part to a stem cell donation, and started the road back to living a relatively normal life.
Then, five years later and just five days after Manhattanville's graduation this past May, AJ's mother died unexpectedly. This left AJ's 20-year old sister LaToya to raise him, Devon and a 17-year old sister without parental help. And it left AJ with the challenge of fighting cancer for a second time, only without his mother.
Members of the Manhattanville men's basketball team have been right there beside AJ since Spring 2010, when AJ joined the Manhattanville men's basketball team through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which brings together children battling brain tumors and college athletic teams, and which currently has over 300 children paired with athletic teams. Valiant players have been by his side constantly through the passing of his mother and ever since his return to the hospital, playing video games with him on the good days and spending the night at his bedside during the not-so-good ones. The best days, however, are when AJ joins the team for practices and sits on the bench next to the players and coaches during games. Although he hasn't been on the Valiant bench yet this year in his familiar #5 jersey, the team still draws on him for support and inspiration.
"AJ has been a true blessing not only for our team, but for our college, families and friends. He has been an unbelievable inspiration to everyone. His courage and strength would be amazing for any person, but especially so for someone so young," Scanlon said. "Our team is so fortunate in having a teammate to teach us so much about how to live. We are grateful for the chance to spend time with him at Westchester Medical Center, but we need AJ to rejoin us on the bench where he excels at encouraging our players and getting on the refs."
And in turn, the Valiants help play some role in the life of their youngest and most resilient teammate. The team already wears special powder blue warmup tops with “AJ” and his #5 on the back, but the squad hopes that other teams can step up to provide more support for AJ and his family as well.
"The love, support and friendship that the Manhattanville basketball team has given to AJ have truly made a difference. Manhattanville College embodies the very nature of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation," said Suzanne Jacobs, Adoption Coordinator at the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.
For more information on AJ or donating to the “AJ5 Fund”, please email Pat Scanlon at Pat.Scanlon@mville.edu or call (914) 323-7271.
