Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Dragons Team Up For "Home Run For Life"

Dayton, Ohio -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons will host 13-year-old Parker McCalip during the unique "Home Run for Life" program on Wednesday, May 6, at 7 p.m. when the Dayton Dragons take on the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Fifth Third Field. 

The Anthem Home Run for Life program provides children in the Dayton region a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they battle serious medical conditions. Each honoree gets to take a symbolic home run lap around the bases of Fifth Third Field during a sold-out Dragons home game while the crowd provides a standing ovation.

Parker's Story

When Parker was just eight years old, her second grade teacher noticed she was having frequent staring spells during school. Parker's parents had feared something was wrong based on similar behaviors at home and took action once someone outside the family noticed her symptoms, as well.

The family's pediatrician referred Parker to the neurology department at Dayton Children's Hospital where she received an EEG, a test to detect abnormalities related to electrical activity of the brain. Parker was quickly diagnosed with epilepsy that included absence (petit mal) seizures. Absence seizures cause a short period of "blanking out" or staring into space. 

Immediately, Parker started medication to get her condition under control. "I thought I wasn't normal because no other kid I knew had to take medicine," Parker said. As she got older and started to wean off the medication due to significant improvement, her situation suddenly became worse. 

In August of 2009, Parker had her first grand mal seizure. These seizures are much more serious than absence seizures; they can involve violent muscle contractions and loss of consciousness. These more severe seizures continued through April 2012 for Parker. Fortunately, she hasn't had once since then and is seizure free.

Parker is now 13 years old and in eighth grade at Oakwood Junior High School. Her epilepsy is something that she will have to manage her entire life, but it's not going to stop her from achieving her goals. "I love science, inventing things and working with computers. When I grow up I want to be an engineer and a game designer," Parker said.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons applaud all those who have been instrumental in Parker's life, including her parents Ben and Jenny, Dr. Roer, Dr. Kumar, and the entire medical team at Dayton Children's Hospital. Please join us in cheering on Parker as she completes her Home Run for Life at Fifth Third Field on May 6.

More Information:  The Dayton Dragons are the Midwest League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and play a 70-game home schedule at beautiful Fifth Third Field in downtown Dayton, easily accessible from Interstate 75. Individuals and groups seeking information about Dayton Dragons group tickets, lawn tickets, the season ticket wait list, sponsorship opportunities or booking a Dragons speaker are encouraged to contact the Dragons by calling at (937) 228-2287, emailing at [email protected], or on the web at daytondragons.com.

 

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