For kids with xeroderma pigmentosum, sunshine is deadly. UV rays cause them to develop cancerous tumors. They stay inside and covered, except for rare occasions late at night. Patients travel to Camp Sundown in New York to meet others with the condition and enjoy activities designed to accommodate their needs. This year, those activities included a major league baseball game at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees partied and played baseball with the campers until they had to leave at 3:30 AM to beat the sunrise. Link -via YesButNoButYes
Because they couldn't leave until the sun was almost down, and because it was a three-hour drive, they knew they'd be able to see only the last couple of innings of the game. But then it rained, causing a more-than-two-hour rain delay. While the rest of the crowd cursed, the campers rejoiced. How lucky can you get? The bus arrived just before the first pitch. "It was almost like the game was waiting for them to show up," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. "That kind of gave us goosebumps."
To get the kids out of the bus and into their VIP suite for the game, Yankees media-relations director Jason Zillo -- the man who dreamed up the whole night -- had to take them on a rat's route of back staircases and tunnels to avoid any fluorescent lights. After the Yankees beat the A's 6-3, the stadium lights had to be dimmed to 30 percent. Once they were, all the kids came running onto the field with smiles that could've lit up the Bronx.
"It's cool to be part of this," said [Yankee player A.J.] Burnett, whom Zillo forced to leave at 3:15. "And it's kind of mind-boggling. I can't imagine if I couldn't take my children outside."
The Yankees partied and played baseball with the campers until they had to leave at 3:30 AM to beat the sunrise. Link -via YesButNoButYes
Hooray for the Yankees.
Oh dear, I said it. *hides from The Nation*
It is nice to see such a positive story. How fabulous for those children to see a major league team and also meet the players. Kudos to Jason Zillo for organizing such a wonderful event.
OK, now back to my regularly scheduled resentment. :D
As someone who is also very sensitive to the sun (but not anywhere near as much as these kids) AND a former camp program director, I've always had kind of a fantasy to have a night-time only camp. I'm really glad to see that someone actually started one!
I think she took her frustration out on the kids. The loudspeaker mentioned them a few times over the course of the game, particularly how none of them had ever been to a ballgame before. My wife was pretty ticked off about this, thinking the kids' parents could have brought them to any old night game.
It took this article to finally calm her down on that point. (Usually she's a very nice person, so I blame the 6.5 hours at Yankee Stadium for this outburst.)