In the spirit of raising awareness the new fraternity Delta Tau Delta has adopted a Pepperdine student-made organization as their philanthropy.
Kids Aware of Rheumatoid Diseases and educated (KARDed) was created by freshman Taylor Cox to spread awareness and raise funds for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis research following her diagnosis with the disease.
“I was 13 when I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Cox said. It took about eight months to be correctly diagnosed. The way they diagnose this disease is to eliminate everything else. I had to have hand and foot surgery and finally I was diagnosed with JRA Cox added.
I went from starting on the basketball team and playing instruments to not being able to walk at the end of the year.”
Cox considered herself lucky following her diagnosis. “Fortunately I caught it early enough on that I don’t have any growth issues or deformities.”
Early diagnosis or not Cox was not alone in coping with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
“It’s amazing how many people are affected she said. Reportedly one in four adults will have this in their lifetime. There are over 300000 kids in the country that have this disease. There are more kids that have arthritis than Multiple Sclerosis type 2 diabetes and multiple cancers combined.”
Despite its massive impact on all age groups there is scant coverage research and awareness related to Rheumatoid Arthritis.
“I was shocked because it’s a very underfunded underrepresented under-researched disease in our country sophomore Houston Costa, philanthropy chair and public relations chair for Delta Tau Delta, said.
Cox started raising awareness for JRA through KARDed in high school when she chose to share her story.
My freshman year I finally just came out in an all-school assembly she said. It was meant to raise awareness that children get this too.”
In addition to raising awareness KARDed began raising funds for the Arthritis Foundation.
“Everything was under KARDed’s name but it would basically be a large donation toward the Arthritis Foundation Cox said. I had all the rights and privileges to direct where that money went. We’re probably at over $70000 for the Arthritis Foundation.”
As soon as Delta Tau Delta heard about KARDed they were very willing to continue raising funds and contribute to the JRA cause.
“Well what happened is that I’m in the Student Alumni Organization and I interviewed Taylor Cox because she was an applicant Costa said.
She just told me about how she started this non-profit and I thought it was a great organization and it was just amazing because Taylor started this at a very young age Costa said. She presented it to our fraternity and the support was almost unanimous.”
“It was great that these guys were so willing and supportive of it Cox said. The good thing about Delta Tau Delta doing this is that it shows that these guys are willing to create awareness on campus and raise money for research which is really needed.”
Delta Tau Delta already has plans to raise awareness on campus with the help of Cox’s sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma.
“On April 14 we’re having an event called Delta Tau Delta’s ‘Down to Dance’ for KARDed Costa said. We’re going to have a dance rave. It’s not just open to Greek people; it’s open to everyone on campus.”
Costa is hoping the event can take place in the Caf at 8 p.m. but the plans are not yet finalized.
“It’ll be fun I think Cox said. This gives the opportunity to make light of the situation. I think Houston has some really good ideas on how they’re going to promote it.”
“We’re keeping it open for them on where they decide they want the money to go Cox added. I’m keeping it so open-ended for these guys.”
“We’re thinking of using the funds for a Delta Tau Delta scholarship for those with Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis Costa said. Taylor’s just been really good about helping us get this started.”
