Blythe Eddy | ESU Bulletin

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 19 April 2012 14:59
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Landon Dody plays with bubbles during Laps for Landon Tuesday evening at Welch Stadium. This was the fifth annual Laps for Landon benefit. A total of $4,700 was raised with all profits going toward the Cystics Fibrosis Foundation. Julie Thephachan/The Bulletin

When Blythe Eddy, associate director of the Center for Student Involvement whose 5-year-old son Landon Dody has cystic fibrosis, saw 400 people from the university and the surrounding community show up to support the fifth annual Laps 4 Landon fundraiser this Tuesday, she was grateful.

“We are just thankful, very thankful for every day,” Eddy said with tears in her eyes when the sun went down at Welch Stadium. “It gives Aron (Eddy’s husband) and I hope that someday Landon can be as excited about living his life as we are because he has hope and a future because there are good medicines. The money that’s raised here helps research, and hopefully there are medicines that can help him live longer.”

Laps 4 Landon is an annual event to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to find a cure for the disease. It raised $4,700 this year, the highest amount ever.

“It’s pretty amazing that there is so much support from ESU and students. I’m so thankful for all of the students being here and the support from the surrounding communities,” Eddy said.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States, and 70,000 worldwide, according to the CFF.

Landon was diagnosed with the disease when he was three months old. Since then, Jennifer Thomas, assistant professor of health and physical education and recreation, and her health promotion majors have organized the event every year as a final project for a health marketing class.

“The meaning of this event is that CF needs to stand for ‘cure found’ instead of ‘cystic fibrosis,” said Lindsey Kunkel, junior health promotion major. “It’s important to health promotion majors because health is an ever evolving practice. And as long as we keep raising money to fund the research, then we can find cures for cystic fibrosis and other diseases that haven’t found cures yet.”

Thomas called Landon “an ESU kiddo” because his mom works at the CSI, his aunt, Laura Eddy, is the director of Admissions, and his grandfather, Tom Eddy, is a professor of biology.

Eddy said the predicted median age of survival for a person with cystic fibrosis is 37 years old, but not many years ago, they wouldn’t even live until pre-school.

“It’s a pretty a rough battle, but I hope there are more medicines in the future to help them live longer,” Eddy said.

Landon is now taking strict breathing treatment and medicines. One of his top medicines, a necessary breathing treatment to keep his lungs clear, costs $3,500 a month.

Tianhai Jiang

Students, faculty get taste of poverty

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 01 March 2012 16:12
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Getting Involved in Volunteering in Emporia held a poverty simulation Monday night. Participants were given 15 candies, which was a simulation of monthly income, to spend on categories like housing, healthcare, food, transportation, technology access, laundry facilities and shopping.

When Blythe Eddy, associate director of the Memorial Union, chose how to spend her 15 candies, she felt she had a hard choice to make.

“I felt guilty after the simulation,” Eddy said, “because I got to eat those candies after the simulation, while there are real people facing these choices all the time.”

The task of each family or individual was to obtain or provide food, shelter and other basic necessities during the simulation, Eddy said, while interacting with various community resources staffed by volunteers.

Some of the students chose to spend more than one candy on healthcare. Many of them started to give up technology access, transportation and even food after the candies gradually decreased from 15 to 10.

During the workshop, students also got to role play single parents or pregnant teenagers who were seeking food, shelter and hygiene and organizations who were offering help.

Chelsea Hunter, junior psychology major, said her role as an orphanage organization was to walk around the crowd to offer food and shelter. Even though she tried very hard to help, she didn’t get a chance to give out all her shelter and food.

But Chi Do, freshman pre-pharmacy major, said becoming “a single dad with five children” was not fun.

“It was difficult when you have to suffer all of these difficulties,” Do said. “I have to study hard not to suffer all these.”

Do said nobody was willing to trade with him. Even though there were many organization players out there, he couldn’t find any food.

“Maybe I didn’t ask (those organizations),” Do said. “I don’t think men easily go out and ask for help because they have (too much) self-respect. They don’t want to go out and ask for help, they want to do this by themselves.”

Jasmine Greene, GIVE coordinator and junior political science major, said the simulation gave a brief glimpse into the day-to-day challenge of the struggling, impoverished and homeless.

More than one in seven people in the United States lives below the poverty line, Greene said, which is a $22,113 annual income for a family of four in 2010.

GIVE will have another poverty simulation from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on March 15 for participants to experience a snapshot of the realities of life with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress.

Participants will role play the lives of those with low-income, from single parents trying to raise their children to senior citizens trying to maintain their self-sufficiency on Social Security.

“This interactive method of learning will provide an experience that will not soon be forgotten by those participating and will hopefully carry over to their daily responsibilities and interactions within the community,” Eddy said.

Tianhai Jiang

Laps 4 Landon fights Cystic Fibrosis, raises $2,500

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 28 April 2011 13:14
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Participants sign in for Laps for Landon Tuesday night at the HPER Building. Chris Franklin/ The Bulletin

Despite rainy weather, Laps 4 Landon, named for four-year-old Emporia resident Landon Dody, was held at Welch Stadium on Tuesday evening to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

“Laps 4 Landon means people are being supportive of a cure, and to me it means hope and a longer life for my son,” said Landon’s mother, Blythe Eddy, associate director of the Center for Student Involvement.

The event was organized by health promotion majors and Jen Thomas, assistant professor of health and physical education. Thomas Eddy, professor of biology, is Landon’s grandfather and his aunt, Laura Eddy, is director of admissions.

Landon faces daily treatments for Cystic Fibrosis, which affects the lungs and digestive system. He has to wear a vest which shakes loose the mucus in his lungs and undergoes breathing treatments in which he inhales medicines through a nebulizer.

Landon spends his days at home with sitters to avoid getting sick in public daycare, but plans to attend kindergarten in a year.

“He is very, very energetic,” Blythe Eddy said. “I don’t think that cystic fibrosis slows him down for the most part really. He just acts like a regular four-year-old.”

Last year, the event drew more than 500 people and raised $4,000 for CFF, Thomas said. This year, before the event had even begun the fundraiser had already raised $500.

“I’m very thankful for Jen Thomas and all of the students who take their time to request prizes from sponsors, the city of Emporia and all the businesses and how they support this event is amazing,” Eddy said.

The event persevered through the rain and moved inside the HPER building into two gyms, one for the prizes and the other for walking and for the children in attendance to play with ESU athletes.

Students and members of the community bid on items in a silent auction for the cause. They walked around the gym and got the opportunity to see Landon running around, exemplifying the energetic four-year-old his mother described.

“The best part of (Laps 4 Landon) is getting to see Landon running around and having fun,” said Alison Germany, senior health promotion major.

Thomas said the event gave health promotion majors an opportunity to market an event and also a chance to support a worthy cause.

“Blythe and I have been friends since the sixth grade and when it turned out that Landon had Cystic Fibrosis it was just ‘well, we need to do something,’” Thomas said. “We want family and friends to be able to feel like they’re doing something for him.”

This year, the event raised $2,500 and had about 500 attendees. Thomas said they also received donations after the event from people that wanted to help but were unable to attend.

Charlie Heptas

GIVE banquet honors students who volunteer

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 18 November 2010 15:10
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Assistant Professor of mathematics, computer sciences and economics talks with students at the GIVE banquet Monday night in the Kanza Room of the Memorial Union. Jon Coffey/ The Bulletin

For Jasmine Greene, political science major and GIVE program coordinator, volunteering is more than just a way to give back to the community.

“It bothered me that none of the service organizations in Emporia were for international students, so I decided that I was going to create a program,” Greene said.

GIVE stands for Getting Involved in Volunteering in Emporia. It is based around the idea that international students can benefit from volunteering opportunities just as much as the Emporia community can benefit from such activities.

Greene began the GIVE program this semester and Blythe Eddy, associate director of the Memorial Union, said they’ve had over 40 students involved in many of the service projects.

“I am very ecstatic that Jasmine has created a program with the interest of international students in mind… she has such a well-rounded approach all for the sake of international students who may only be here for a semester,” Eddy said.

The banquet, held Tuesday, honored the students that attended most of the events throughout the semester and was an opportunity to share memories of the events. The students said they were impressed by what not only Emporia could gain from these activities but what they had gained from them over the semester as well.

“ We’ve done things such as painting storm drains to educate people not to dump waste, we did a little bit of Red Ribbon Week at the Elementary schools, United Way Day of Caring and the Haunted Trails (at Camp Alexander),” Greene said.

Students involved in the GIVE program said that it offered them the opportunity to get to know many other students in ways they otherwise couldn’t have at the banquet. They said it was good to have a program geared towards international students because they couldn’t maintain contact with some other programs because of things like the language barrier.

“There are a lot of volunteering opportunities so we can meet other (international students) Japanese and Chinese,” said Jieun Gu, business administration major.

The diversity of the program was an important point for Greene, as well as showing that there is more to volunteering than just picking up trash or tutoring. Greene said she is always looking for new projects throughout the community and ways for GIVE to be involved and encourages anyone with project possibilities or partnerships to contact her.

Charlie Heptas

Service group sponsors alternative break

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 21 October 2010 15:01
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Harber

For Lainie Harber, senior communications major and Service Corps Coordinator for the Community Hornets, this coming spring break offers more than just an opportunity for some sun and fun.

“I’m really excited about (Alternative Spring Break), but we’re trying something new this year… we decided to get student input,” Harber said.

Alternative Spring Break, led by the Community Hornets, is taking students to work on a project for Habitat for Humanity. According to the Habitat for Humanity web site (www.habitat.org), the program intends “to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities.”

“It’s the perfect blend of Spring Break. You’re going to have that college Spring Break flavor because in the evenings you have them free… but during the day you’re doing service and you’re giving back,” Harber said.

Habitat for Humanity has many different sites to work on so the students that pay their $100 deposit before Oct. 27 get to decide where the trip goes. There are 19 different sites to choose from all over the country. Student input is very important to Alternative Spring Break and Community Hornets, as the service experience does happen during a time when most students will be out having a good time.

Improving the Emporia community as well as fostering a sense of service nationwide is important to Community Hornets.

“Community Hornets helps plan events and get students to come help out their foundations,” said Blythe Eddy, the Associate Director of the Memorial Union.

While this is the first year for the program, Alternative Spring Break is not the first activity available to help others. Last month the Community Hornets organized and helped out on the United Way Day of Caring. Coming up at the end of October is Haunted Trails at Camp Alexander just outside of Emporia.

“People can help set up the trail, and they can help scare (the children),” Harber said.

The Community Hornets is looking for more volunteers with monthly projects around the town. The meeting to decide on the destination of Alternative Spring Break will be at 4 p.m. in the Center for Student Involvement.

Charlie Heptas/The Bulletin

‘Laps for Landon’ raises funds for Cystic Fibrosis

Written by Josh Johnson
Thursday, 23 April 2009 20:13
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Landon Dody plays catch with junior Danny McEvoy Tuesday night during “Laps 4 Landon” at Welch Stadium. The event, which is named in his honor and held to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis research, raised approximately $2,700. Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin

“If Landon could say it, he would absolutely say thanks.” –Blythe Eddy Dody, mother of Landon Dody

When the Dody family first received the news that their son, Landon, had cystic fibrosis, their reaction was mixed.

“In a way we were relieved because it was good to finally know after months of guessing what was wrong with him, to have an answer, but it was a horrible shock because the diagnosis meant that Landon might not live a full life,” said Blythe Eddy Dody, associate director of the Memorial Union and Landon’s mother.

However, with the help of the Emporia community and the promise of new treatments for cystic fibrosis, the family feels hopeful.

“We feel incredible support from the Emporia community and that helps more than anyone can imagine,” Eddy Dody said. “With just the day to day treatments, knowing that there is a lot of people who care and know that we are all working for a cure. There are new medicines that are in trials right now that are promising as far as treatments, gives us hope that the quality that his life will be better.”

Laps for Landon, a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, was held last Tuesday night at Welch Stadium. About $2,700 was raised for cystic fibrosis research, with 530 people participating in the fundraiser.

“Just the fact that there were so many people there last night… was absolutely amazing,” Eddy Dody said. “If Landon could say it, he would absolutely say thanks.”

Cystic Fibrosis is a hereditary disease that causes an unusually thick mucous in the lungs and stomach. Serious, potentially life threatening, breathing and pancreatic complications are associated with the disease, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

“There are a lot of exciting drugs and therapies in development, but it takes funding to move those forward,” said Jennifer Thomas, associate professor of health promotion and organizer of Laps for Landon. “That’s the purpose of this event. It gives people an outlet to do something.”

The event was founded four years ago when Eddy Dody lost her first son to umbilical cord asphyxiation. Thomas helped start a fundraiser to support the family.

When Landon was diagnosed, Thomas decided to change the purpose of the fundraiser to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation research.

“This fundraiser is fantastic,” said Aron Dody, Landon’s father. “How lucky can we get to have someone like Dr. Thomas as an advocate for cystic fibrosis?”

Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed in children aged two or younger 70 percent of the time. Landon was no different.

“It opens your eyes to things you normally take for granted,” Dody said. “It makes you cherish the little things so much more.”

All of ESU’s fraternities and sororities were represented at the event and many students participated due to personal connections to someone who has cystic fibrosis.

“I like doing this because my cousin died of cystic fibrosis when she was 10,” said Chris Hurd, senior health promotion major. “Events like this are a starting point for helping to fund research that could help people.”

Some present were motivated by knowing Eddy Dody and wanting to help her family.

“I know Blythe very well from working with her,” said Natalie Skaggs, junior elementary education major. “She contributes a lot to the students and the university. I thought this would be a great way to show support for her family.”

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation states that research in the last 50 years has allowed for longer survival rates for those who have the disease.

“The average lifespan for someone with cystic fibrosis is 34 years,” Dody said. “20 years ago, they weren’t supposed to survive to go to school, so technology and research have made that big of a difference already.”

The money from the fundraiser was collected from silent auction tickets that were distributed at the gates. Every dollar donated provided one ticket for drawings for various prizes.

The Dody family thanked the Interfraternity Council, Jennifer Thomas and her students for their support.