Ringgold going green to support student
Six-year-old Alyssa Duck of Donora is a first-grader at Ringgold South Elementary School. Like many girls her age, she likes playing with dolls – her favorite is named Joy – and helping her mom bake.
But baking is more than a fun activity for the Duck family; it is a source of income. Alyssa and her mom, Jessica, bake to help offset medical, travel and other costs associated with Alyssa’s many doctor appointments.
Alyssa was born with one kidney and her remaining kidney was damaged. Diagnosed with pediatric kidney disease, Alyssa has had several surgeries and deals with complications related to the disease.
“There are many costs we incur – traveling, gas, food and lodging,” said Jessica, a single mom of Alyssa and Landyn, 10.
She works two jobs in addition to selling her baked goods to friends and family.
Alyssa Duck with her mom, Jessica
Jessica said Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC referred her to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where research is being done on cases like Alyssa’s.
“Our first appointment is Dec. 18 through 22. It’s Christmastime. It couldn’t be a better time to start this journey. It is the season of hope and miracles,” said Jessica.
“I am just a Donora mom raising two babies. Alyssa is just a little girl that cheerleads while her brother plays football. I don’t want people to feel sorry for us. I want people to look at us and feel inspired and to spread the word. I want people to help other families like us.”
Jessica hopes their story inspires people to support families dealing with a hardship.
“Someone bringing over a dinner or a kind word after a long day … you have no idea how much that means to us,” she said.
With the doctor’s appointment drawing near, Ringgold South Elementary School is going green, the color of Alyssa’s support ribbon. Jessica said she hopes the entire district joins in by wearing green on Dec. 18. T-shirts are being sold through the Alyssa Strong Recovery Effort Foundation. Order forms are available at the school or on the foundation Facebook page.
The upcoming appointment is the start of something big, said Jessica, who is working on securing 501©(3) tax-exempt status for the foundation. She said she’ll use donations to help offset the traveling costs they’ll incur by traveling to Philadelphia every six to eight weeks.
The foundation board meets on a regular basis, said Jessica. Tickets are being sold for a January spaghetti dinner.
Anyone wishing to donate to the foundation may visit PNC Bank and give to the Alyssa Strong Recovery Effort.