6-Year-Old Arabella to Sign With Women's Basketball Through Team IMPACT

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane women's basketball coach Lisa Stockton and the Team IMPACT organization are set to announce 6-year-old Arabella Gerald as the newest addition to the Tulane women's basketball team in a signing-day ceremony at the Glazer Family Club on October 4 at 5 p.m.

Arabella's signing with the Green Wave comes thanks to Team Impact, a national nonprofit organization that connects children facing serious and chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes.

Arabella has been diagnosed with Mitochondrial disorder, type 3, a genetic condition that can affect several parts of the body and causes a weakened immune system, difficulties with coordination, low endurance and low stamina.

"I think it's a win-win for us and the children involved in this," Stockton said. "Arabella, she comes around and she's just smiling. It warms your heart to know that she's is really affected by our players. It's tremendous, and for us to really be able to see that if she's smiling and happy, then we've got nothing to complain about. Our kids are great for this, and we're really fortunate to have Arabella."

With the Green Wave, Arabella will be a constant presence. She will attend practices, games and other events, providing support for the student-athletes and coaches while they provide support and a fun environment for her.

"We're very grateful and fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time with Arabella," said sophomore guard Sierra Cheatham, a member of Tulane women's basketball's leadership team. "We look forward to building a relationship with her, and really she's going to end up helping us out. It's great to reach out to the community and make a difference in someone's life."

A native of Metairie, Arabella attends Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans school. Her favorite food is green beans, her dream vacation destination is the beach and her favorite movie is The Princess and the Frog. She goes by "Bella" or "Belly" as nicknames.

Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched nearly 1,600 children with more than 500 colleges and universities in 48 states, reaching over 50,000 participating student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child's support team. Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support while the student-athletes experience lessons of courage, resilience and perspective they can't learn in a classroom.

Team IMPACT has more than 1,000 teams waiting to be matched with children ages 5-16 who have been diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness and who could benefit from becoming a member of the team. If you know a child who may be interested, visit Team IMPACT's website for more information.

6-Year-Old Arabella to Sign With Women's Basketball Through Team IMPACT

Players Mentioned

Sierra Cheatham

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