In a small community like Marblehead, it’s easy for a lot of people to rally around a good cause. But it becomes even easier to rally around when the cause is to help an 11 year-old girl with her medical expenses.
Such is the case with Sophia Smith, a local Marblehead girl who was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive, inoperable brain tumor this past March. She has been receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital in Boston, but after six weeks of radiation her next step is a new treatment method that is currently not available in the United States, so she will travel to the Harley Street Clinic in London to be treated.
All of this, of course, means mounting medical and travel expenses for the Smith family. Since the new treatment will not take place in the United States, her insurance will not cover many of the costs. That’s where the Marblehead community comes in.
In addition to a booming GoFundMe page that has raised over $109,000, two members of the Marblehead High boys basketball team have decided to host a big three-on-three basketball tournament to help give even more to the Smiths.
“We knew a lot of people would come out and support a three-on-three basketball tournament, so it was an easy decision,” said Billy Ackerman, one of the event organizers and a close family friend of the Smiths. “We just really want to do anything we can to help out the family.”
The tournament, which will begin today at Gatchell Park with registration at 5 p.m. and games starting at 6 p.m., costs $10 per person and is open to boys and girls in grades 9 through 12. Players will be allowed to register a full team or just show up and be placed on one when the games start. There will be a prize for the first-place team and there will also be pizza and waters for sale.
The tournament is already proving to be very popular, with over 20 teams of three players already signed up.
“We’ve gotten a great responses so far, which is wonderful,” said Tracy Ackerman, Billy’s mother and the coach of the Marblehead girls tennis team. “With so many teams already signed up, we haven’t even decided how we’re going to structure the games. It’s sure to be a great day.”
In addition to Ackerman and Derek Marino, the other event organizer, present and former members of the Marblehead boys and girls basketball teams are expected to field teams in the tournament as well.
“They’re good family friends of ours, and we just want to help,” said Billy Ackerman. “This is obviously a tough time for them, and I think everyone in the community would like to do their part to help out.”
The Ackermans also stressed that while the $10 donation only applies to players entering the tournament, any and all donations from spectators and good samaritans will gladly be accepted.
