September

Hello! My name is Diane Hurwitz, and I am a current Pharmacology master's student at Tulane. On this blog, I will mainly be writing about my community service throughout the year as well as my academic experiences in the program. 

My transition to this program and living in the CBD of New Orleans was not too difficult for me, since I went to Tulane for my undergrad. While I definitely still had to adjust to the amount of information being given over a period of time, I am very organized and good at scheduling my time well, so I have been handling this transition in stride. So far, I am also really enjoying the content that we have been learning! We first went over the basic principles of pharmacology, much of which I had learned in a previous course in undergrad, and then we went on to our inflammation module, discussing NSAIDs, histamines, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants. I really enjoyed learning about drugs that are so common in many of our daily lives, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen. 

For my service learning this semester, I am volunteering with Miracle League, which provides the opportunity for children with disabilities to play sports and enjoy the emotional and physical benefits of engaging in team sports. In the fall, they have a baseball season, which is played on a cushioned, synthetic turf that can accommodate wheelchairs or other walking-assistance devices and is designed specifically for children with disabilities. I volunteered with Miracle League during my time as an undergrad at Tulane, and I enjoyed it so much that I knew I wanted to continue volunteering with them. I had actually signed up to volunteer before I even realized I could use it for my community service for this program! 

Yesterday, Saturday, September 24th, was the first day of the Miracle League baseball season. I am on the same team that I was on last year, so I enjoyed catching up with the players and coaches before the game began. During the game, the "buddies" (the volunteers) are paired with a player to play with throughout the game. What we do during the game very much so differs depending on the player's needs. Some players may need more help using the bat to hit the ball, while some just want you to hold their hand while they run around the bases. No matter what, it is always so much fun to see the children having big smiles on their faces when they run home and score a point for their team! Yesterday, I was paired up with another buddy to be with one boy. He could get a bit angry sometimes if we suggested doing something that he didn't want to do, such as going into the field when it wasn't our team's turn to bat. He really just wanted it to be his turn to bat, but we had to calmly explain to him that it wasn't our turn yet. He would get upset, but we were able to distract him when his dad brought out his glove and helmet so that he could play catcher. Then, when it finally was his turn to bat, he loved running the bases with us. 

I think that Miracle League's mission - "every child deserves a chance to play" - really speaks volumes and is so clear when you come to a game. Everyone there is so supportive and just wants to make sure that every child is having fun. I love volunteering with Miracle League and am looking forward to another great season!

Hours Completed: 1.5