On Sept. 16, 2025, the girls’ volleyball teams at Oviedo High School hosted a fundraiser to raise awareness for Duchenne. The teams wore matching bright red shirts with the slogan “fighting for every future” printed on the front in bright white letters on game day, indicating their support.

All concession sales from the game against Bishop Moore Catholic High School were donated to the cause, and guests were encouraged to wear red to show their support.

The fundraiser was sponsored by Parent Project MD, a nonprofit organization that strives to help fight against Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy and improve care and understanding of these conditions.

Duchenne is a rare disease caused by a mutation located in the dystrophin gene, causing muscle weakness and degeneration. It is mostly seen in boys from the ages of two to six, and it occurs in approximately one in 3,500 male births.

The general public is not very educated on this disease. Not only is it rare, but it is also complex, and it doesn’t have a huge patient reach, affecting a specific population. This doesn’t account for the public’s general lack of education about rare diseases.

“When I first heard about the fundraiser, I didn’t know much about it [Duchenne] and wanted to learn more about this rare disease,” said Riley Tviet, a junior varsity (JV) player for Oviedo.

Her fellow volleyball player, varsity teammate Anderson Hitt, agrees that she, too, was excited to educate others as well as herself.

“I thought it was such an incredible thing to bring awareness to, I was super excited to learn and spread awareness about it because Duchenne isn’t something many people know much about,” she said.

A volleyball game is the perfect setting to expose more people to the facts of Duchenne. Volleyball has increased in popularity in the last few years, especially girls’ volleyball. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, high school volleyball, particularly girls’ volleyball, has experienced rapid growth in the past years, experiencing a record high in the 2022–2023 school year with 470,488 enrollments. Meaning, people are not just playing the sport, but many are tuning in to the game and many are coming and buying concessions, all helping shed light on their cause.

“I think the volleyball community really unites everyone together,” said Avery Stephens, a varsity player. “Sports and especially athletes can use their platform to raise awareness or funds for health issues like Duchenne by reminding others that compassion and teamwork can go far beyond the game itself.”

Go far beyond the game, it did. The team was especially excited to fundraise for this event because of their personal connection to the condition.

“It was so special to us because a girl on our team has a little brother with Duchenne, and we wanted to be there for her and her family,” said Lilah Mills, a JV player.

The teams came together to support something close to them. Not only did the players put in the work to spread the word and play the game, but the coaches gave a short speech at the beginning of the game and distributed the red shirts for the girls to wear.

The players did not just learn something about others, but also about themselves.

“I learned to just always be grateful that I am able to play this sport I find so much joy in, and never take it for granted because others may not have the same opportunity as me,” Hitt said.

The Lions won that night in the balloon-ridden, decorated gym against Bishop Moore, but it wasn’t about the game’s victory. The real win was the money raised for a cure, the real win was the education and awareness given to the viewers of the game, and the community shared.

It was more than a game; it was a display of support, an example of how communities can come together for a cause.

“I think every sports team should spread awareness of something like Duchenne. I think a lot of appreciation comes from it, especially those who deal with it firsthand. It’s such a unifying thing that can bring athletes and people suffering from illness together,” Stephens said.