Roxanne Needs Us!

I am not one to judge a book by its cover. But when I first saw a picture of Roxanne, the first thought that came to mind was Beauty. That was over 6 years ago, when I first met her older sister, C. C and I were part of an e-parenting group and shared parenting tips and secrets over emails. We eventually found ourselves closer friends than ever when we got together to help out a "friend" who was then starting out in show business. Today, C is one of my trusted and closest friends.

Roxanne is anything but ordinary. This chinita lady has features that make young men take that second look, and rightly so, as she is a beautiful girl. You'd, however, be surprised to find out that Roxanne has autism because her beauty overwhelms the beholder. Yes, she was diagnosed at age 3. Since then, she has been schooled at Teacher-Mom, a special school that caters to special needs. It was in school that they saw bowling potential in her. Thus, she was taught proper form and technique. The rest is history.

Today, Roxanne is a top bowler in her field. She has represented our country in special bowling tournaments, and have taken home medal after medal.

2010 SPECIAL OLYMPICS NATIONAL BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP (Starmall, Mandaluyong City)
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
GOLD MEDALIST - Team

2010 EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER’S FOUNDER’S CUP

Champion

2009 SPECIAL OLYMPICS NATIONAL BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP (Pangasinan)
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
GOLD MEDALIST - Team

2008 FIRST UNIFIED INVITATIONAL GAMES (Baguio City)
GOLD MEDALIST - Team

2007 SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD SUMMER GAMES (Shanghai, China)
SILVER MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
BRONZE MEDALIST - Team

2006 SOP NATIONAL BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
GOLD MEDALIST - Team

2005 SOP NATIONAL BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
GOLD MEDALIST - Team

2005 SPECIAL OLYMPICS SINGAPORE NATIONAL BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP
SILVER MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles

2004 10th SOP NATIONAL GAMES
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
SILVER MEDALIST - Team

2003 WORLD SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUMMER GAMES (Dublin, Ireland)
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
GOLD MEDALIST - Doubles
GOLD MEDALIST - Team

2002 4th SPECIAL OLYMPICS ASIAN INVITATIONAL COMPETITION (Malaysia)
GOLD MEDALIST - Singles
BRONZE MEDALIST - Team

Rox or Bruski, as she is fondly called by friends, will be representing the Philippines once again at this year's World Special Olympics Summer Games, happening in June and IN GREECE! Sadly, our country's special athletes receive NO FUNDING from government (if there are funds, Roxanne hasn't received a single centavo). Although Roxanne and her friends are members of SPABA*, we have learned that the athletes need to raise funds on their own, as monetary help from the Philippines' Special Olympics Organization trickle, if at all, to their subsidiaries. Rox has even resorted to making and selling special paper cards to fund her participation in competitions! One of her supporters is Arnold "Igan" Clavio, who once organized a special Wish Ko Lang event to support Roxanne's endeavors in bowling.

In order for special athletes like Rox to represent the Philippines in Greece, they have to seek help from private citizens like you and me. Funding is no joke, especially since we are talking about airfare amounting to approximately $1,200! Yes, and that's just for the plane tickets and travel taxes alone.

Let us not forget our special athletes! They bring home the gold and make us proud!

To support Roxanne Ng, you may get in touch with Cinderella Ng-Choa via email. Or contact Roxanne's head coach, Ma. Cristina Gacuma (Director, SPECIAL OLYMPICS PHILIPPINES) at 0917.8377092 or via landline at 824-2851. You may also email her through spaba.phil@gmail.com or through teachermomspecialschool@yahoo.com. Please indicate that you are sponsoring Roxanne Ng for the 2011 World Special Olympics Summer Games.

To get updates on Roxanne Ng, check out her Facebook Page here. To know more about Teacher-Mom Special School, visit them on Facebook here or check them out on Multiply here.

* SPECIAL ATHLETES BOWLING ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (SPABA), INC. is an organization devoted to promoting the sport of tenpin bowling among special athletes, among other things. SPABA is under the umbrella of Special Olympics Philippines, Inc., an affiliate of Special Olympics International founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. All organizations are non-stock, non-profit, humanitarian organization created to help individuals with intellectual disability achieve their potentials through an organized year-round program of sports training, athletes' competition and recreation and its affiliate.