Katy Marchman is like any other 10-year-old girl. She’s a bright, bubbly blonde who squabbles with her 8-year-old sister, Alex, about clothes. Her mother, Kim, affectionately calls her a “diva-in-training.”
There’s just one difference — Katy lacks the ability to verbally communicate, due to her diagnosis of Angelman’s syndrome, a neuro-genetic disorder that falls on the autism spectrum.
But Kim is quick to point out that Katy’s disability is secondary to who she is. “Some families will say, ‘Oh the disability is part of the family,’ but Kate is just one of our three children,” she said. “She’s so many other things.”
One of the biggest characteristics that defines who Katy is as a person is her love for everything Ravens. “She is a humongous Baltimore Ravens fan,” Kim said. “To the point where we’re not allowed to say any criticism during the games.”
The Marchmans, which includes Katy’s father, Mark, and her older brother, Andrew, 17, first discovered Katy’s love for football when they visited Ravens training camp 4 years ago. “Matt Stover saw us and Katy got to meet all the players,” Kim said. “I had no idea she was going to love it.”
Since that day, Katy has visited camp at least four times every summer. She watches every game. She carries around a scrapbook of pictures of her with players like Musa Smith, Mark Clayton, Ray Lewis and Todd Heap.
Katy communicates through hand gestures, body language and pictures of symbols. She often “writes” letters and cards to her favorite players, and even made a “Welcome to Baltimore” card for new head coach John Harbaugh.
As part of Katy’s daily education, she receives services from the Towson-based Abilities Network, a non-profit organization that works with individuals with disabilities and their familes.
“With Katy, what they found, was that she responded to everything Ravens,” said Lauren Dunn, Abilities Network Director of Development. “When a child has Angelman’s, it helps to work on something they enjoy. When Katy started going to training camp, she got excited, and she responded.”
On Monday, the Abilities Network is hosting “Time Out For Charity,” a benefit event in which the organization’s employees, volunteers and consumers get to mingle with Ravens players. Katy is going along for the second year.
“She’s knows it’s coming, but we can’t tell her what day it is, because she will stay up until 1 a.m. the night before,” Kim laughed.
If you go
2nd Annual Time Out For Charity
Where: ESPN Zone, 601 E. Pratt St., Baltimore
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Tickets: $125
Info: www.abilitiesnetwork.org or 410-828-7700
