Morgan London (pictured on the left), a sophomore at Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, is currently in her last year as a Kilgore Rangerette and has performed at the Cotton Bowl in for the past two years, but the historic Rangerette’s have performed for 66 consecutive years as the halftime entertainment. This past year the Cotton Bowl hosted the Michigan State football team at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, a Dallas hospital, to visit with the patients. London was able to have a unique experience that caught the attention of many:
“I was 7 when I first became a patient at Scottish Rite and continued being a patient there until last year when I turned 18. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of two and visited many other treatment centers before finding Scottish Rite. Without my rheumatologist, Dr. Marilynn Punaro, and the rest of the staff at Scottish Rite I would not have the capability to be as active as I am today and especially would have never reached my dream of being a Kilgore College Rangerette. Visiting the hospital and having the opportunity to talk to children who share a common challenge was so rewarding. I want to try my best to be an inspiration to all children who face physical difficulties and reassure them that with the correct mindset, anything is possible.”
London was given this opportunity to give back through her involvement with intercollegiate athletics.