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Welcome to the Ryan
T. Caulfield Foundation website. The Ryan T. Caulfield (RTC) Foundation
is a non-profit organization, established by the family and Friends of
Ryan Thomas Caulfield. The goal of the RTC Foundation is to provide funds
for the medical research with a special interest in the research and treatment
of Lupus. The RTC was officially established on February 27, 2000 in memory of Ryan T. Caulfield, who died on February 13, 2000 at the age of 23 from complications affiliated with his five year battle with Lupus. Ryan was first diagnosed with Lupus in his freshman year at college at New York Institute of Technology. Instead of succumbing to the disabling disease, he continued to flourish as a catcher on the baseball team and played every day, without informing the staff of why he was in continuous pain. He took the painful burden of Lupus alone, never making excuses and never asking to be treated different than other members of the team. Ryan's life and potential was cut way too short. He was an all-county football player and a highly recruited catcher at Bethpage High School on Long Island and considered a future draft pick by major league baseball scouts. Ryan won the Newsday diamond award for the best player in Nassau and still holds the County record for RBI with 58. Unfortunately, his illness never allowed him to progress the way he was projected to and he was never drafted. Ryan's baseball career ended the day he graduated from NYIT with a bachelor's degree in Marketing in July of 1998. Ryan continued to flourish in his life after baseball, working as a life insurance salesman at New York Life, where he was awarded the title of 1999 Rookie of the Year based on his performance. Ryan was in the hospital the night he was to be honored by his peers at New York Life, and died the morning before receiving the plaque in his honor. Ryan was expecting a promotion to management in the near future. Beside his athletic and professional achievments, Ryan was a solid member of his community. He coached a little league during the summer and spent most of his time at high school and college athletic events in the area. Ryan was to be married in July of 2000 to Kristen Procida, whom he met in the fourth grade and shared his life with until his last day. That is just another part of his great life that was halted by Lupus. In his name, the RTC Foundation is raising money so that hopefully one day in the not-so distant future others don't suffer as he did in the final five years. The RTC Foundation also hopes young men and women will not have their lives and potential cut short in the future as he did at such a promising stage. Ryan can no longer continue to fight against Lupus, but in his name and with the same courage and strength that he lived his life, his family and friends will continue the fight for him until there is a cure. |
Important Information About Lupus
Recent And Upcoming Events
The RTC Foundation Team
Help Us Fight Lupus
2/9/2010 2:01:41 AM
