Orange In Vegas: Dourdas Speaks To Kids
7/13/2016 1:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Evan Dourdas, a walk-on with the Syracuse men's basketball team, just finished an amazing experience in Las Vegas. Dourdas spoke at an event sponsored by the Children's Alopecia Project. This is his first-person account.
I was fortunate enough to speak in front of more than 500 people at the Children's Alopecia Project event, Alopeciapalooza, on Monday night in Las Vegas. The Children's Alopecia Project, better known as CAP, is hosting hundreds of kids along with their families for the week. Activities will consist of people sharing their life stories and how they've dealt with Alopecia, along with many bonding events that everyone can attend. There were kids all the way from five years old to 17 years old participating. The speakers and volunteers were all adults ranging from 19 years and up.
Before my arrival, I really didn't have that much experience talking in front of large crowds. I've always been nervous speaking in front of a large group, but I knew I had to erase that fear and do this! I'd previously spoken to several kids about Alopecia so that part wasn't new to me but in those experiences it was just a few kids. I met Ian, a student who attended Chestnut Hill Elementary, in May. His teacher got us together. I also met a young girl, Sophia, who I've become very close to over the years, and our relationship helped me understand Alopecia and how it affects young kids.Â
This time in Las Vegas, it was a room full of people.
I arrived by plane early Monday morning and the event started in the early afternoon. The flight was very long so I had time to rest and prepare for my speech. I was amazed at how nice Las Vegas was! I don't think I've ever been somewhere as hot, so it was definitely different from Syracuse. I love the heat and how warm it is, but I really like the snow in Syracuse. I was in the "second slot" to speak on Monday night so I was very nervous the entire day.
When it came time to do my presentation, I talked about my struggles, the support from my family, and how supportive my coaches and all of my teammates at Syracuse have been. I talked about how my good friend, Trevor Cooney, who had an unbelievable career at Syracuse, was one of the first ones to really talk to me about it and help me understand that I was going to be fine. The minute I knew Trevor had my back along with my other good friend Dajuan, I knew I wouldn't have to worry about anything when it came to Alopecia. I also really emphasized how supportive my parents and brothers were. A strong supporting cast really made me feel better about it. Without all of those people involved I'm not sure where I would be. Ever since I arrived on campus, everyone from the athletic community to the students have been so understanding.
I gave away a few Syracuse hats to kids in the audience (courtesy of our equipment manager, Dan Shworles). The kids loved them and it really opened up my speech. It took a lot of pressure off me while I engaged with the audience.
After my talk, I grabbed some dinner with two fellow speakers, Kevin Bull, who is on American Ninja Warrior, and Anthony Carrigan, an actor who has appeared on The Flash and Gotham City. It was really amazing talking to people who I shared similarities with and hearing all of their stories and how they overcame it. Kevin and Anthony are on TV a lot so they have a strong following and it was nice to be able to hear what they had to say about alopecia and how they've become who they are today.
I met so many new people and also took a lot of pictures with the kids. It was really humbling seeing all these young kids walking around bald yet still with a huge smile on their face regardless of what they look like. I've never felt more comfortable in front of that many people in my life. Everyone has been so kind and accepting to not just me, but everyone in attendance. I told the kids that it's just hair and they can't let being bald affect how they live their life. Everyone always tries to be different and tries to stand out. With Alopecia we are uniquely different and we standout by just being ourselves.
I felt like a celebrity here! Lots of little kids came up to me to ask for pictures and sign autographs on their napkins, shirts, hats, and even on their heads! It's pretty surreal to me because just a few years ago I never would've thought I would be a role model for kids and signing autographs for them. Just being someone they can look up to is the best feeling in the world.
As I mentioned earlier, a number of people helped me get to this envious position of being able to attend this event. I can't thank CAP enough for having me as a speaker and giving me the chance to share my story in front of so many kids who are just like me! I also wanted to thank Pete Moore, director of athletic communications at Syracuse, for his help and guidance throughout this whole process. He was the one communicating with CAP and encouraging me to do this.
When I found out I was speaking in Las Vegas, I knew I would have the chance to go watch the NBA Summer League and see my former teammate, Malachi Richardson, play in his first NBA game! I knew Malachi was really busy just by messaging him days prior of my arrival in Las Vegas so I didn't want to bother him. I told him I will be in town and I look forward to seeing him again. I plan on going Wednesday and Thursday to see him play and hopefully see Jerami (Grant), and Chris (McCullough) play, too!
According to Wikipedia, Alopecia is an autoimmune disease in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body. It is also known as spot baldness. There is no loss of body function.
          Â
