CAZENOVIA -- Taylor Matt's friends and teammates know there is no place she'd rather be this spring than on the lacrosse field with them. Her friend, Gabby Jaquith says, "She just misses it so much and we just want her to be with us out here."
While the 17-year-old Cazenovia high school student undergoes chemotherapy for Leukemia. Her friends are helping with the cost of her care by selling t-shirts to raise awareness for Taylor's need of a bone marrow match.
Laura Jaquith sold almost 300 shirts, which went mostly to the lacrosse teams. When she asked the Cazenovia Central School District superintendent if the athletes could wear them during game warm-ups, she was told no, because they aren't the high school's colors of blue and yellow.
Matt's friend, Chad Dorrance, says "Purple is her favorite color. It's a bright color. It stands out and it speaks loud for what's going on."
"We didn't want to wear blue and yellow because this is for Taylor, not for Cazenovia," says another friend, Gabby Jaquith.
Superintendent Robert Dubik says the school community does support Taylor Matt in what she's going through. He says he would have been open to other proposals, just not the purple shirt color.
Laura Jaquith says, "I just think this goes beyond a color. If it was anyone else's child, it's not about color."
On Tuesday, the boys and girls lacrosse team sent a message together, by dressing in the purple "Taystrong" shirts during game warm-ups. Dorrance says, "It's bringing the community, teams, the school itself closer together and it's all because of her."
Jaquith says she hopes the school will allow the athletes to wear the shirts, so support for Taylor Matt can spread to other teams.
