{"id":10419,"date":"2026-06-17T15:02:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T19:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/?p=10419"},"modified":"2026-07-23T10:47:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:47:41","slug":"friendship-series-seen-safe-and-part-of-the-team-serena-and-bella-bu-basketball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/about\/blog\/friendship-series-seen-safe-and-part-of-the-team-serena-and-bella-bu-basketball\/","title":{"rendered":"Friendship Series:\u00a0Seen, Safe, and Part of the Team \u2014\u00a0Serena and Bella, BU Basketball\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;For Serena and Bella, Team IMPACT brought them together, but it was Bella\u2019s ability to make Serena feel seen and supported that&nbsp;set their friendship apart. Serena, who is 10 years old, lives with cerebral palsy and&nbsp;other diagnoses.&nbsp;She was matched with the BU&nbsp;women\u2019s&nbsp;basketball program in 2025,&nbsp;and that is&nbsp;where she met Bella&nbsp;McLaughlin.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since being matched at BU,&nbsp;Serena&nbsp;has embraced every opportunity to become a part of the team, attending games, meals, team bonding events, and even the Team IMPACT Gala.&nbsp;Throughout her journey&nbsp;and through it all,&nbsp;Serena&nbsp;had Bella by her side.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Serena and Bella, BU Basketball\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ggw8RWo1_-4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBella goes out of her way to make Serena feel acknowledged and included,\u201d Serena\u2019s&nbsp;mom, Ashley,&nbsp;shared. \u201cShe helps Serena&nbsp;in a lot of&nbsp;different ways&nbsp;to feel seen, safe, and part of the team. We are so grateful for her leadership, presence, and most importantly her friendship.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Serena, there are many reasons why Bella\u2019s friendship means so much.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are three reasons why I would like to nominate Bella,\u201d Serena said. \u201cThe first reason is that we have had a lot of hangouts together.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pair has spent time outside of basketball&nbsp;with each other&nbsp;including attending a Connecticut Sun game, sharing meals of pizza and ice cream,&nbsp;and&nbsp;attending BU Women\u2019s Hockey games. Most importantly, Bella and her teammates show up. Serena explained how the team celebrated her accomplishments at her school\u2019s Special Olympics, and how excited that made her when they cheered her on.&nbsp;Serena even gifted Bella her very own Hello Kitty BFF heart necklace.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe second reason is that Bella helped me walk up the stairs,\u201d Serena explained. \u201cBecause I am in a wheelchair, every time I go up the&nbsp;stairs,&nbsp;I am a little nervous. Her helping me has made me feel safe.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bella&nbsp;always&nbsp;Serena\u2019s back and helps push her out of her comfort zone, knowing&nbsp;she\u2019ll&nbsp;be supported every step of the way. Ashley has seen changes in the way Serena approaches&nbsp;her appointments. Serena is in an outpatient program for OCD and anxiety and recently had to interview someone who has anxiety. She interviewed Bella.&nbsp;Ashley said it was so insightful and empowering&nbsp;for Serena&nbsp;to see someone she looks up to so much who also has anxiety.&nbsp;\u201cSerena and Bella are really comfortable talking to each other about their anxiety, and Serena really looks at Bella as a role model for how to manage anxiety,\u201d Ashley said.&nbsp;\u201cThey check in with each other regularly to see how the other is doing and share their victories with one another.&nbsp;It&#8217;s&nbsp;awesome to see!\u201d&nbsp;With every interaction, Bella is helping teach Serena more than the game of basketball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" data-id=\"10438\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena4.jpg?resize=800%2C534&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena4.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena4.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena4.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena4.jpg?w=1079&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1079w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-id=\"10436\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?w=1600&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena2-scaled.jpg?w=2400&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These moments may seem small, but they show the depth of the pair\u2019s relationship. Bella ensures Serena never has to navigate potentially difficult moments alone.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe third reason is that Bella always high-fives me throughout the game,\u201d Serena said. \u201cThis makes me feel happy and energetic.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These little moments have&nbsp;built&nbsp;into the heart of Serena\u2019s experience with the team. Through&nbsp;Team IMPACT, Serena has found a home at BU&nbsp;with&nbsp;friends that will last a lifetime.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their friendship is rooted in kindness, trust, and inclusion. Through all the little moments and acts of support Bella has shown Serena what it is like to feel seen, safe, and valued as a member of the&nbsp;Terrier family.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena3.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10437\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena3.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena3.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena3.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Serena3.jpeg?w=1536&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0For Serena and Bella, Team IMPACT brought them together, but it was Bella\u2019s ability to make Serena feel seen and supported that\u00a0set their friendship apart. Serena, who is 10 years old, lives with cerebral palsy and\u00a0other diagnoses.\u00a0She was matched with the BU\u00a0women\u2019s\u00a0basketball program in 2025,\u00a0and that is\u00a0where she met Bella\u00a0McLaughlin.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":10435,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[33,17,18],"tags":[38],"mens-teams":[],"class_list":["post-10419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-match-stories","category-success-stories","category-updates","tag-northeast"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Friendship Series:\u00a0Seen, Safe, and Part of the Team \u2014\u00a0Serena and Bella, BU Basketball\u00a0 - Team IMPACT<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.teamimpact.org\/about\/blog\/friendship-series-seen-safe-and-part-of-the-team-serena-and-bella-bu-basketball\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Friendship Series:\u00a0Seen, Safe, and Part of the Team \u2014\u00a0Serena and Bella, BU Basketball\u00a0 - Team IMPACT\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u00a0For Serena and Bella, Team IMPACT brought them together, but it was Bella\u2019s ability to make Serena feel seen and supported that\u00a0set their friendship apart. 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