On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the stands at Drexel University’s Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia filled with something bigger than game-day energy. It was Angelman syndrome awareness night, hosted by Drexel’s Women’s Basketball team, and it brought families, friends, classmates, and basketball fans together around a shared purpose.
For Linda and Joe D’Orazio, parents of Gabe who lives with Angelman syndrome, awareness has always been about more than explaining a diagnosis. It’s about helping people feel it. “Bringing awareness to Angelman syndrome educates the community around us, it builds empathy, and generates support,” Linda shared. “When someone hears about the challenges that come with Angelman syndrome and then they see Gabe, all hugs and smiles, a connection is made.”
That connection is exactly why they support FAST.
“We choose to support FAST because the people working at FAST are the driving force behind advancements in research and moving all the pieces into place to get our kids treatments to improve their quality of life. Gabe is our ‘why’ and FAST is the ‘how’.”
How Drexel Became Part of Gabe’s Story
This was the third year Drexel has included Angelman syndrome in its community engagement program. And like a lot of the best things in this community, it started in the most normal way: two parents talking on the beach while their kids played nearby.
One summer, Head Coach Amy Mallon mentioned that her team could help with a fundraiser the D’Orazio family was planning. That simple offer grew into a tradition Drexel has shown up for, year after year. For Gabe, it’s pure joy: the lights, the big screen, the walk to center court, the applause. For everyone else in the stands, it’s a chance to learn what Angelman syndrome is, connect it to a real child they can root for, and walk away caring a little more than they did when they arrived.
Why Awareness Nights Make a Real Difference
By game night, that partnership showed up in small, visible ways, from Coach Mallon and the Drexel players wearing FAST shirts to the fans gathered in the stands. The D’Orazios hosted a FAST table with resources and information about Gabe and Angelman syndrome, giving people an easy way to stop, learn, and ask questions. This year, three other families with loved ones living with Angelman syndrome joined them, which made the night feel even more special.
That’s why awareness nights work. They make a rare diagnosis feel real and relatable, and they give people a simple entry point into learning what Angelman syndrome is and why research matters. They don’t require a huge lift, but they can change what a community understands and talks about. For the D’Orazios, the goal is straightforward: help more people learn about Angelman syndrome, understand why research matters, and feel motivated to support FAST’s work to move research forward.
And to top it off, the Dragons capped the night with a 55–48 win over American University.
Thank you, Drexel and the D’Orazios
We’re grateful to Drexel Women’s Basketball, Head Coach Amy Mallon, and the Drexel community for continuing to make space for Angelman syndrome year after year. And to Joseph and Linda D’Orazio: thank you for leading with consistency and heart, and for turning a simple idea into a tradition that brings more people to FAST’s mission.