PHOENIX -- Following the Phoenix Mercury's championship ring ceremony Friday night, WNBA president Laurel Richie and the Mercury organization surprised 12-year-old Mia McPoland, the Mercury's honorary assistant coach for their 2014 championship playoff run, with her own championship ring.
The surprise was the result of a kind gesture from the WNBA president, who requested an opportunity to personalize and present her own ring to Coach Mia. Richie wanted to honor Mia for being a champion in her community, for working tirelessly to educate and raise awareness around becoming a bone marrow donor and for never giving up hope in her own personal journey.
Mia's ring was presented to her on a silver chain donated by Origami Owl.
Coach Mia was signed as the Mercury's honorary assistant coach for the entirety of the team's 2014 WNBA playoffs. During that time, Mia not only inspired the team to its third championship, but also helped to bring local and national awareness to non-profit Be The Match, the nation's largest bone marrow registry.
Mia battles Diamond Blackfan Anemia, a rare bone marrow failure syndrome, causing her body not to produce red blood cells. While Mia patiently awaits a bone marrow transplant, she must undergo a monthly blood transfusion to survive. At the young age of 12, she has already endured more than 125 blood transfusions.
