DENVER (KDVR) — The women’s basketball team at the University of Colorado Boulder is signing a 6-year-old for a two-year honorary position on the team, just in time for March Madness.

Team IMPACT is a nonprofit organization that matches children with serious illnesses and disabilities with college athletic programs across the country.

Last March, Bellamy, a 6-year-old girl who lives with her mom and three older brothers in Larimer County, was diagnosed with leukemia.

Cindy Brumfiel, regional director of programs for Team IMPACT, told FOX31 that she has been in treatment ever since, which has caused her to miss school and thus limits her social life.

So, Team IMPACT matched her with the CU women’s basketball team in December.

“Well, I think Bellamy’s gonna be our emotional leader this year,” Coach JR Payne told FOX31’s Greg Nieto. “You know, we have lots of great players, but I think she’s going to be the one that gets us really hyped.”

Bellamy first met the team in January, and Brumfiel said she and her family fit right in from the start.

“It’s just been this perfect match where the team is thrilled to have her and she and her family are thrilled to have the supportive team,” Brumfiel said.

She said the CU women’s basketball team has gone above and beyond in welcoming Bellamy and her family already.

The team members each have a personalized bracelet with Bellamy’s name on it, and Brumfiel said she loves seeing the team wear the bracelets when she’s not with them in person.

“When we met Bellamy, personally, I just fell in love with her. There was no way we were gonna say no,” Quay Miller, star forward for the Buffs, told FOX31.

The women’s basketball team at the University of Colorado Boulder is signing 6-year-old Bellamy for a two-year honorary position on the team, just in time for March Madness.

6-year-old honored at Buffs signing day event

Wednesday evening, CU is hosting a Signing Day dinner event with the Buffaloes where Bellamy will be officially signed to the roster and presented with a jersey.

“The Signing Day event is basically sort of the formal commitment and celebration, where the kid gets to officially sign their National Letter of Intent with the team,” Brumfiel said.

For the next two years, Bellamy will attend practices and games, hang out with the team, build friendships with her teammates and keep in contact while the team is on the road or when Bellamy is getting treatment.

“It’s a therapeutic mentoring program, which provides these kids with a true sense of belonging and focuses on building confidence and resilience during their medical journey,” Brumfiel said.

Brumfield noted that the experience encompasses each child patient’s entire family and lives beyond the two years, creating a support network with relationships and memories that last a lifetime.

It serves as an enlightening experience for the athletes as well.

“The reciprocal side of it is that the student-athletes and the coaches who participate also benefit tremendously because they get to realize that, you know, someone else is fighting something really serious and challenging, and it kind of puts their own lives and challenges in perspective,” Brumfiel said.

Bellamy is one of 22 Colorado children with illnesses and disabilities who have been matched with a sports team thanks to Team IMPACT.