On October 16, 2025, the South Brunswick Girls’ Gymnastics Team held its annual fundraiser meet to support Frontotemporal Dementia. The team had turned a normal one v. one team, dual meet, into a more meaningful event. Family and friends of both teams, South Brunswick and Saint Thomas Aquinas, as well as the family of Jackie Pang, gathered in the bleachers, their presence holding a special importance as Jackie Pang and her family had been personally affected by this disorder.
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is a brain disorder that primarily affects the frontal and temporal lobes, causing a range of symptoms, including behavioral changes, difficulty speaking, memory problems, etc. Over time, it can impact a person’s ability to interact, communicate, and perform certain tasks. FTD often progresses gradually but significantly and places a large pressure on the family. A fundraiser like this helps bring attention to this uncommon disorder.
Before the meet officially began, the athletes gathered at the beginning, taking approximately 10 minutes to honor Jackie Pang and her family, reminding the crowd of the significance of this fundraiser and event to the team. The head coach, Heidi Henning, addressed what FTD is and how/why it resonates with our team. Jackie Pang had been a teacher in the district, teaching at Indian Fields Elementary School as a kindergarten and second-grade teacher, retiring in 2017. Her daughter had been a part of the gymnastics team, with Jackie Pang being a heavily involved mom throughout the seasons before passing away on April 24, 2020. Most years, the team chooses to honor this specific cause because the family decides to donate the money back into the South Brunswick District and helps send kids to summer camp who cannot afford it themselves.
Leading up to the meet, the gymnastics team sold T-shirts to raise money, with each T-shirt selling for 10 dollars. This year, the shirts were a light grey color with “SBHS Gymnastics #ENDFTD” written on them with a teal ribbon, representing the colors of Frontotemporal Disorder. This year, the team has been able to raise enough to donate $200 to the Jackie Pang fund. At the meet, they were able to hand the check directly to Jackie Pang’s Husband.
Following the fundraiser, the rest of the meet followed as normal. The meet was against Saint Thomas Aquinas, with individuals from Monroe Township. The meet proceeded through the four events, starting with the vault, followed by bars, beam, and floor, respectively. However, the meet concluded with a win for Saint Thomas Aquinas and a loss for South Brunswick.
