The Glen Cove girls lacrosse team embraced a special member this season: 10-year-old Julia Perfetti, a local girl living with a progressive condition that makes life's most ordinary functions painful and difficult.



The condition worsens with puberty, said Julia's mother, Laura. She said it's been a tough year as Julia's medication dosages have been adjusted to allow her to feel better. The team volunteered at a carnival for Julia last summer, and when their season began they saw an opportunity to offer her more support.



Julia has neurofibromatosis. It causes tumors to grow on her nerves, which send false signals to Julia's brain, causing her to feel pain from problems that aren't happening. She takes six medications each day and experiences physical pain on a regular basis, including severe migraines, difficulty eating and persistent itching so bad she scratches herself until she bleeds.



"There's a lot of uncertainty," said Laura, who serves on the board of Ctf.org, the only research-based organization working toward treatments and a cure.



Julia's babysitter, Lauren Dwyer, 17, is one of the lacrosse team's captains. She's familiar with Julia's particular set of challenges.



"You have to force her to eat," she said of the tiny adolescent, whose growth is stunted by the condition. "Everything's just a little harder."



Dwyer said Julia spends a lot of time at home, a tough card dealt to a girl she described as a boundless spirit limited only by her physical reality.



"She is a little wild thing. She's a tiny girl with a big heart full of energy. You'll never see her upset," said Dwyer.



Her coach, Jacquie Gow, was the one to make Julia an official part of the team. Gow modeled the move after a program called Friends of Jaclyn that started at Northwestern University. Laura Perfetti said it was a surprise when the Glen Cove Board of Education approved her daughter's presence on the field. Such moves are considered uncommon for the high school, she said.



Julia counted down for the coin toss at the start of a few home games and hung with Gow and her players on the bench, soaking up an activity and environment she is prevented from experiencing by her ailment.



"It's been such a boost to her morale," said her mother. "She can't wait to come here."



Julia said she had fun being the team's mascot. Asked what her favorite part was, she said, "Just them supporting me."



Her presence was rewarding for the team and their opponents, who Dwyer said would smile as the small girl trotted out for the coin toss.



"To see that smile on her face for something that we do every day was amazing," Dwyer said.



The team raised $200 in Julia's honor for The Children's Tumor Foundation. They presented Julia with a check at the start of their final game on May 6.



Laura plans to hold another fundraising carnival for her daughter July 13, and is organizing a fundraiser with the NY Mets.