SMU Football unveiled a Children’s Health helmet designed by patient ambassador Adalynn, celebrating resilience, creativity, and strength in Dallas.
DALLAS - SMU Football and Children’s Health teamed up again this spring for one of the most meaningful traditions in Dallas sports, unveiling a custom patient-designed helmet created by Children’s Health ambassador Adalynn during Friday at Ford.
The special SMU helmet design was selected as part of the ongoing partnership between SMU Athletics and Children’s Health, the program’s official pediatric health care partner.
The initiative gives young patients a chance to tell their stories through art, while also connecting the football team and fans with the real-life courage shown by kids across North Texas every day.
Adalynn’s design stood out after a vote by SMU football players, and it’s easy to see why. Her artwork centered on motion, toughness, and optimism ... themes that line up naturally with football, but also reflect her own path. She has dealt with serious gastrointestinal issues since she was very young and later received a diagnosis of colonic dysmotility and gastroparesis.
With continued treatment and specialized care, she’s been able to manage those challenges while still staying deeply involved in school and sports.
And she’s hardly slowing down. Adalynn plays volleyball, tennis, golf, and softball, where she serves as a varsity catcher.
She’s also built an impressive resume outside athletics as an award-winning baker, collecting multiple Best in Show honors at the Fannin County Fair for her carrot pecan cake.
That mix of competitiveness and creativity made her a natural fit for this year’s helmet project.
The result was more than just a cool alternate look for SMU Football. It became a visible reminder that strength shows up in different forms.
The Children’s Health-SMU partnership continues to spotlight stories like Adalynn’s while reaching thousands of families across the region.
For the Mustangs, the helmet is a fresh piece of gear. For Adalynn and other young patients watching, it’s something bigger ... proof that their voices, experiences, and resilience belong in the spotlight too.
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