Since beginning a cap collection on campus for a local young boy who is on dialysis on Nov. 5 through RMU’s National Residence Hall Honor Society (NRH), junior business management major Tyler Montabon and junior nursing major Stephanie Brittner have collected 2,964 caps.

Montabon works for Cigna Group Insurance and it was there that he learned of the opportunity to collect caps for this young boy.

“I just took the initiative and collected some boxes and wrapped them up. It wasn’t too hard of a process to get started,” said Montabon.

Collection boxes can be found in the Hale Center Café, Romo’s and the cafeteria. The boxes will remain there until the first week of December.

Both Montabon and Brittner feel the response across campus has been amazing.

“I’m glad that everybody is participating, especially with Robert Morris being so well known for nursing and those types of things, it’s really good that we can reach out and help those who actually need it,” stated Brittner.

Among the flyers and email blast sent out to students to announce this collection, Montabon believes word of mouth has served as their best tool for getting people to participate.

“It’s been really cool how people have jumped on the back of this, and we’ve gotten a lot of support throughout campus, individually,” said Montabon.

In fact, this collection has also spread off campus. Four hundred and three caps were donated by anonymously during the second and the Island Sports Center is looking to get involved next semester as well.

“I have no doubt in my mind that we will get just as good of a response next semester because I’ve gotten feedback from people that I don’t even know that are excited about what we’re doing,” explained Montabon.

According to Montabon, every 40 caps provide a minute of dialysis, which is often performed on someone with kidney failure that involves the cleansing of one’s blood by passing it through a special machine, for the young boy.

As of now, the number of caps collected will provide the young boy with 74 minutes of dialysis.

Montabon and Brittner have already been granted permission to continue the collection in the spring.

“There’s no real limit to this. Everyone is getting involved,” said Montabon.

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