Pharmacy Student Has the Heart—and Game—for Helping Others

The Duquesne University pharmacy student has combined both passions to help raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, using a 24-hour livestream event where people donate money while watching others play a variety of table top games. Duquesne’s Tabletop Society, a student club, hosted the event.

“I love games and a good challenge,” said David, a fifth-year pharmaceutical sciences student from Haddon Heights, New Jersey. “I really want to have a positive impact on people’s lives and this ridiculously extreme event is one way to do it.”

David began raising money for hospitals in his first year at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. Working with other students, his group collectively raised more than $6,000 during his four years of high school. Joining the effort at Duquesne, David and his fellow table top gamers collected more than $8,000 in donations last fall and are planning for an even larger event in fall 2024. The money helps families offset uncompensated health care costs, funds hospital research and training and is used to purchase life-saving equipment.

The Tabletop Society selected Children’s Miracle Network because it aligns with the values and ideas of the club, David said.

“We want to offer a safe, inclusive and accessible environment for students to play tabletop games on Saturday nights in accordance with Spiritan pedagogy,” he said. “Knowing that the funds raised will go to help people in need fits perfectly with our mission.”

The collaborative spirit of the effort from students is a reflection of Duquesne’s dedication to promoting equity and opportunity in the region and beyond.

“For me, it’s been great to see everyone so excited over this event,” David said. “Just seeing all these nerds come together for a great cause during their weekend is really heartwarming.”

Since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2019, David has felt at home at Duquesne. On his first visit to campus, he was lost in the parking garage and a stranger left their car and asked him if he needed directions.

“I thought to myself, ‘What is this hospitality?’ It’s nothing like the type of people you’d meet in Philadelphia,” he said jokingly. “I knew then that these were my people.”

He was also attracted to Pittsburgh’s position as one of the nation’s leading health care hubs and the opportunities it may provide him in the future. He sees his pharmacy education as a way to help unhoused people, who often suffer from substance abuse disorders, among other mental health illnesses.

“We have humans living on the street who are in pain, but we don’t treat them like humans,” he said, while working alongside fellow pharmacy students at Duquesne’s annual Health and Wellness Fair in downtown Pittsburgh. “I want to use what I learn here to do more than help people but rather make an impact on their lives.”

As for his future after Duquesne, David said he wants to do something larger than himself that can leave a lasting impression.

“I really want to serve people who are feeling discomfort, not only from a physical perspective, but also mentally and emotionally,” he said. “In our courses, we talk about the social determinants of health – a person’s housing situation, transportation limitations, their access to food and medical services – which affect their total health. Having this perspective will help me become a more empathic health care professional and person when I enter the field.”

Along with his health care career, David might want to consider moonlighting in fundraising. He’s planning a PharmaCarnival on April 19 near the University’s Mellon Hall to help raise funds for School of Pharmacy student organizations. The event will offer merchandise, raffles and, of course, games.