For 9-year-old Sophia Triscuit of Marblehead, Saturday, May 3, is going to be a very special day. The Brown School student, who lives with a rare and life-threatening disease that will eventually require a kidney transplant, will be the focus of a Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island celebration here in town.
“She’s really excited about it,” said Cassie Sturdivant, owner of Marblehead’s Mud Puddle Toys. “I want her to realize how special she is. I want her to feel supported, because she is.”
Sturdivant is partnering with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island to organize the day.
Mom Ashley Hill told the Current that her little girl has been through a lot.
“Sophia and our family have had a long journey since she was born with VACTERL Association and microtia,” she explained. “We’ve had more hospitalizations and close calls than we’d like to count.”
Make-A-Wish Day
The Select Board has designated May 3 as Make-A-Wish Day in Marblehead.
The fun will begin with activities at Seaside Park 9-11 a.m., including a 2.9-mile walk/run with Marblehead Police and the high school’s Interact Club. Participants can meet at the flagpole at Seaside and travel to the end of the Causeway and back. There will be refreshments and cornhole at Seaside.
The action then moves to Mud Puddle Toys, 1 Pleasant St., from 1-4 p.m. Mud Puddle is hosting an “open house-style party” — and the community is welcome.
“During the party, we’re going to reveal that Sophia will get her wish this summer,” Sturdivant explained.
Sophia’s wish is for a treehouse in her backyard.
“Her life-threatening condition often requires extended home care recoveries, so Make-A-Wish creating a haven for her in her own backyard guarantees she can enjoy aspects of being a kid, even in moments that challenge her access to playgrounds and school,” Hill said.
The Mud Puddle party will have refreshments and kids’ activities, including face painting.
The MHS Interact Club will be there, too.
The event will raise funds for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island to help fulfill other kids’ wishes. (There are three other “wish kids” in Marblehead, according to the organization.)
Sturdivant is hoping to raise $5,000. She’ll be selling specially made “wish bears” throughout May and donating the proceeds to Make-A-Wish.
“We are so appreciative of Mud Puddle Toys, which brings joy to local children each day, including Make-A-Wish kiddos like Sophia through a partnership with Douglas Bears,” Hill said.
‘Dream come true’
Sturdivant jumped at the chance to work with Make-A-Wish and hopes their partnership will continue.
“It’s just such a gift to be able to work with an organization like Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island,” she said. “It’s a dream come true, especially for a small business owner like me.”
Several other local businesses are getting involved by sponsoring fundraising efforts throughout May.
“A couple restaurants want to do dinner events with us, a couple businesses will donate a percentage of their sales on certain days,” Sturdivant said.
She added, “The thing that’s wonderful about Marblehead is that Headers are good at coming together and taking care of their own. I’ve been really amazed that everyone I’ve talked to about the event is absolutely on board.”
Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island grants life-changing wishes for local children with critical illnesses. This year, the organization will grant nearly 400 wishes for children ages 2 1/2 to 18. To learn more about how you can get involved, visit massri.wish.org.
If you’d like to support Make-A-Wish but can’t attend on Saturday, visit HERE.
