The Sarah Grace Foundation, a Hickville-based organization that aims to improve the quality of life for children battling cancer, hosted an “Evening of Magic” to raise funds for its mission.
The evening raised over $5,000, which will go towards supplying crafts, books and gift cards to children with cancer, as well as supplying and financial aid to families undergoing treatments.
The event, hosted at the Millridge Inn in Jericho on Friday, April 5, attracted almost 70 attendees. Magician and mentalist Gary Ferrar performed for the audience, showcasing mind-reading skills and card tricks.
Attendees had the opportunity to enter over 30 individual raffles, totaling in over $6,000 of value, as well as a 50-50 raffle.
The organization, named after Sarah Grace, who died of cancer in 2002, offers children the opportunity to be children by providing crafts, activities, books, and toys.
Matthew Wippert, the foundation’s president and Sarah’s father, said the organization was founded to honor Sarah’s life and help other children like her.
“23 years ago, we began a journey that is any parent’s worst nightmare,” he said.
In 2002, 11-year-old Sarah was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after having been rushed to the Emergency Room.
“Sarah’s leukemia was very aggressive, and with a white cell count of 1.2 million, even with aggressive treatment, Sarah was probably not going to survive,” he said.
Sarah underwent treatments, a bone marrow transplant, and high doses of chemo, but nine months later, she suffered a seizure and, after admission into the hospital, died shortly afterward.
In March of 2003, the same month Sarah would have turned 13, the Weipperts formed the Sarah Grace Foundation to help pediatric cancer patients.
“We don’t get to choose what happens to us in this life, but we do get to choose how it defines us,” Weippert said. After Sarah’s death, Weippert said the family wanted to help other children in Sarah’s position and honor her legacy.
“Everything Sarah went through had to stand for something,” he said.
After almost 25 years of service, the foundation offers many programs, including the Sarah Grace Book Angels, the Escape Hatch, the Bead Program and the Chemo Duck.
The Book Angels and the Bead Program donate books and crafting beads to local hospitals and treatment centers. The escape hatch, which aims to offer children an escape from their troubles, comprises books, crafts and a disposable camera.
The Chemo Duck is a program started by Lu Sipos, whose son was diagnosed with pediatric cancer and used a stuffed duck to understand how treatment would affect him. The duck, which comes with fake ports, needles, and hospital pajamas, aims to comfort children about their treatments. The Sarah Grace Foundation is the official sponsor of the program in New York, providing stuffed animals and accessories to local hospitals and families.
In addition to these ongoing programs, the foundation offers financial support for families and offers group activities such as ball game tickets, holiday parties and amusement park tickets.
All of these programs, Weippert said, are “necessary distractions for these kids.”
“The smiles they generate are contagious,” he said.
“I’ve known the Weipperts from the beginning, and that means that I’ve known the Sarah Grace Foundation from its beginning,” said Dr. Meg Tippy, the psychologist at the pediatric cancer center when Sarah was a patient.
She said the foundation brings toys, gifts, and seasonal crafts every holiday, which helps kids feel like they’re not missing out on important moments. However, she’s not the only one who feels that way.
Dr. Tippy said her current and former colleagues have shared with her that they rely on the organization to provide a sense of normalcy and support for pediatric cancer patients.
“One in five children diagnosed with cancer will not survive. Sarah is one of those five, but we’re working as hard as we can to look out for the other four,” Weippert said.
