Meet Aria, a five-year-old superhero who is battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). She is an incredible girl with an amazing smile and cheerful spirit! Our Campus Crew at Buffalo State brought Aria on an adventure to give her a fun therapeutic experience in the midst of treatment.
To start off the full day of adventures, the Crew brought Aria and her cousin to Build-a-Bear to create their own fluffy friends to take home. Build-a-Bear was so supportive of Aria and her adventure that they helped with the cost!
After Build-a-Bear, the adventure continued at Dave and Buster’s, one of Aria’s favorite places. They played games, once again provided by the supportive staff at Dave and Buster’s, and ate a delicious dinner. Some other families in the restaurant noticed the Crew, and once they learned about Aria’s battle with cancer, they offered to help pay for the meal!
Last but definitely not least, the Crew brought Aria to the Disney Store to stock up on her favorite gear before her trip to Disney World later this year. The employees at the store made the experience magical by naming Aria the “Guest of Honor.” Aria hosted a “tea party” and picked out her favorite things. Aria also received a Minnie toy from a kind woman at the store who they learned was also battling cancer.
The entire adventure was magical, but what made it even more special was the incredible and unexpected support from store employees, restaurant staff and kind bystanders. Aria has so many people cheering her on, and this adventure was a wonderful way to remind Aria and her family they have widespread support as they experience the emotional and financial difficulties of cancer treatment.
Your support makes adventures like this possible - thank you for putting a smile on Aria’s face!
