WILTON MANORS, Fla. — It was an extra-special Sweet 16 for one Aventura girl.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, along with doctors from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, spent the evening celebrating her 16th birthday — and the fact that she is now in remission from cancer.
Isabella Desperate’s magical wish was to have a Sweet 16 birthday party, a dream that’s been a year in the making.
There was even more to celebrate as she prepared to debut a hip-hop dance performance.
Her mother, Beatriz — also a cancer survivor — said she felt blessed to share this moment with her daughter.
“I’m excited, but I’m in tears, because, you know, it’s been a long time coming,” Beatriz Desperate said. “She suffered, I suffered, but we both conquered the journey.”
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has granted more than 500,000 wishes to children battling cancer, teamed up with the Brady Hunter Foundation to make Isabella’s dream party come true in Wilton Manors.
“All these details, the Paris theme, what her guest list is going to be, what the food is going to be and what the entertainment is going to be, and everything. And now it’s coming true,” said Richard Kelly, the CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation South Florida.
While Isabella is in remission, she still has days when she may not feel well. Her mom says they refuse to let that define their journey, because they believe there is much more life left to celebrate.
This was also a full-circle moment. Isabella had her makeup done by a young woman whose own Make-A-Wish dream was to become a makeup artist.
For Isabella and her family, there was plenty to celebrate on this unforgettable night.
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