Make-A-Wish and Underwood Jewelers came together to make a child feel like the princess she has always wanted to be with a night just for her and her dreams.
The connection was made thanks to the Jewelers for Children, which is a national charitable organization founded in 1999 by the U.S. jewelry industry to help children in need through various ways.
Being honored during the event was Cora Sweet, whose wish is to go on a Disney Princess Cruise, which has been granted for her and her family, including her three siblings, but Underwood Jewelers thought she deserved the true royal treatment before the trip.
Underwood’s gave Sweet several gifts including a princess dress like Elsa in the movie “Frozen” which also came with a wand, gloves and a braid to put in her hair to make the outfit complete.
They also gave her a charm bracelet so that she can add charms to preserve all the fun memories she has.
With every gift opened, the smile on Sweet’s face got bigger along with the smiles on her family’s face as they watched and soaked in the magic of the night.
“You would never know what’s going on inside by the outside because she is just so amazing,” said Leandra Sweet, Cora’s mom.
Cora has a series of 11 complications and heart defects she is fighting, according to her parents, that has required two surgeries.
“We actually traveled to California for her surgeon because one particular defect is so rare that there aren’t many surgeons who know what to do with it,” Sweet said. “The surgeon at Stanford in California pioneered the surgery and the team here at Wolfson has been amazing helping us coordinate all of that. They literally saved her life.
Her second surgery was performed in the summer of 2022.
“It’s ongoing and its life-long, and there will never be a cure per say, but these awesome organizations like Make-A-Wish just help make things so much more bearable,” Sweet said.
The princess-themed gifts were perfect for Cora before as she prepares to go on her Princess Cruise, and she is most looking forward to swimming with dolphins while on the cruise.
“That’s the one thing she wanted, was to swim with dolphins on a cruise,” said Joshua Sweet, Cora’s father.
As with many young girls, princesses have always been a fascination of Cora’s, but according to her parents, she likes them for different reasons.
“She likes the powers they have,” Leandra Sweet said. “Like with Elsa, she has powers. So, she’s not into the fanciness of princesses necessarily, but it’s the power that comes with. It’s the same with superheroes, which she also loves for that same reason.”
