“Thank you, now the big one please”

 (If you’re just joining us now be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of Sol’s story.)

There are special people in life that bring happiness with them wherever they go. Two-year-old Sol is one of those people. Named 2017 CCA Hero for the month of August, Sol’s life facing high-risk stage IV Neuroblastoma hasn’t been easy, but she’s handled everything with incredible strength.

In September, Sol received a special surprise through a community collaboration between Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), Hillsboro Costco, Solowave, and McCarthy Building Companies’ “Heart Hats.”

During a trip to her local Costco with her parents, Ruth and Andy, Sol saw a play structure that she fell in love with. Although her parents knew that it was important for Sol to play as part of her health and happiness, they could not begin to think about budgeting and building a play structure on top of all the other things they were juggling. So they instead bought her a small plastic slide. But that’s not what Sol had in mind, and when she saw the slide she said, “Thank you, now the big one please!”

A Phone Call to CCA

Ruth and Andy thought it would be wonderful to have a play structure at home which would allow Sol to play outside and still protect her weakened and susceptible immune system, but they were unsure about how to make it a reality. That’s when they remembered the help that they had received from CCA through our Chemo Pal Mentor program and MyMusicRx program. This time they turned to our Link program in the hopes that CCA could make Sol’s dream come true.

CCA reached out to the Hillsboro Costco, run by a local family, and without hesitation, they facilitated the donation of the play structure by Solowave. McCarthy Building Companies sent a team of nine “Heart Hats” volunteers to Sol’s house to create a level area for the structure and assemble it. They even completed a few extra repairs to the deck on the back of the house, so Sol has safe and easy access to the play structure.

“On Sunday morning after Sol woke up, we told her that CCA had delivered a surprise to her. She closed her eyes, we took her to the backyard, and when she saw it, she was so happy. Then she was a little overwhelmed not knowing where to play first. We spent all morning in the play structure,” said Ruth.

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of our community, especially Hillsboro Costco, McCarthy Building Companies, and Solowave, Sol was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to broaden her world, laugh, bond with her parents, and play safely outside without the fear of becoming sick.

And Now, The GREAT News from Ruth and Andy

“We’re also pleased to share that after almost one and a half years, Sol ended treatment in October. We hope she is now cancer free and stays that way to enjoy a long, happy, and healthy life.

We have found in CCA a family and a support system that we would never have imagined before existed. The only way we have been able to survive this journey without having any direct family in the US to help us has been through unimaginable support from our colleagues, neighbors, friends and equally important to Sol and us, from organizations like CCA.

It is thanks to contributions from people like you that CCA is able to break the pain and isolation that cancer treatment brings to kids like Sol and to families like ours. We have seen first-hand the way CCA can transform so many precious moments with JOY. We ask you to please be generous in your support of this important organization.”

– Andy and Ruth Soria-Zuniga