Call it winning the kid lottery: an Edmonton girl got to take part in a three-minute shopping spree at Toys “R” Us Tuesday morning.
Sadie, 10, has Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, a genetic disorder which causes seizures and affects facial appearance, growth, development, intellectual ability and muscle tone.
“It is a genetic disorder where part of her fourth chromosome is missing — just a scratch — which shows you how a little scratch can make a difference in an entire make-up,” her father Mark explained.
“She has some trouble with different motor skills. Cognitively, she’s actually a very bright little girl, but it’s very hard for her to express what she does truly know.”
Sadie, like many young girls, likes pop music (particularly Lady Gaga and Katy Perry), playing games and riding her bike. She loves the colour purple and is a massive fan of the Disney hit movie Monsters Inc.
READ MORE: Edmonton boy living with Williams syndrome wins major toy shopping spree
But unlike many young girls, Sadie’s early life has been challenging.
“She is our special angel who was born at one pound, 13 ounces. My wedding ring fit around her wrist as a bracelet,” her dad said.
“From countless hospital stays to times of complete isolation during treatment, Sadie has missed out on many opportunities to enjoy just being a kid,” said a news release from the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which works to improve the life and health of seriously ill children and their families.
“Chronically ill children are the kids we help and the families. The siblings, for Starlight, are as important as the child itself – as the whole family goes through this together,” explained mascot Captain Starlight.
Watch below: Tuesday morning, an Edmonton girl with a genetic disorder was treated to a shopping spree at Toys R’ Us thanks to Starlight Children’s Foundation. Kendra Slugoski reports.
Sadie, along with her seven-year-old sister (and shopping assistant) Kendrie, took part in the Starlight Children’s Foundation toy dash at a south Edmonton Toys “R” Us store.
“Together as a team they are awesome,” added Captain Starlight. “Kendrie knows exactly what Sadie likes.”
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The two girls are best friends.
“You’ll notice with many families with a special needs child, the sibling might recognize things before anyone else will,” her dad explained. “Since Kendrie could walk, she was always looking out for her sister.
“We’ve noticed that with a few different families – the siblings are truly their best friends.”
At 7:30 a.m., Sadie, her sister, dad and other loved ones, raced through the store, filling three purple shopping carts with as many free toys as possible within the three-minute time frame.
They were assisted by Captain Starlight, who met with the sisters beforehand to come up with a game plan. He said the dash is just one of the ways they help children.
WATCH: An Edmonton girl with health complications was chosen for a three-minute shopping spree at Toys”R”Us Tuesday morning. Kendra Slugoski talks to “Captain Starlight” about the toy dash before it got underway.
The program, in its fourth year, is funded by Toys “R” Us as part of their long-standing partnership with Starlight. Dashes take place in eight cities across Canada.
READ MORE: Sick Edmonton boy gets 3-minute dream dash through toy store
Each dash recipient was randomly selected as part of a contest Starlight held earlier this summer, in which families were asked to share the details of their child’s care journey and submit them to their local Starlight Programs Coordinator for entry.
WATCH: Heather Yourex-West reports on a three-minute Toys “R” Us shopping spree made possible for a Calgary boy with a rare disorder on Sept. 27.