28 January, 2015

Piper + Dolls (and Food!) = Love

Way (waaaay) back in September, we had the amazing honor of working with our second Quinn's List family. This one was a little different from the first - this family lives in California and Piper, our Quinn's List Kid, was not one of the Niemann-Pick children. This was a new family, a new horizon and one that - while we wished with all our hearts we didn't have to - we welcomed.

To see Piper's photos is to love her. Penelope "Piper" Collins' fierce personality shines through her dimples and big grins, and makes you just want to laugh with her until your belly hurts. She was a scant 13months old when she took her Quinn's List Wish Trip, and by all accounts, loved every moment.

That Face!
Photo courtesy of facebook.com/TeamPiper

When I spoke with Katie, Piper's mom, she said there were two things in the world Piper loves most - Dolls and Food. Living in the Los Angeles area, it was a no-brainer: a day at American Girl Place. This Wish was near and dear to me because it was one of the adventures Quinn got to go on, and I know how wonderful the memories are from that day. 


Happy faces, beautiful memories with Quinn at AG Place NYC.
I just know that she and Piper would have been a force to be reckoned with!

Along with Katie and Piper were Big Brother Evan and a family friend. The mini-posse enjoyed lunch at the American Girl cafe before embarking on a tour of the store. Big Brother even got in on the fun with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle "doll" to accompany him. After lunch, Piper picked out her very own American Girl Doll and brought it to the 'salon' to get a new hairdo.


Piper and her beautiful mama at lunch, celebrating Piper :)
I think she liked her cake :)
Piper checking out her options
Stylin' her new baby doll - with purple ribbons, of course ;)
so sweet!

From Katie, Piper's Mom:

It was a perfect day for her. She was able to eat lunch with a doll next to her, pick out her very own doll to take home (which was not an easy decision), and her new doll even got a new 'do! The staff at the store said they  had never seen such a young baby so enamored by dolls. It has almost been a year since Piper's cancer journey began, and in this year I have seen the good, the great, and the amazing in people. Words will never be able to express our gratitude to Quinn Madeleine Inc.

Katie, we feel equally as speechless in expressing our honor of being part of Piper's happiness, even just for one day.

Learn more about Piper and follow her journey and that of her amazing family at Facebook.com/TeamPiper.


A special thanks to our amazing donors - without you all, none of this would be possible. To learn more about Quinn's List, and how you can help make a Wish Trip possible for other children like Piper, please visit our site.