Magic for Maddie to turn loss into positive changeDate: 10/6/2023 Last year Nora and Greg Schmidt experienced the tragic loss of their 8-year-old daughter Maddie, just 10 months after she was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer. In her memory, the family is returning with the second annual Magic for Maddie fundraiser event at Ashley Reservoir on Oct. 14 to celebrate Maddie’s life and raise money for charity.
“Maddie was one of a kind, she could light up a room the minute she walked into it, and you really just felt connected with Maddie when she was around you. I, of course as her mom, always still think she’s my best friend but I learned to realize even when she was sick and after she passed, how many people had made connections with Maddie as well. She was the kind of person that made you feel special inside and out and she did it naturally,” said Schmidt.
That connection Maddie made with so many, Schmidt added, also extended to her fellow classmates. She shared a story of Maddie one night at dinner sharing with the family ever so casually that she was elected kindergarten class president that day, much to her parents’ and two brothers’ surprise.
Maddie’s comedic touch extends with another story, told by Maddie’s brother, Patrick, at her celebration of life that details when Maddie was first learning to ski. Maddie, over a few days, was progressing quickly with her skill and was ready for more of a challenge. After finally convincing everyone for an attempt on a more challenging trail, the family went down together. Before Patrick could even realize, Maddie was flying past him and said,
“See ya, sucker,” and laughed as she sped away.
The biggest thing her parents noticed about her daily was her kindness to anyone and everyone.
“I think that’s what we’re trying to continue to pay forward with everything moving forward is to spread Maddie’s sparkle and kindness because I know it’s something that she did and something that she would want to happen,” Schmidt said.
Magic for Maddie at Ashley Reservoir and the Holyoke Elks is a 5K/2 mile family fun walk and carnival event. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and will be followed by a carnival event featuring food and ice cream trucks, live music, bounce houses, a magic show, games, a dunk tank, raffles and much more.
Registration is $35 for adults and $15 for kids, or a $100 family max. Registration includes all carnival activities, entertainment, a Magic for Maddie T-shirt and a choice of an ice cream or complimentary beer or wine. To register visit https://www.magicformaddie.com.
The event falls on what would have been Maddie’s ninth birthday and the family is asking everyone to bring an unwrapped toy to the event that will be donated to a local children’s hospital. The event will also feature a “get well” card station to sign and make cards to send to children currently battling cancer or other illnesses.
Last year, the first-ever Magic for Maddie fundraiser took place to raise money for Maddie’s treatments and also to donate a portion to charity and research on pediatric brain cancer. Schmidt mentioned Maddie was struggling with her illness, but still had a great day knocking her grandma and other family members into the dunk tank, and being around so many loved ones and supporters in the community.
Maddie’s aunt Jenn Capshaw also spoke with Reminder Publishing about the event and Maddie’s memory, adding the family knew they had an opportunity to turn darkness into light.
“With what Maddie went through, which was so tragic and horrible, we knew that we had to make something positive, and some light come from this horrible situation that she went through and so we’re doing so much to team up with charities,” Capshaw explained.
Maddie suffered from a brain cancer known as DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma), an aggressive, malignant brain tumor. Because of the specific diagnosis, Magic for Maddie the nonprofit organization has partnered with three national charities that specifically support research and treatment for this diagnosis. The three charities include the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, the DIPG-DMG Research Funding Alliance and the Live Life Together Foundation, which provides financial help to other families in the same fight.
Capshaw added half the money from the fundraiser will stay local to help families going through those same “unimaginable” situations that Maddie was once going through.
“What Maddie had was rare, but it also isn’t when you look at it, so that’s really important for us. We benefited from these families banding together and now it’s for us to pay it forward,” Capshaw said. “Last year the money supported our family and the expenses and everything, and we just knew what a gift that was and it’s really important for us to pay that forward.”
Capshaw, Schmidt and members of the Schmidt family traveled to Washington D.C. a few weeks ago for the Cure Fest and the Brainstorm Summit where they learned about these groups and their new partners in the common fight, as well as many others who have experienced similar losses due to the disease.
“Basically, they were in Washington saying they’ve been in similar situations and they were saying how like we feel, how it’s so important to turn our pain into power and purpose,” Schmidt said. “You know, you have two choices when you’re dealt with something like this, but we’re choosing to join up with the people and make sure that the funds go to the right place and it’s directly to research and people in need.”
Maddie’s brothers Will and Patrick were two of the brains behind the initial Magic for Maddie fundraiser and were best friends with their sister, Schmidt said. During one of Maddie’s trials at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, she and her parents were informed they had to stay overnight before she could be released. Schmidt said Maddie became sad due to being stuck overnight at the hospital and she looked at her parents and asked for her brothers.
“It kind of broke our heart a little and so I called Jenn and I said, ‘she just wants the boys,’ and Jenn said they were coming and dropped everything and brought my boys on a flight and were there at the hospital that night. It’s the only thing that made her smile and it made them smile,” Schmidt said. “Truly they were the ones that could put a smile on her face when she needed it the most.”
The boys were also quick to tell their parents the fundraiser should come back this year in her honor.
“We want people to remember Maddie and who she was and the things she loved, and we want to pay it forward so that’s all I needed to hear,” Schmidt said. “The love and outpouring of support from our community, not only when Maddie was sick but even now, after the amount of people that are registered and planned to come and have sponsored and checked in with us means everything to our family right now.”
Both of Maddie’s parents are from Holyoke, but the family lives in Southampton. Both communities have been vigorous in their support for this cause, according to both sisters, and a packed turnout is expected for this year’s event once again.
“For us, just seeing the community come together and rally around her and feeling that love was the most important thing we could do for Nora and Greg, Will and Patrick, and Maddie, and that was really our biggest purpose in doing this,” Capshaw said. “Holyoke is incredible at coming together for their own people, and Southampton rallied in that way too. It helps keep Maddie present with us.”
Last year’s event raised enough money to help cover expenses the family was facing through Maddie’s treatment, and the family was also able to donate $50,000, split between research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and their first $25,000 to the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation.
“People have asked throughout this and after Maddie passed what can they do to help and they’re showing up for our family in so many ways by being at this event with us and celebrating Maddie and her life and her legacy. For use that means the world so when people are asking what they can do, they’re doing it by being there and supporting us. It means the world to us,” Schmidt said. “Every dollar is helping toward our goals and not just Magic for Maddie goals but these big goals with all these other foundations, so it makes us feel proud that we’re remembering Maddie and people are remembering her for her kindness and her love and to pay it forward and make a difference in peoples lives. I know Maddie was just here for a short time but truly, she did make that difference and she’s going to continue making that difference even though she’s not physically here with us.”
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