ALL ABOUT ABBY

By JEREMY GUTIERREZ

On the outside, Abby Dougherty appears to be your everyday typical student attending Washingtonville High School.  She is a senior who has a huge passion for music, and is part of the chorus.  What many people may be unaware of is the fact that Abby is actually very special.  She recently overcame her arduous battle with cancer.  What Abby was unaware of this past Tuesday was that she was about to be given the wish of a lifetime. 

JEREMY GUTIERREZ FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY

Abby Dougherty was diagnosed with Rhabdomyoma Sarcoma last June.  Rhabdomyoma Sarcoma is a form of children's cancer made up of cells that normally develop into skeletal muscles.  Abby has overcome several surgeries, and was forced to miss a significant amount of time in school.  She had tons of support during her journey from her family, especially from her parents, and her younger sister. 

When the Make A Wish Foundation heard about Abby’s story, they were determined to make her dream come true.  For those that do not know, Make A Wish is a foundation that arranges experiences described as “wishes” to kids with life-threatening medical conditions.  The wishes that can be granted fall into five categories: I wish to have, I wish to be, I wish to go, I wish to meet, and I wish to give.  It was created in 1980, with its headquarters located in Phoenix, Arizona.  Make A Wish has been helping kids and their families for decades, including Abby, who chose to meet her favorite band, Cimorelli.

Cimorelli, a band made up of six sisters, is Abby’s favorite music group and it has been a dream of hers to meet them one day.  Very few people can say they have actually met the band, making this wish extremely unlikely to happen.  However, Abby has punched a hole in her golden ticket to meet the band.  

The Make A Wish foundation made its way to Washingtonville High School on Tuesday, April 10th for a special surprise.  After walking into a surprise party in her chorus class, Abby was greeted with the news that she will be meeting her favorite band later that week.  There was not a dry eye in the room as Abby realized what was happening.  

Her mother, father and sister were there to witness the surprise.  When asked how she felt for her sister after the big reveal, Bridget Dougherty said through tears, “I feel so happy that this is finally happening for her.  She was crying when she walked in and I feel so happy for her.”  

Her classmates, teachers, and family members, along with the Make A Wish workers, wore identical shirts that read, “All About Abby” across the chest to support the health and good news about Abby.  The day truly was all about her.

Along with all the support Abby received from friends and relatives, she had a special friend who was always by her side: Mr. Floppy.   Velvet, also known as Mr. Floppy, was a present given to Abby from the hospital gift shop.  When asked how she acquired Velvet, Abby responded, “My mom likes to say that we rescued him from the hospital gift shop.” 

The support expressed for Abby shows that no one fights alone when it comes to life threatening illnesses.  Abby is truly  a hero, and one of the strongest students gracing the halls of Washingtonville High School.