10-Year-Old Cancer Patient’s "Cinderella" Wish Granted by Make-A-Wish and Disney
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the iconic film "Cinderella," a courageous 10-year-old girl from Georgia who is battling cancer has fulfilled her dream of creating her own enchanting gown inspired by the beloved princess.
Rita Huls, a young designer-in-training, has been undergoing treatment for her brain tumor. To bring joy and magic to her life, the Make-A-Wish Foundation organized a special trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
During her Wish Trip, Rita had the opportunity to visit Magic Kingdom and meet her favorite characters from "Cinderella": the princess herself, Prince Charming, and the mischievous stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella. Abbey Parodi, a costume development manager at Disney World, played a pivotal role in Rita’s dream of designing her own gown.
Rita’s Wish Trip included an exclusive tour of Disney World’s costuming department on December 31st, 2023. Parodi guided her through each stage of the costume-making process, from design to construction.
"She really was able to see all the steps," said Parodi. "What we’d like to design… how it’s built, and how it’s put on our wonderful performers."
Rita explored the sewing floor, patterning tables, and cut floor, where designers and patternmakers work their magic. The highlight of the tour came when Rita first laid eyes on the sewing floor, adorned with a wall of vibrant threads.
"We have a thread wall that’s just all the colors of thread you could ever imagine," said Parodi. "Someone like me who loves to sew, someone like Rita who loves to design, it’s little things like that that are just so pretty to see and so magical."
Rita sat down with a Disney designer to brainstorm ideas for her dream gown. She browsed through a selection of fabrics, rhinestones, and embellishments. Together, they sketched out the design, adding colors, trims, and special touches on a tablet.
"It was so fun to see her layer different fabrics over top of each other, pick out the colors she liked, hold things up, see what looked best together," said Parodi. Rita opted for a combination of pink and purple fabrics, with sparkling organza for an ethereal touch.
The Disney World designers worked tirelessly to bring Rita’s vision to life in under a week. Once the gown was complete, it was shipped to her.
"This was something that was so exciting for our department to be able to do because we’re seeing the joy and the happiness on her face in the moment," said Parodi. "We were just really happy to have this wish come true for her."
Rita expressed her delight in a blog post about her Wish Trip, saying that she "had a blast" at Disney World. "I was so excited because I got to go to a top-secret fashion place at Disney," she said. "I got to see all the ways costumes are designed, which was really cool."
Rita’s "Rita’s Rose Diamond Dress" is not only a testament to her creativity and love for "Cinderella," but also a symbol of hope, perseverance, and the power of dreams. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Disney’s generosity, her magical wish became a reality, bringing a touch of enchantment to her life amidst her brave battle with cancer.
