hMAG, Hoboken Lifestyle Magazine

Back in April the creative director here at hMAG received a Facebook message asking if we might be able to help a 6-year-old girl named Faith Pruden who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in February and given six months to live. All the way from Columbus, Ohio, she, with the help of her mother, Sarah Worley, created a website (faithswishlist.com) of a number of wishes she wanted to accomplish.

“I was always trying to plan things for Faith to look forward to,” Worley explained, “A cancer mom told me that her son died within 48 hours of her son's Make A Wish trip. That was the last thing he had to look forward to. I was determined not to allow that to happen to Faith.”

With Worley’s dedication to her daughter and a little help from friends, family, and even strangers, Faith began checking things off of her list - which is where hMAG came into the picture.

hMAG’S INVOLVEMENT

hMAG approached Faith, her mother, grandmother, Laura, and 9-year-old sister, Trinity, and offered them a trip to Hoboken. Once in the Mile Square, they would stay at the W Hotel and experience the special week put together by hMAG, its advertisers, and the generous Hoboken community and business owners.

“Faith was so excited about hMAG’s offer,” Worley said. “She counted down the days.”

#6: MAKE A CAKE WITH THE CAKE BOSS

Among the twenty items on Faith’s wish list, along with being in a magazine, riding in a horse-drawn carriage, owning her own bakery, meeting Taylor Swift, and more, Faith really wanted to make a bake with Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro from Carlo’s Bakery right here in Hoboken.

After falling for Buddy from TLC’s Cake Boss, Faith developed her own interest in cooking and dreamt about the day she could come to the Mile Square, meet Buddy, and make a cake with the Cake Boss himself.

When hMAG set up the trip for Faith and her family, Buddy and Carlo’s Bakery agreed to make Faith’s wish come true. Faith was able to go to the bakery, start from scratch and make the cake of her dreams – the theme being Heaven. Faith and Buddy created a chocolate mousse sky blue cake with angels, clouds, butterflies and doves. Since they had “watched every episode,” the Cake Boss bigheartedly gave the family autographs and goodies to take back to Ohio. Faith’s smile could not have gotten any bigger as her wish was coming true.

THE TRIP ITINERARY

Besides Faith’s wish to make a cake with Buddy, hMAG set up an entire week for the family to enjoy while they were in the Hoboken/NYC area to check some more items off of Faith’s wish list.

Sunday, May 16

o Faith, Trinity, Sarah & Grandmother fly from Columbus to Hoboken

o Receive a “fancy” limo ride courtesy of Vincent Limousine (#16 on her list) to the W Hoboken

o Welcome dinner at the Melting Pot with hMAG team & families, 5PM

o Stay at W Hotel

Monday, May 17

o Make a cake with Buddy from Cake Boss, Carlo’s Bakery, 12-1PM

o Zylo Restaurant for dinner

Tuesday, May 18

o Switch over to the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Midtown Times Square (Tues-Fri)

o Stop Sweet in Hoboken for some complimentary cupcakes

o Hair Cult & Marma Day Spa, 2PM: Spa day and pampering

o Town House No.620 Shopping spree-

o Toots&Tallie Shopping spree

o Photo Shoot with hMAG contributor photographer Robert Wagner

o hMIXER/Fundraiser @The Quays with HFA, 6:30-10PM

Wednesday, May 19

o Limo ride to the 2PM matinee of The Lion King on Broadway

o Tour of Times Square

o Ride in horse-drawn carriage through Central Park

o Dinner at Onieals Soho, 174 Grand St.

Thursday, May 20

o Spend the day in NYC

o Runway fashion show at The Sak showroom. Here, the family would each also pick out a bag from the brand new collection of The Sak

o NY Yankees game at 7PM, where the Yankees were working with hMAG to have Faith come onto the field and even meet some of the players!

Friday, May 21

o Check out of hotel

o Limo to Laguardia Airport

hMIXER

Unfortunately Faith’s special trip was cut short when her illness took a turn for the worst and she did not have the strength to complete everything hMAG had originally planned.

With so many extraordinary things planned, it’s unfortunate that Faith was unable to experience her action-packed week and check some items off of her wish list. However, even with Faith unable to attend, hMAG’s May hMIXER on Tuesday 5/18 at The Quays was dedicated to her, with all proceeds going toward her medical bills. Co-sponsored by the Hoboken Family Alliance, donations were collected all night and raffle tickets were sold to prizes from hMAG advertisers The Sak, The Shannon, and Koko FitClub, along with other Hoboken businesses William Howard Home, Revival Vintage Boutique, Sport TaeKwonDo, and Priority Chiropractic. The hMIXER also boasted two live performances from Hobokenite Ray Greiche and a special acoustic performance by Adam McDonough and John Miller of 7Mornings. Over $1300 was raised for Faith at the event.

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hMAG wants to thank everyone who offered to help Faith and her family – it truly is times like these when we realize how special Hoboken is and how quickly The Mile Square comes together to help those in need. Faith was definitely restored in hMAG. For more information on Faith and her wish list or to donate directly to her medical bills, go to faithswishlist.com.

Special Thanks:

Dawn Wilson Lewis who sent the original Facebook message, The Quays, Vincent Limousine, W Hoboken, Melting Pot, Crepe Grill, Carlo’s Bakery, Zylo, Sweet, Hair Cult, Marma Day Spa, Town House No. 620, Toots&Tallie, Robert Wagner Photography, Onieal’s, The Sak, TravelAdvocates, Paradigm: William Craver & Jonathan Mills, Disney, Bill Melms & Guarini Plumbing, William Howard Home, Midtown Authentic, The Shannon, Revival Vintage Boutique, Chris DeSantis RI Communications Group, Sporttaekwondo, Romparoo, Hudson Dance Center, Four Points by Sheraton, Ray Greiche, 7Mornings, Jennifer Ogden-Reese for People Magazine and the Hoboken Family Alliance