Make-A-Wish, Light Up a Child’s
Life Campaign helping wishes
come true for local kids
By Larry McGuire
Of The Spirit
BELL TOWNSHIP — A Bell Township
boy and his family took a trip to the beach
for his wish through the Make-A-Wish
Foundation.
With the annual "Light Up A Child’s
Life" campaign set to begin on Monday,
Dec. 15, it’s time to meet another local
Wish Kid.
Ashley Perry, the mother of six-year-old
Ashton Smith, said that her son suffers
from pachygyria (from the Greek "pachy"
meaning "thick"), a congenital malformation of the cerebral hemisphere. It results
in unusually thick convolutions of the cerebral cortex.
Perry said the worst part for Ashton is
seizures, the onset and severity of which
depends on the severity of the cortical
malformation.
“He is wheelchair bound and he has
seizures,” Perry said. “He’s been hospitalized four times this year with seizures
and flown by helicopter to the hospital for
treatment.”
Ashley said her four-year-old daughter,
Haley Schutz, watches over Ashton
constantly and worries about him.
She said that they didn’t realize there
was anything wrong with Ashton until he
was six-months-old.
“It didn’t appear he was able to see,”
she said. “It was after he had an MRI that
we were told what he had.”
Ashley said that they go to Children’s
Hospital in Pittsburgh every three months
for checkups with his neurologist to check
on how he’s progressing.
“There isn’t much they can do; Ashton
receives anti-seizure medicine, and all of
his therapy he receives at C.G. Johnson
Elementary School in Reynoldsville,
where he attends school,” she said. “All of
his physical and occupational therapy he
receives there, and they do an excellent job
with him.”
She said there isn’t any hope on the
horizon regarding his rare malady.
“I worry about him while he’s away at
school every day,” she said.
Ashley said the wish they chose was to
go to Myrtle Beach.
“We’ve been on vacations to the beach
before, and Ashy seems so relaxed while
they are there,” she said. “He’s so happy,
Photo submitted
Haley Schutz is pictured with her brother, Ashton Smith, at Myrtle Beach — a trip
that was their wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
like anyone would feel when they’re at the
beach.”
She said that the entire family went
on the trip, including her boyfriend, Josh
Schutz.
“Make-A-Wish was wonderful; they
planned a great trip for us, and they take
care of the entire family,” Ashley said,
adding that she was grateful for how they
help families with children who have lifethreatening medical conditions.
Liz Simison, communications assistant
Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and
West Virginia, said the annual Light Up
A Child’s Life campaign can be heard on
WPXZ 104.1 FM to help give the gift of a
wish-come-true to local children with lifethreatening medical conditions.
She said Make-A-Wish will be broadcasting live from multiple locations in the
Punxsutawney area from Dec. 15 through
Dec. 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Simison said that, throughout the day,
Wish Kids and donors will be telling Wish
stories, and supporters will be making
donations. Broadcasting locations are as
follows:
• Miller Brothers Furniture, W.
Mahoning Street, Dec. 15 through Dec. 19,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Ragley’s True Value Hardware,
Monday, Dec. 15, 7 to 9 a.m.
• Punxsy Pizza, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7 to
9 a.m.
• Caterina’s, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7 to
9 a.m.
• Mulberry Square, Wednesday, Dec.
17, 3 to 4 p.m.
• Punxsutawney Area Middle School,
Thursday, Dec. 18, 7 to 8 a.m.
• Punxsutawney Area High School,
Thursday, Dec. 18, 8 to 9 a.m.
• Fezell’s County Market, Friday, Dec.
19, 7 to 9 a.m.
Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania
and West Virginia is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children aged
two-and-a-half to 18, with life-threatening
medical conditions.
Simison
said
c u r r e n t l y,
the local chapter is one of the
most active in the country, having fulfilled
nearly 16,000 wishes.
For more information, call Make-AWish at (800) 676-9474 or visit its website
at greaterpawv.wish.org.