NEWS

A fancy dress & sensible shoes

Patient prom felt worlds away from the hospital

By BARBARA POLICHETTI Special to the Herald
Posted 5/8/24

There was lots of hairspray, and plenty of sequins and suit jackets Friday as a large room on the second floor of the Hotel Providence was turned into a hub of pre-prom activity.

Hairstylists …

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NEWS

A fancy dress & sensible shoes

Patient prom felt worlds away from the hospital

Posted

There was lots of hairspray, and plenty of sequins and suit jackets Friday as a large room on the second floor of the Hotel Providence was turned into a hub of pre-prom activity.

Hairstylists and make-up artists hovered over teens who were putting on their best for a very special night of dining and dancing.

The young guests were past or present patients of Hasbro Children’s Hospital which, through the support of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation and local franchisees, was holding the special night for teens dealing with chronic or critical illnesses.

The theme of the night was “Aloha,” and the ballroom had been transformed with an explosion of tropical flowers.

Dining was preceded by a “Mocktail” hour which featured a live ukulele band, non-alcoholic beverages, and hot hors d’oeuvre.

It was all barely a mile from the hospital, but it seemed worlds away.

“Oh, I plan on dancing,” said 13-year-old Izabelle “Izzy” Major of Cranston as she waited for the festivities to begin. She’s been taking dance classes since she was two years old, and only slowed down a little bit during her two-year battle with leukemia.

She’s in remission now, and very busy with her classes at Western Hills Middle School, spending time with friends, and Baxter, her Golden Retriever.

Poised beyond her years, Izzy is also a member of The Adolescent Leadership Council (TALC) at the hospital.

For prom night, she chose a short dress with a small floral print, sneakers for comfort, and subtle eye-makeup that highlighted her deep blue eyes. She said she loves the fact that the prom is all about fun — particularly for teens who have had to wage some tough health battles.

She said she doesn’t mind talking about her illness because she wants to help others.

“I think a lot of people think they are alone, and they are not,” Izzy said, adding that she has remained a determined optimist.

“Even when I first got diagnosed,” I told myself, ‘you’re going to be okay,’ ’’she said.  “It kind of became my mantra and I think I got it from mother. She is amazing — and she is my biggest supporter.”

prom, Hasbro

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