Patients At Blythedale Children's Hospital Receive Star Treatment For End-Of-School Celebration
VALHALLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- One Westchester school is going all out during its end-of-year celebrations to make sure its students feel special.
Mount Pleasant School at Blythedale Children's Hospital threw an "Aloha Summer" party Monday, and the students, who are all patients, got the star treatment.
Fourteen-year-old Trejah Brown is celebrating summer. She tossed beach balls in the air and ate cotton candy with 40 of her classmates.
The excited teens were celebrating the end of school, except this group is different.
"I had my second surgery, brain surgery, and during that surgery, I had a stroke," Brown told CBS2's Tara Jakeway.
Brown is a patient and student at the Blythedale Children's Hospital, but she used to be dancing in the big leagues.
"I dance with Alvin Ailey, and I'm just going to wait a little longer to get my flexibility back," she said.
She hopes to one day dance again with the prestigious company, but thanks to her recovery and therapy at Blythedale, the Bronx native is happy to be standing and sparkling.
She soaked in the star treatment along with the other teens, all with inspiring stories of recovery.
Seventeen-year-old Zoriah Callaway was hit by a bullet during a drive-by shooting. She has been working hard on her recovery while tackling another challenge -- the New York State Regents exams.
"I took three of them. I passed all three them all," she said.
Her classmate, 12-year-old Noor Yafai, also focused on her studies while she recovers from a back injury.
"It is very cool that you learn and while you're learning, your therapists help you heal," Yafai said.
"I want them to feel like they're maybe at home or in school or in a community where everyone is just having fun," event organizer Jessica Parisi said.
All three brave ladies were rewarded Monday with a summer makeover. The kids were given sunglasses and swag bags, then treated to toys and tunes.
Brown was out on the dance floor, leading the group. Her next goal is to go to college then med school to become a neurologist.
