Sam and Lucy became friends as teenagers baking cupcakes with Karlie Kloss
Lucy: Growing up in Buffalo, New York, fighting cancer, loving fashion, NYC, and baking for friends.
Sam: Growing up in the heart of NYC, getting treatment for a rare genetic disorder, loving fashion, NYC, and baking for friends.
Lucy & Sam’s Wish
Each individually wished to meet Karlie Kloss, their favorite female role model and bake with her. To add some detail from Sam - “It was a whole day affair. We joined Karlie at Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan, baked and decorated cupcakes with the assist of a ‘cupcake expert,’ had a long lunch with Karlie, and left the day with a lifelong friend in each other.” They both attribute some of the confidence they have to meeting their role model; they saw that becoming dynamic and powerful women was more than just a pipe dream.
Sam & Lucy Meet Karlie Kloss
Lucy recalls, “I was so nervous going into it. Cause I'm like, I don't know this person that I looked up to so much, now I'm going to spend time with her. But you know, we came in and she introduced herself and she just like, has this aura, she's so comforting.”
“You never know what to expect from people and how they're going to handle it (being sick), but there was not an ounce of pity from her,” said Sam.
Lucy added, “Karlie’s like, ‘Yeah, we're baking today. Let's go guys!’ She totally looked past all of that and just saw us as the people we are. And I really appreciate her for that.”
“And I remember feeling so special because I remember at the end, she (Karlie) didn't want to leave,” said Sam.
Lucy & Sam on being a ‘sick teen’
“I think a lot of times people forget that sick teens are just teens with an illness. We're still in school. We're still learning about ourselves and our friends and just experiencing life,” said Sam.
As their treatments frequently pulled them in and out of school, both girls struggled keeping up socially with the typical high schooler. They felt alienated, and older than their friends after facing difficult circumstances.
Completely agreeing with Sam, Lucy said, “That's the thing. You miss even two months and everything changes.”
Sam & Lucy on the future
Since they met 4 years ago, the pair have continued the journey into their young adult lives together. Whether it is Lucy supporting Sammy as a counselor at a camp for young girls interested in STEM, or Sammy offering to be a subject in Lucy’s photography portfolio on scars, these strong young women continue to support and encourage one another.
Ultimately the heart of their wish was feeling connected, which is something they think all children will be able to find when they enter the Make-A-Wish family. For other kids that are still brainstorming, both girls want them to know that, “Exactly what you do is going to be less important than how it makes you feel in that moment.”
Stay tuned to this space as we learn more about:
Lucy: As she plans to give back to other children. She’s currently studying to pursue a career in Social Work as she was deeply inspired by her own during her hospital stays.
Sam: She plans to give back in a different way, working towards a career on the accessibility team at a big tech company and breaking barriers for women in STEM.