By Lily Belcher
Genevieve ‘Evey’ Loveall, a student at FishHawk Creek Elementary School, was born with a congenital heart defect 10 years ago. Although she was born with the condition that has given her cerebral palsy, Evey has learned to adapt to her condition and is already showing her passion for art and music.
“She’s just a happy kid, so things don’t really phase her. She kind of goes about her daily life as anyone else would. Obviously, there are challenges, but we don’t let them determine who she is … it’s just a part of who she is,” said Evey’s mother, Ellie Loveall.
In December of 2019, Evey was nominated by a Christina Shreeve, the mother of one of Evey’s classmates, to receive a dream from the Children’s Dream Fund.
The Children’s Dream Fund is an organization that fulfills the wishes of patients 3-21 years old with life-threatening illnesses. The organization aims to give young patients “a much-needed bright spot in a child’s medical journey.”
After the nomination, the Children’s Dream Fund worked with the Loveall family to plan the trip without putting too much of the planning on the Lovealls’ plate. Evey’s dream is to go to Disney World, which they had originally scheduled for March 15, 2020. The Lovealls planned to stay at Give Kids The World, a small village in Central Florida for pediatric patients visiting Florida’s theme parks.
However, in March 2020, Disney World had closed due to the coronavirus, postponing the trip. They had rescheduled once, but it was cancelled again. Finally, after a year of waiting, Loveall’s dream was scheduled for December 26, 2021.
Evey has maintained her independence despite her condition with the help of the teachers at FishHawk Creek Elementary. They have been flexible in accommodating Evey in activities by modifying the directions and tasks to make them possible for her.
“The school has been amazing at helping her,” said Loveall. “The teachers have been really good at encouraging her independence but making sure there is somebody to help her if she is getting frustrated.”
For more information on the Children’s Dream Fund or to donate, visit childrensdreamfund.org or call 727-896-6390.
