'Rosie's Adventures' spreads messages of love and resilience to children battling cancer
A Central Florida family's love and resilience shine through in their charity called "Rosie’s Adventures."
Rosie was a sweet and fun child, her mom Nikki Ramirez tells WESH 2 News. Rosie's health took a turn after her third birthday.
"She started getting sick a lot. And her pediatrician just thought it was where we were taking her because we were taking her to the theme parks and like a lot of kid places. And it took about six months to be diagnosed with cancer," Ramirez said.
In 2018, the Ramirez family's world was turned upside down. Nikki and Jose couldn't believe what they were being told.
"My husband and I were in shock. We heard what the doctors were saying, but we didn't. It didn't really process," Ramirez said.
Rosie was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. She had a three-and-a-half-year battle with cancer and passed away about a month after she turned seven.
"It's the most traumatic thing that's ever happened to me. It's something that I'll never get over," Ramirez said. "But, I can try to turn it into a positive, like the way she lived her life, to try and to live my life the way she did."
The Ramirez Family is making sure Rosie's spirit lives on through "Rosie's Adventures," a charity the family founded to bring joy to children battling cancer.
"Hospital stays are really boring for the kids and not fun," Nikki explains. "So we're all about toys and having a good time."
Rosie's little brother, John Luke, helps stock the supplies.
"We deliver large care packages to the kids when they're admitted to the hospital. And it's full of toys that they're interested in. We always check with their parents to find out the latest toys they like and the characters they think are fun," Ramirez said.
These deliveries have a much greater impact, as they bring Ramirez’s soul peace.
"It really does, to know that I'm making these kids a little happier on their journey," Ramirez said.
The charity also organizes events to create lasting memories for families, including things like private movie screenings where children can have a safe environment to watch the movie and have fun.
People in Central Florida are backing the mission.
"As a mom who watched her daughter battle cancer and lost her daughter to cancer, it brings my heart so much joy to see the community step up and rally around us and help support us and support those kids that are battling cancer. Because it's really hard," Ramirez said.
It's more than just charity work for Nikki.
"I feel like Rosie's legacy is living on through what we're doing here. Her love for toys, for adventures, for just living her life to the fullest is continuing on in these other kids that we're helping, because they're getting a chance to do some of the things she did when she was battling cancer because she was very lucky with the opportunities presented to her. And she really lived her life to the fullest," Ramirez said.
That dedication to bringing joy to children battling cancer as a tribute to Rosie is why we call Rosie's Adventures a WESH 2 CommUNITY Champion.
"It's such an honor. I’m doing this just because I want to help other kids because I was on that journey. But it's such an honor to be recognized and to have not only the spotlight on what we're doing but on pediatric cancer," Ramirez said.
Learn more about a charity event to raise money for "Rosie's Adventures" by watching the video in the player above.