Auburn community makes a wish come true for a 'sassy, spunky' 3-year-old battling cancer

In many ways, June Peden-Stade of Auburn is the typical 3-year-old. She loves ducks, dogs and just about any animal you can think of. She loves to go to the playground, kick soccer balls and play with friends.

Her mother, Ali Peden, calls her "a bright light" and someone who gets along with anyone and everyone through sheer force of personality.

"She makes a new friend everywhere she goes," Peden said. "She's very sassy and spunky, but she's the sweetest thing and everyone who meets her just loves her."

However, in one very important way, June isn't like other kids her age.

For most of her life, she has spent time in hospitals being treated for Stage 4 neuroblastoma, an aggressive type of kidney cancer usually found in children under the age of 5. June was diagnosed at 13 months with the condition, with the initial tumor having metastasized into bone and other tissue in her abdomen.

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Her parents readily admit that her condition is terminal. But for one day, one shining day the weekend before Christmas, June got to be the center of attention.

The people of Auburn, with the help of Make-a-Wish Illinois, organized a parade that brought hundreds of people, vehicles, and organizations right to June's front door. They made a big dream of hers come true, if only for one day.

Peden and Adam Stade, June's father, said June's condition had gotten to the point that it was difficult for her to see friends and family in person, making a parade a good option for her wish.

"Junie's not able to get around the way she's been able to," Stade said. "We thought a parade would be best because she likes seeing friends and family."

It didn't hurt that June was a big fan of parades and the vehicles in them, such as fire trucks.

"She loves fire trucks, she loves ambulances," Peden said. "She loves all those things, she thinks it's so cool."

"She's always loved parades, she always wanted to go down the parade route," Stade said.

They got their story to Make-a-Wish, where volunteer Sue Messerli was willing to help. Two weeks prior to the event, Messerli received a call asking to take June's parade wish as quickly as possible. Even though she was skeptical of getting it done so quickly, she got to work, contacting Ali and Adam to put June's dreams into action.

"When I reached out to the family last Friday (Dec. 9), I said, 'Can we do it Jan. 7?'" Messerli said. "They said, 'No, Dec. 31 during the day.' Mom reached out last Saturday and said, 'Can we do it next Saturday, Dec. 17?' on a week's notice. I said, 'We'll make it happen.'"

With that confirmation, Messerli and the family started planning what they wanted to do. Initially, plans were for a smaller celebration with just a few firetrucks and cars. Once word spread, the response became overwhelming with first responders and school bands from across central Illinois, private businesses such as Ameren and even the Illinois National Guard all getting involved and bringing vehicles and manpower to the parade.

"I did not know – and could not comprehend – how this thing has exploded for this child," Messerli said. "I told them, 'Communities such as this make a wish happen.'"

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Those who know the Peden-Stade family best know the past few years have been difficult. They have watched Ali and Adam struggle with trying to find the best treatment for June. Rikkelle Grieme, Ali's best friend and owner of SJ Splattered Boutique, said that it's hard to watch the family go through the pain of their daughter's suffering.

"No matter what, the feelings they're feeling are unimaginable," Grieme said. "It's hard, because you want to empathize and sympathize with them, but really, you don't know what they're going through until you're going through what they have to day in and day out."

Adam's cousin, Susanne Nihiser, said that every family member would be willing to trade their pain in order to alleviate the burden on Ali, Adam and June.

"We all want to take it away if we can just take the pain from her and from them having to deal with this," Nihiser said. "Every family member here, every friend would take it from them and from her."

Both have reached out to the community to raise money for the family in recent years. Nihiser, a third-grade teacher at Tri-City Elementary School in Buffalo, has helped organize 50/50 raffles and special days where students could wear fun hats, all to benefit June. Grieme has done several fundraisers with her boutique, where she has raised thousands of dollars to go toward the family.

June's story has touched lives outside Auburn, with people like Kaleigh Sherwood of Taylorville talking about how they identify with the family, with a young child going through a terminal illness.

"I have an 18-month-old (and) it would break my heart if something (like this) happened to him," Sherwood said. "As a mom, it really gets to me."

Ali and Adam know that the time they will spend with June on this planet is limited. Treatment options have been exhausted, meaning they must provide their daughter with chemotherapy – painful, but necessary for her to survive. They try to enjoy moments like Saturday, where communities came together to help one special little girl have one day in the sun.

"It's amazing," Peden said. "The support that we've gotten is amazing."

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: City of Auburn holds parade to celebrate 3-year-old battling cancer