Cash is king: Pueblo County High School makes 6-year-old's wish come true

Six-year-old Cash Blanchfield may be years away from attending Pueblo County High School, but that didn't stop him from being the star of the show at a pep assembly on Wednesday.

Blanchfield, a student at North Mesa Elementary School, was the sponsored child for this year's Make-A-Wish Foundation "Wish Week" assembly in the Pueblo County High School gymnasium. The assembly capped off a week of fundraising to grant wishes for Blanchfield and other children with critical illnesses.

Wish Week 2023:Pueblo County High raising funds to make 6-year-old's wish come true

With fundraising help from students, staff and local sponsors, the high school presented a $29,500 check to Make-A-Wish Colorado — the largest since the school began its partnership with the organization during the 2017-18 school year.

"As kids with a critical illness are battling through their illness, it can be hard to feel joy, hope and strength in those moments," Tina Stroman, development coordinator at Make-A-Wish Colorado, said during the assembly. "What you did this week for Cash and kids like Cash, is you provided healing for not just kids like Cash, but also for their families."

Blanchfield spent much of his early childhood in the hospital due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and pulmonary valve stenosis diagnoses. Diagnosed shortly after birth, he spent 10 days in a Pueblo intensive care unit before being sent home. He later received an echocardiogram from a cardiologist at Children's Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs who noticed his condition had worsened.

"He got listed for a heart transplant a few days later," said Cash's mom, Amanda. "They told us he was at high risk for sudden death, so we had to wait in the hospital waiting for a heart."

After 51 days of waiting, Cash got his new heart on May 1, 2016. The family was released from the hospital nine days later, but lived in Denver for another three months to attend appointments four days a week at a nearby hospital.

"That whole year was really difficult and a lot of ups and downs," Amanda said. "He's had a lot of other illnesses and hospitalizations over the years due to being immune suppressed."

Recently, Cash celebrated his first year without a hospitalization. He also is in his first semester of attending in-person school. He is happy and full of energy, enjoys the shows "Paw Patrol" and "Peppa Pig," and loves playing mini-golf. He also is a big fan of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

His soon-to-be granted wish is to have a Mickey Mouse club house in his backyard.

"This is his personality," Amanda said Wednesday, motioning to Cash as he hopped, skipped and hummed inside a conference room at Pueblo County High School. "He's 100 miles a minute, all the time."

Both of Cash's parents are Pueblo County High School alumni: Ryan graduated in 1998 and Amanda graduated in 2001. He also has a 5-year-old sister, Audrina.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Pueblo County High had raised $14,900 in business and sponsor donations for the Make-A-Wish. Another $14,600 has been raised through cash donations, including bracelet, t-shirt and star sales.

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo County High School makes 6-year-old's wish come true