P.E.I. girl, 3, delighted in playground wish before dying

A Valleyfield, P.E.I., family is opening their daughter's backyard playground to celebrate the youngster's short life and to thank the organization that granted the wish.

Sarah Van Donkersgoed was diagnosed with cancer within the first few months of her life, she had heart failure at age three and a half, and died last December.

Sarah's Place playground

9 years ago

Duration 1:24

Anne Van Donkersgoed tells the story of her now deceased daughter, Sarah.

In 2011, Anne and Ed Van Donkersgoed adopted three children: Gracie, two and a half, nine-month-old Emma and newborn Sarah.

Sarah's diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer, just six weeks into her life, was a shock.

"Miraculously she survived," said Anne Van Donkersgoed. "And she came home to us and thrived, and she did really well. And we had some really great times with her. She was happy and joyful." 

Last year Sarah's sister Emma was granted a wish by the Children's Wish Foundation after her own surgery. The family was living that wish by travelling to a lion safari in an RV.

But the trip was cut short after Sarah suffered a stroke.

"You just can't imagine looking at your almost three-year-old daughter with a drooped face, and no use in her hand and unable to speak. It was horrific."

Doctors said they couldn't save the little girl.

"She really wasn't really a candidate for a heart transplant because of how sick she had been as a child, and the damage that had been done as she was a child," said Van Donkersgoed.

"Instead of staying in hospital we came home and just decided to have just the best time that we could with her."

Sarah was definite when the Children's Wish Foundation asked what her wish was.

"In her words, she said, 'I want a park at mine house,'" said Van Donkersgoed.

Making dreams

When the foundation arrived to start building, they were surprised by the basic plans the Van Donkersgoeds supplied.

So, the volunteers threw the plans away and built Sarah's dream.

The playground consists of two slides, a tower, swings, a rocking horse, a giant sandbox, and a gingerbread-themed playhouse, complete with a couch and a table for tea parties. There's lots of pink — Sarah's favourite colour.

Through the summer and fall Sarah used the playground everyday. As she weakened, she made sure her sisters continued to play.

"As she got sicker in the fall she would take a chair and sit a chair next to the swings and she would say, 'push Emma or push Gracie,' and she would watch," said Anne.

In her final days, she sat at a window to make sure her sisters were having fun in the playground.

Sarah died on Dec. 29, six months after the stroke.

Sarah's place was an oasis as the family grieved. Her sisters still use the playground everyday, and Sarah's favourite doll sometimes sits in the middle swing her owner loved so much.

Now the Van Donkersgoed's are ready to share, and to say thanks.

On Aug. 16, the family will open Sarah's place to the public.

There will be flowers for sale, ice cream and lemonade — all in pink — with proceeds going to the Children's Wish Foundation.

"There aren't words to say and that's why we got to this point we are at now where we're saying we'd like to give back to Children's Wish, and why we're doing this fundraiser in Sarah's memory."

The playground will be open for one day only at the family home on the Valleyfield Road.