One Cypress pre-teen celebrated her 12th birthday this September, but not the way you might think. She didn’t ask for a long list of presents from her 35 birthday party guests. Isabel Mayne was celebrating life, but not just her own. Instead she found a way to raise money and awareness for people with A-T (Ataxia-telangiectasia), a progressive and degenerative disease with no known cure.

She wanted to give back and celebrate in a way that reached out to others in need. She hand decorated more than 40 invitations and included a request that her guests make a donation to A-T in place of a gift for Isabel. This selfless pre-teen even created a scavenger hunt in which guests had to find something for each letter of ataxia-telangiectasia.

Isabel first learned of A-t this summer on a mission trip where she had the opportunity to befriend Emily, a girl from her church that suffers from A-T. Emily is a ninth grader at Cy-Creek High School and was diagnosed with A-T at age four. Unfortunately most people with A-T die from respiratory failure or cancer by their teens or early twenties, but a rare few live into their forties. So for this birthday, Isabel was giving to those who might not have as many years as she will have on this earth, in hopes to help them as much as she can.

Isabel was able to raise $910 at her party alone, and hopes to collect $1000 before presenting the gift to the A-T Children’s project. “I would certainly do it again,” Isabel said, “It makes me feel better because I know I am helping someone else instead of doing something for myself.” Her mother is proud too, “I know she really wanted a laptop. It means a lot to see a girl at this age give up so much. I am really proud of her.”

Fairfield is proud to be in a place where making a difference in the lives of our neighbors matters!

For more information on the A-T Children’s Project visit www.communityatcp.org

Source: www.hcnonline.com/cy_fair_sun