The littlest princess -- a Cinderella fantasy comes true for cancer victim
Six-year-old Gildiana Soza received a Cinderella-like treat today, including a ride in a horse-drawn carriage and a shopping spree at Wal-Mart. Sadly, she has been given only 6-months to live, due to an untreatable brain tumor that has spread to her spine.
Miami Herald Staff
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A terminally ill little princess sees her dream come true
It's not every day that a 6-year-old gets to dress up as a princess and ride in a flower-draped, horse-drawn coach just like Cinderella.
Gildiana Soza wasn't going to the ball on Thursday morning but to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Hialeah Gardens, where she was treated to a $1,000 shopping spree.
The white princess gown, the white rose headband, the white pearl tiara, the white gloves and the white carriage were all part of a birthday surprise for Gildiana, who turned 6 in June and has been battling her third malignant brain tumor.
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Princess ball benefits girl in `fight for he life'
ENTERTAINMENT: The Espionage Dance Company performs Ne-Yo's `Closer' in honor of Gildiana Soza and her family. The dance group, a local choir and catering company all pitched in for the event.
After numerous trips in and out of hospitals, the little princess who has captivated South Floridians finally had her ball.
Dressed in a full Snow White costume, 6-year-old Gildiana Soza arrived to her princess ball in a stroller on Saturday at Blessed Catering restaurant in Liberty City. She mostly sat quietly as dozens of invited guests danced and sang to her at the private event. At one point she changed into a white Sleeping Beauty gown.
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10 girls get to be princesses for a day
Dreams came true last week for 10 little girls with life-threatening illnesses and all they had to do was wish upon a star.
``Tomorrow I will tell my friends I was a princess for a day -- and I met a real princess,'' said Skylar Harding, 7, dressed in a pink frilly skirt, armed with a pink wand and capped in a pink, white and silver sparkling tiara.
Blood cancers, nephritic kidney damage, a brain tumor, heart disease and muscular dystrophy were among serious health problems shelved for a day to make way for manicures, hairdos, makeup sessions and a tea party from Make-A-Wish Foundation Southern Florida.
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Gildiana Soza | Young Hialeah Gardens girl loses battle with brain cancer
Gildiana Soza, the 6-year-old Hialeah Gardens girl who received media attention during her arduous two-year battle with brain cancer, died Saturday afternoon.
Gildiana, who arrived in the U.S. at the age of 2, was recently treated to a $1,000 shopping spree at a Wal-Mart Supercenter and dressed like a princess, thanks to the Kids Wish Network.
Gildiana died at Camillus House, where she and her family had been staying since her mother was evicted from her Miami Beach apartment in 2008. Diana Hislop-Soza cared for her daughter alone after she was abandoned by her husband following their daughter's diagnosis in June 2007, family spokeswoman Miriam Rodriguez said.
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Baker finds sweet success with cookies
From a business that began in the kitchen of her Plantation home, Sharmila Melwani is now tasting sweet success with her latest venture: Cookies By Shar. She's expanded her gourmet cookie business with the opening of her first retail/commercial bakery.
Melwani had been turning out her creations in a nearby commercial bakery, but she says increased demand for her cookies forced her to look for her own place.
She opened the 900-square-foot bakery on Stirling Road in Davie six months ago, and each day turns out anywhere from 300 to 1,500 custom-designed and decorated treats with the help of her four-person staff. There is a commercial bakery in the back, and a small retail area up front where customers can check out her designs.
Enchanted by Gildiana Soza's angelic smile in her white princess gown, South Floridians have decided that her wish for a Wal-Mart shopping spree wasn't enough.
Battling her third malignant brain tumor, 6-year-old Gildiana has been given three to six months to live. Last month, Kids Wish Network from Holiday, Fla., organized a ride via horse-drawn coach to a Hialeah Gardens Wal-Mart store.
Since her story appeared last month in The Miami Herald, Gildiana has received a custom wig, and will take trips to the Miami Seaquarium and Miami Metrozoo this week.
``I saw her picture in the paper, and she looked so beautiful and so happy,'' said Ruth Regina, an eighth-generation wigmaker and owner of Ruth Regina in Bay Harbor Island.
``Usually princesses have long, beautiful hair, and I thought that was the only thing that was missing.''
Regina, former wig master and makeup artist for the Jackie Gleason Show, makes custom wigs for celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Heidi Klum. She jumped at the chance to add Gildiana to her long list of clients by creating a lightweight, handmade wig.
Gildiana will swim with dolphins at the Miami Seaquarium on Thursday.
Miriam Rodriguez, who works for U.S. Customs, is responsible for coordinating that visit. Miami Seaquarium was happy to donate its services.
``It's the least I can do,'' said Rodriguez, 54. ``She might not be here by Christmastime, so anything I can do will be done.''
Gildiana will ride to the Seaquarium in a limousine, compliments of Dolphin Limousine of Hollywood.
``Everyone has been great with trying to do special things for her,'' said her mother, Diana Hislop, who due to recent layoffs relocated her family to Camillus House in downtown Miami.
The generosity that has been extended to Gildiana and her family does not end there.
In a few weeks, Gildiana will take a trip to Walt Disney World for the entire princess experience courtesy of Michael Mendez, president of the Costa Foundation.
The Costa Foundation is a private organization created in honor of Mendez's uncle, Carlos Costa, who died in the Brothers to the Rescue mission in February 1996. Mendez read Gildiana's story online and contacted The Miami Herald to set up the trip.
``I had to do something for this little girl,'' Mendez said. ``I wanted to make sure she's happy.''
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