ATLANTA — Communities across Atlanta are gearing up for the sequel to last year’s popular Cape Day ATL, a city-wide celebration when thousands of people wore capes to show support for the brave kids at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
You can catch superheroes at the box office and filling toys shelves, but if you want to meet real-life superheroes, just follow the footsteps of a brave 5-year-old with a cape.
With a knock and a pow, Hudson Lillystone is passing out super powers.
"My favorite superhero is Batgirl," Hudson said.
"Hudson has always identified with superheroes," mom Emily Lillystone said.
And no superhero is complete without a cape.
"It's a way to show them and transfer the power that you're strong you can get through this," Emily said.
In 2013 Hudson's family needed that message of hope.
"When you hear the words'she has leukemia' it's indescribable," Emily said.
That same day Hudson began intensive chemotherapy.
"They put a needle in your port," Hudson said. "It puts all the medicine in your body so you don't get cancer again."
"It's so difficult to sit by and watch as you child is being poked and prodded and having to endure what they do," Emily said. "When she lost her hair she looked in the mirror and said 'I want to shave it off' and she did it with a smile on her face, never once complained."
Super Hudson has her own cape to carry through her battle.
While Hudson's prognosis is good, Emily knows many families have a different story to tell.
"Sometimes you go to dark places and to have anything that can sort of lift and signify and know you have support and there are people out there rooting for you speaks volumes," Emily said.
Which is why Hudson teamed up with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to give strength to patients.
"Children's has been an amazing place for us. We feel very blessed to have this team," Emily said.
Because even the toughest superheroes can use a few skilled sidekicks.
"These kids fight so hard. All of them want to be here and all of them deserve to be here," Emily said. "Hudson is my hero."
Hudson and Children’s are asking everyone in Atlanta to wear a cape on Sept. 15 and share it using #CapeDayATL to show our patients that nothing is impossible when you’re wearing a cape, especially with support from your sidekicks.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta released the following statement about the event:
"Thanks to the generosity and support from our community, Children's is 100 years strong. Our story began on Sept. 15, 1915, with 20 hospital beds. A century later, Children's is a top-ranked pediatric health care system with three hospitals and more than 870,000 annual patient visits. To celebrate this incredible milestone, Children's created a commemorative Centennial Cape available online for a $20 donation benefiting Children's. Buy one for yourself or surprise your favorite superhero with his or her very own Centennial Cape."
Visit choa.org/capedayATL to purchase a cape and find ways to get involved on Sept. 15.
WSBTV
