Sophia wears a protective face mask to keep her brother, Matthew, safe. Now, she’s designed a face mask that will help keep others safe, too.

In collaboration with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, RE/MAX held a contest for children impacted by CMN Hospitals to design a face mask. The public voted on their favorites, and three winning designs are now available for purchase. For each mask pack sold, 50% of the purchase price goes directly to affiliate hospitals of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Sophia’s design, featuring the word “hope” and donning the CMN Hospitals balloon emblem, was so popular that it is one of the three winning mask designs.

Purchase Sophia’s “Hope” face mask.

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Matthew was diagnosed with a grade IV brain tumor at just four days old. Twelve surgeries and countless treatments later, Matthew lives comfortably at home with his loved ones thanks to the tireless care provided by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Sophia and her family remain grateful for the ongoing care Matthew receives from Lurie’s Children’s Hospital to this day.

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From climbing trees to visiting her favorite local bakery, Sophia stays busy – but each day entails spending time together as a family.

Sophia shares how wearing a mask is important for her and her family – especially in 2020 – and how she came up with her design.

What was the inspiration for your mask design?

I drew a Chicago flag in the [background] because that reminds me of where Lurie’s is. I put the CMN Hospitals balloon in [the word] “HOPE” because CMN gives so much hope to our family and many other families.

What does wearing a mask mean to you?

With our family, wearing a mask means not just keeping our family safe and Matthew safe, wearing a mask means keeping other people safe. So, we’re just trying to do our part and keep everybody safe – not just our family.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love to play softball – I play on a travel softball team. I love to climb trees, I love to bake all different kinds of things and I love spending time with my family. I like to bake cinnamon roll cake – we made it a couple days ago and it’s really, really good.

What is special to you about Lurie’s Children’s Hospital?

What makes [Lurie’s] feel like home is that all of the siblings get to be included in everything. They make it feel like home, not just for the patient but for everybody and all of the siblings.

Sophia’s mom, Sue, adds: For us, it is home. We spent almost the first year and a half [of Matthew’s life] at the hospital… It’s the people, it’s the doctors, it’s the nurses but it’s more than that. We’ve been able to form relationships with the people who drop off coffee to our rooms, the people who clean our rooms, just our foundation team. It’s our family. We always call it our Lurie’s family.

A 3-pack of Miracle Masks, which includes Sophia’s design, is available for purchase through RE/MAX Approved Supplier blinkswag.com; 50% of all sales benefit the purchaser’s local Children’s Miracle Network affiliate hospital.

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Written by RE/MAX News 

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