Overcoming childhood cancer and celebrating in the sweetest way possible

(BPT) - When Pierce was in the hospital battling childhood leukemia, he would often watch candy-making videos to distract him during the chemo treatments. When his cancer went into remission, he knew exactly how he wanted to celebrate: with a super sweet wish.

Make-A-Wish^® helped Pierce celebrate overcoming cancer by granting him a two-day candy maker and shopping spree extravaganza. The first day, he became a candy maker at Las Olas Confections Factory in Orlando, Florida, creating sweet treats of all kinds with his three older brothers.

"We came home with boxes of all the things that Pierce and the boys made, and they were snacking on them throughout the night," said Pierce's mom, Becky. "I was like 'Oh my goodness' but they all crashed really well at night."

Rest was important because the second day of his wish was equally as exciting. Pierce spent hours at IT'SUGAR, filling numerous bags with colorful treats and he couldn't pass up a massive red 5-pound gummy bear. IT'SUGAR creates an environment that fosters happiness and humor, making it the ideal location for Pierce to celebrate and fulfill his sweet wish.

'When you're going through those hard times, all you're doing is focusing on him living. To get to this point now, he is just enjoying everything. What Make-A-Wish has been able to do is really just bring out this life that he is living. He is alive again,' said Becky.

How wishes happen

Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 24,000 volunteers across the U.S., Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes worldwide.

IT'SUGAR is a proud partner of Make-A-Wish. Through their charity lollipop program, people can purchase a special rainbow Wish Pop candy that helps raise money to fund future wishes for kids like Pierce with critical illnesses. So far, the program has raised over $1 million to fund wishes and help create lasting memories for wish kids and their families.

IT'SUGAR is one of the largest specialty candy retailers in the world, with over 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Known for its absurd sugar innovations that celebrate lighthearted rebellion, IT'SUGAR aspires to a future where everyone has access to the pure joy that comes from indulging in favorite treats. For more information, please visit ITSUGAR.com.