An Evening of Believing
Where Courage Walked the Red Carpet for 10 Remarkable Years
Some of the most meaningful things begin with one simple conversation.
More than fifteen years ago, a social worker at Levine Children’s Hospital approached The Sandbox Co-Founder, Mara Campolungo, with a special request.
“There is a girl named Lakendra who is very sick,” she shared. “She would love to attend a little dance. Is there any way The Sandbox could make that happen?”
Mara smiled and gave the response that would change everything:
” Absolutely we can! However, nothing we do is little.”
And just like that, An Evening of Believing Prom was born.
What started as a dream for one girl became one of The Sandbox’s most beloved signature events, serving hundreds of children and families over the next ten years.
Every Child Becomes the Star
For one extraordinary evening each year, hospital rooms were replaced with dance floors.
IV poles gave way to red carpets.
Medical appointments became moments of celebration.
Diagnoses faded into the background while joy took center stage.
Every Honoree was celebrated not for the illness they were fighting, but for the incredible child they already were.
Children, teens, and young adults facing cancer, rare diseases, disabilities, and other life-altering medical conditions arrived to a cheering crowd of volunteers, photographers, and community members who welcomed them like celebrities. Every child was the guest of honor.
Honorees and their family members received professional hair and makeup, formal attire, beautiful corsages and boutonnieres, keepsake photographs, and a magical evening designed just for them. Every detail was intentional, creating an authentic prom experience where confidence replaced fear and laughter echoed louder than diagnoses.
Inside the ballroom, music filled the air. Families danced together. Friends laughed together. Parents watched their children simply be kids again.
For a few precious hours, illness did not define the story.
Joy did.
More Than a Prom
An Evening of Believing Prom was never just about dancing.
It was about restoring confidence.
It was about celebrating resilience.
It was about honoring courage over circumstance.
It was about replacing hospital visits with hope-filled memories that families would treasure forever.
Parents, caregivers, and siblings shared in the celebration, creating joyful memories together during one of the hardest seasons of their lives. Families who had never met before formed friendships that lasted long after the music ended because they understood one another in ways few others could.
Volunteers surrounded every family with encouragement, love, and celebration.
Every smile was genuine.
Every hug was understood.
Every moment mattered.
Most importantly, every experience was provided completely free of charge because every family deserved a night where hope was the only thing on the schedule.
For ten incredible years, An Evening of Believing became one of The Sandbox’s most anticipated and joy-filled signature events.
Lakendra’s Legacy
There is a beautiful and heartbreaking part of this story.
Lakendra, the girl whose dream inspired An Evening of Believing, never made it to her prom.
Just a few weeks before the very first event, Lakendra passed away and was buried in her beautiful prom dress.
Although she never walked the red carpet herself, her dream became a gift that blessed countless other children and families for the next decade.
The Sandbox had the privilege of walking alongside Lakendra and her family for six months before her passing. But our journey with them did not end there.
For the following year, we continued to show up.
We continued to love.
We continued to remember.
Because grief doesn’t end when the funeral is over.
That journey revealed something that would forever shape the heart of The Sandbox.
It became the foundation of what is now known as our Hero Program.
We realized that families still need community after loss. They still need people who remember birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and the child whose life forever changed theirs.
We learned that walking alongside a family means walking beside them through every season.
Once You’re in The Sandbox…
At The Sandbox, we often say:
Once you’re in The Sandbox, you’re in The Sandbox for life.
Those words were born from relationships like the one we shared with Lakendra’s family.
An Evening of Believing was never simply about one magical night.
It was about reminding every child they were deeply loved.
It was about reminding every parent they were not carrying their burden alone.
It was about creating memories that would outlive the hardest days.
And it all began because one special girl dreamed of going to a dance.
Lakendra may never have attended her own prom, but her life continues to inspire hope, celebration, community, and compassion for families every single day.
That is the kind of legacy that truly lasts forever.
