Peterborough's Kate Suhr Dressed Up As Ariel For An Ennismore Girl At Sick Kids Hospital

Three-year-old Ennismore child Eliza Grace Payne is battling leukemia at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. She is a spirited and brave child who loves Disney princesses.

Her aunt is well known local musician Melissa Payne, who happens to be good friends with Kate Suhr—an actress/musician from Peterborough who is playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid theatre production at the Randolph Centre for the Arts in Toronto. Kate and Melissa got to talking and came up with the idea of Kate dropping by the hospital in character as Ariel to lift Eliza's spirits.

Eliza with her parents Chris and Mary, with Ariel (Kate Suhr)

So after her show on Sunday (December 11th), Kate went to the hospital with her stage manager from the show dressed as Ariel and surprised Eliza, who was with her parents Mary and Chris. She stayed in character the whole time.

Kate tells PTBOCanada it was one of those special days she will never forget. "Eliza is just so brave," she tells us. "I'm so grateful to have met her. Her and her parents are superheroes. I won't ever forget this day."

Swimming down the hall with Eliza

Kate, who has been reflecting a lot lately on why this happens to such young kids, tells PTBOCanada she wants to return to the hospital as Ariel again to put a smile on more kids' faces and give them hope. She wants to help them, and this is such a powerful, tangible way of doing so. She sees the impact it has, the sense of magic and awe it creates.

A hug from a Princess to Eliza...

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