May 31, 2024 By Hilary Jenison
Yesterday, the Hingham community and the world lost an extremely bright light with the passing of Adelia Szklut, a South Elementary second grader affectionately known to many as “Adelia the Wonder Girl.”
Adelia was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, in February of 2023. Over the past fifteen months, she has undergone five brain surgeries and numerous radiation treatments. While Adelia was undergoing treatments the Hingham community and especially the South School community came through to support Adelia and her family through many acts of kindness, meals, gifts, parades as well as a sea of teal butterflies and rainbows that are visible throughout town.
Adelia’s family is committed to continue to fight this rare disease in her honor so that other families do not have to undergo their pain in the future. Donations can be made here.
Adelia’s mother, Meryl Summers, shared the below update to the “Adelia the Wonder Girl” Facebook page.
“It is with profound sadness and immeasurable pain that I share the passing of our beautiful Adelia. She left us yesterday morning in peace and surrounded by love. She fought to the absolute bitter end, in true Adelia fashion. No more pokes, surgeries, scans, or feeling nauseas, Adelia is now free to run and play, write stories, play her violin, laugh, and be a kid again.
Adelia was a bright light in the world, and her presence will be forever felt. I pray that the gaping hole in my heart will be filled with her strength to carry on in her honor. The absence of her sparkling eyes, her quick wit, the sound of her laughter, and her curiosity for life will be missed every single second of every single day. Not having the ability to kiss her delicious cheeks everyday and hold her hand are things that I will be forever grasping for. I know that Adelia will guide us with her strength, resilience, and attitude to help us live meaningful lives in her honor.
As we navigate the days ahead, we plan to continue to fight this dreadful disease in her legacy in hopes that there one day will be a cure so no other family will have to endure the gut wrenching 15 month journey that we have just been on. We will be holding a celebration of life for Adelia at a later date, filled with all of her favorite things.
If you would like to join our fight and are able to make a donation in Adelia’s memory to our Falmouth Road Race’s team this summer, please follow the link. All funds will be donated to the Brain Tumor Center at Dana Farber and Boston Children’s to give some of the most brilliant doctors in the world the resources they need to find a cure. Dana Farber – Adelia the Wonder Girl
Thank you for being on this journey with us, your support has been and will continue to lift us up. May Adelia’s spirit live in you to cherish each moment, love a little harder, and see the beauty in everything.”
Margaret Adams, the Superintendent of Hingham Public Schools also shared an email with the Hingham Public Schools community offering support through Hingham Public School’s counselors as well as resources for support.
Adams shared, ”we know that supporting your child through such a loss can be challenging. We have included a few resources you may find helpful.”
· Boston Children’s Hospital: Guiding Your Children Through Grief and Loss
· SSH – How to support children through grief
· Child Mind Institute – Helping Children Cope with Grief
· How Children Understand Death and What You Should Say
Our hearts are broken with you and our deepest condolences go out to Adelia’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. We hope everyone can take time today and in the moments ahead to share kindness with each other and offer a smile to our neighbors as we carry forward Adelia’s amazing spirit.
