Teen Shows Generosity Despite DiseaseAmidst a menagerie, Sierra Scaife and her family are trying to heal.
Scaife, along with her mom Lynn Butts, are going through what they call "boost therapy".
Scaife and her mom began coming to Seven's Heaven Wildlife, south of Pierceton, to spend time with animals.
Seven's Heaven Wildlife rescues dogs and cats along with wild animals like foxes, wolf hybrids, horses and more.
Scaife was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis over the winter.
The disease causes nerve tissues to grow tumors.
An eighth-grader at Lakeview Middle School, Scaife has been at home every day for most of the year.
Her mom has to serve as caretaker and is unable to work.
Scaife experiences excruciating pain at times but said that her time at Seven's Heaven has been "a healing thing".
"I go in with the wolves, pet the animals, play with them and feed them," said Scaife.
She's next scheduled to go to Riley's Hospital For Children in Indianapolis.
But her illness hasn't been the only obstacle she and her mother have faced.
On March 18, a fire at an apartment on Fort Wayne Street in Warsaw left them without a place to stay.
Thanks to the help of the American Red Cross, area churches and Touch Of Life Ministries, they are now living at a home near Leesburg.
For her 15th birthday, despite everything she and her family have gone through, she decided to do something charitable.
"I love animals and I'd do anything to help them out," said Scaife.
So Scaife with the help of one of her teachers at Lakeview Middle School, Corinne Pickens, set up a fundraiser where her classmates donated money and food for the animals.
"No matter what you're going through," said Scaife. "You can still help other people..
Her disease isn't going away. It's something she's going to have to live with for the rest of her life.
But her mom says she's amazed by her resiliency.
"I admire her spirit," said Butts. "She comes up with these things on her own."
And unlike most 15-year-olds, Scaife is ready to go back to school.
With a mainstreaming program and progress with physical therapy and medication, Scaife hopes to join her classmates at Warsaw Community High School in the fall.
And by just spending times with animals at Seven's Heaven, Scaife has grown as a person.
Her counselor Linda Ozier said when she first showed up to Seven's Heaven Scaife would keep her head down and wouldn't talk.
Now Ozier said Scaife has come out of her shell.
Seven's Heaven recently took in 12 dogs including collie and hound mixes along with a boxer mix.
Seven's Heaven charges no adoption fee for any of its animals but does require a contract.
For more information on what Seven's Heaven does call 260-839-0705 or 260-609-7249.
