LIHU‘E — Seeley Borges, the Kaua‘i infant battling leukemia, could not be present when doors to Little Pea’s Pop-Up Holiday Market opened Friday at the Kukui Marketplace near Target.
“She’s undergoing the second round of chemotherapy right now,” said Wally Fernandes, Seeley’s grandmother, who was securing a banner showing the little girl at the proof-of-vaccine check-in station. “She has to go to the hospital every couple of days so she can’t come home.”
Peach, the coordinator of Little Pea’s Pop-Up Holiday Market, said the marketplace of more than 20 vendors is a benefit to help Seeley and her family with medical expenses, and the family is manning a table for a registry for bone-marrow donors.
“We found another xbox,” Little Pea said. “We had one during the last pop-up market benefiting the Kaua‘i Hospice. We got another one. Additionally, we have a Gerald Miller-created ‘ukulele that’s valued at $500. All items in the silent auction go to help Seeley’s family.”
“We brought in at least 400 swabs from Be The Match,” Little Pea said. “She’s running out of time. She hasn’t found a match yet, and she needs to find a match by the fourth round of chemotherapy. She’s already in the second round of chemo.”
Chan B Design’s Chan Blackstad already committed to donate 100 percent of her sales from this weekend to help the family, Little Pea said.
“We did pretty good during the last pop-up market benefiting Kaua‘i Hospice,” Blackstad said. “When I found out Peach was doing this, how could I say ‘no?’ I know Seeley’s family so I can help. Who knows? If I sell out, that’s even more that will help Seeley.”
Peach said similar to the last pop-up market, admission is free, but proof of a COVID-19 vaccination is needed or a negative test result from a COVID test for close-contact purposes.
Today’s final day of Little Pea’s Pop Up Holiday Market opens at 9 a.m. and runs through 3 p.m.
“We had some vendors who could only do Friday,” Little Pea said. “But there are more who want to take the spots Saturday. We still have more than 20 vendors. I just hope we can find a match for Seeley.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
