Woodbury Common Premium Outlets partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson Valley to host a 17 year old battling lupus for a day of shopping and dining. Phillip Bergen is one of the estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S. who have lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the body”™s skin, joints and organs. The Sullivan County teenager had wished for a shopping spree at Woodbury Common and the Make-A-Wish Foundation provided a stipend for him to spend there. In addition, some retailers gave him discounts, gift cards and merchandise.
Bergen was joined by his mother, cousin, Sierra Baez, age 13, and friends, Morgan O”™Connor, age 17, and Jeremy Niven-Gales, age 19.
“I”™m excited to watch my son enjoy his day,” Kimberly Bergen said.
David Mistretta, the general manager at Woodbury Common, said. “We have hosted Make-A-Wish recipients in years past and our management team, as well as our retailers, are honored to help grant the wishes of children in our community.”
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson Valley has granted the wishes of more than 2,700 children in Westchester, Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster counties since receiving its charter in 1986.
