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| Arostook Republican photo/Lisa Wilcox Cubby CEO Cindy Johnson presents Paige Lento with a $100 check for being the store’s Hero of the Month. |
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
EASTON — The first thing that 7-year-old Paige Lento will make clear to you is that she is not a girlie-girl. She will also tell you, as she tugs uncomfortably on the pretty purple and black dress that her mother, Kris, made her wear, that Lentos are from Easton and her little sister, Chloe, is crazy because she eats too much sugar.
What Paige does not make so apparent is how sick she is. Born with a form of dwarfism called Jeune Syndrome, Paige’s natural ribcage is too small for her lungs to expand. She has had surgeries in San Antonio and Boston to add titanium expandable ribs and will continue to have the surgeries every six months as her body develops.
Paige also suffers from liver and kidney disease and, right now, is on the inactive list for a liver transplant due to the fact that her current health condition is not conducive to a transplant.
Despite these issues, Paige has lived quite the life in her seven years. She has been to Disney World as part of Make a Wish and has seen singer Justin Bieber in concert.
“He’s cute,” Paige mooned over the teen sensation, allowing herself a rare girlie-girl moment.
An active Girl Scout, Paige is proud of the fact that her Brownie sash is just about full of badges. Though long hair “gets on her nerves,” she grew hers out to have 10 inches cut off to donate to Locks of Love. She loves “Star Wars” and superheroes, especially Captain America. Her favorite subject in school is math, concentrating on learning how to tell time and use money.
“It’s easy,” Paige said, dismissing the notion that most children her age find those tasks difficult to learn.
Marilyn Carey, Paige’s Make a Wish granter, nominated the little dynamo for The Cubby’s Hero of the Month, and Cindy Johnson, CEO of The Cubby, had no hesitation with selecting Paige.
“Paige is a very special young lady,” Johnson said.
While there is still a long road ahead for Paige, according to Kris, there is an upside, as her daughter’s health is improving and she is almost well enough to be put on the active liver transplant list.
Plans for the $100 award from The Cubby were still up in the air at the time of the presentation. Paige saw some new dinosaurs and dragons in her future, and Kris believed the balance could go toward some of Paige’s needs and a donation to charity.
“Any child with a chronic or life-threatening illness is eligible for the Hero program,” Johnson advised. “If you know of a child struggling with a physical illness, we encourage you to contact us at 768-6200.”
The Cubby is a for-profit thrift store with locations in Caribou and Presque Isle while the Cubby Fund is a not-for-profit organization.
