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EDMONTON — Six-year-old cancer patient Mable Tooke first learned about Spiderman in hospital and he quickly became her favourite superhero because, of course, they both have radioactive blood.
So when Mable got to choose anything from The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, she dissed Disneyland and was set on spending a day swinging around Edmonton and fighting crime with the webbed wonder.
After she woke up Monday morning, she watched a spoof TV newscast in which Edmonton police called on SpiderMable to help save the city and rescue kidnapped Edmonton Oilers Captain Andrew Ference.
Her mother, Lisa Tooke, said Mable had to watch the news story twice because she wasn’t sure if it was about her.
“At first that disbelief in her eyes and then a slow smile appears and then a big grin and then a ‘Let’s go!'”
Elizabeth LoPresti with the wish foundation said the elaborate event was the biggest the organization has ever pulled together. Ference, several police officers and Mayor Don Iveson all took part in the ruse, along with Spiderman himself, who acted as Mable’s sidekick for the day and chatted with her about his life in New York City.
LoPresti said Mable’s idea may have stemmed from a similar event held for Batkid, a five-year-old leukemia patient named Miles Scott, whose mission to save San Francisco in 2013 touched hearts around the world.
Dressed in her own caped-costume and mask, SpiderMable was whisked around the city by limo and joined Spiderman in various adventures, which included zip-lining through the waterpark at West Edmonton Mall to rescue the feline superhero Black Cat.
“We have a clue about where we’re going to go next,” the pint-sized superhero next told reporters after stopping for a pizza lunch.
“We’re going to get some superhero training and then we’re going to track down Mysterio and catch him.”
She added that the experience was “pretty cool” but taking lots of energy.
Mable has been undergoing regular chemotherapy since she was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013. While her prognosis is good, Mable’s mother said the special day gave her a much-needed boost.
“She’s getting close to the end of her treatment. It’s become such an incredible drag.”
Mable not only skipped her Grade 1 class on Monday but also her daily chemo pill, her mother said, since there was so much crime-fighting to do.
Her father, Neil Tooke, was astounded by the scale of the event and said he wasn’t sure if Mable knew it was all a game.
“I don’t know if she believes it or not but she’s going along with it.”
He hopes the day helped her “forget about the hospital, forget about procedures, just be a kid again.”
Help us #SpiderMable @ChildrensWishAB @EdmontonOilers @edmontonpolice pic.twitter.com/7mtVwD29uq
— Krista Ference (@krista_ference) September 28, 2015
@EdmontonOilers Cpt @fernuckle kidnapped?! Suspect unknown @doniveson @edmontonpolice calling for #SpiderMable help https://t.co/wqwHZ4D48E
— Children’sWishAB/NWT (@ChildrensWishAB) September 28, 2015
#SpiderMable to the rescue! Heading in her limo to City Hall. Need some Intel from @doniveson @edmontonpolice #yeg pic.twitter.com/f0YlFSNrBl
— Children’sWishAB/NWT (@ChildrensWishAB) September 28, 2015
.@doniveson asks #SpiderMable for help, gives her full access to the city, and upgraded Web Shooters. pic.twitter.com/BVWANKKxPo
— Jana G. Pruden (@jana_pruden) September 28, 2015
Save our captain, you two! #SpiderMable https://t.co/MTN8mM5jUR
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 28, 2015
Phew! Thank goodness #SpiderMable is on her way! What would we do without her? https://t.co/KsM5xSKHzR
— Edmonton Police (@edmontonpolice) September 28, 2015
Oh no! Another of #SpiderMable‘s favourite heroes Black Cat is being held captive @Official_WEM! pic.twitter.com/3RLZqHk97m
— Children’sWishAB/NWT (@ChildrensWishAB) September 28, 2015
#SpiderMable has just figured out she needs to zip line to save Black Cat! To the rescue! pic.twitter.com/2qiruGaT5C
— Children’sWishAB/NWT (@ChildrensWishAB) September 28, 2015
#SpiderMable flies through the air as her theme song plays, on her way to save Black Cat! pic.twitter.com/r5IgNtnUBl
— Children’sWishAB/NWT (@ChildrensWishAB) September 28, 2015
Lucy has some news for #SpiderMable about what’s been happening in the zoo! Looks like a clue from @Ferknuckle! pic.twitter.com/8aIQUztwmq
— Children’sWishAB/NWT (@ChildrensWishAB) September 28, 2015
