Langley's Dairy Queen hosts Miracle Treat Day Thursday to support BC Children's Hospital

Langley's Dairy Queen location is hosting Miracle Treat Day on Thursday, Aug. 13, with all net proceeds from Blizzard sales going directly to the BC Children's Hospital Foundation.

For Lilah Rickson, a three-year-old from Langley City, the day carries extra meaning. She's in the maintenance phase of her treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, diagnosed in November 2024, after undergoing chemotherapy for the past year and a half. Ice cream has been one of her favourite foods — one she hasn't been able to enjoy much during her treatment.

On Monday, Lilah posed for promotional pictures for the BC Children's Hospital Foundation and Dairy Queen. During the shoot, she tried the new cotton candy Blizzard for the first time — a vibrant pink and purple treat interspersed with freeze-dried cotton candy, in keeping with her love of anything pink.

"She gobbled that right up," her father Geoffrey said. "She absolutely loved that." Now that she can have dairy during the day (she must avoid it in the evenings), Lilah is expected to join thousands stopping by the Langley DQ on Thursday, with her older brother Riley, five, and her mother Holly, as well as friends and extended family.

BC Children's Hospital has been what Geoffrey calls "a literal lifeline" for Lilah since her diagnosis. Last year alone, DQ locations across the region helped the BC Children's Hospital Foundation raise more than $286,000 through Miracle Treat Day's one-day-only event.

Steven Wheelhouse, owner of the Langley DQ restaurant, is marking what he describes as his 26th Miracle Treat Day. "I've seen the importance of BC Children's Hospital through numerous colleagues and friends who have received care there. It really is a magical day," he said. "I'm excited for what this year will bring."

Since 1984, DQ has helped raise more than $58 million through Miracle Treat Day and other year-round fundraising initiatives in Canada.