This is Sophia
A GIRL WHO LOVED BIG.
A LEGACY THAT WILL, TOO.
Sophia Skye LaBorde was so much more than the battle she fought. She was funny, stubborn, loving, fiercely loyal, and completely unforgettable. Love, Sophia was created so the love she gave so freely can continue reaching children and families throughout Western New York.
Sophia was a beautiful soul who loved deeply and lived fiercely. She was passionate, loyal, stubborn, endlessly funny, and an incredible advocate - not only for herself, but for others. She knew what she believed in, she knew what she wanted, and she was never afraid to use her voice.
Even while spending the last four years of her life fighting her own battle, Sophia was always looking for ways to help someone else. She made bracelets with her friends and sold them to raise money for other pediatric cancer patients. She adopted families for Christmas every year. She gave money to homeless people whenever she could. On her 15th birthday in Hawaii, she gave the last $60 she had to a homeless man she encountered. That was simply who Sophia was. If she saw someone who needed help, she wanted to help them.
Sophia loved her people just as fiercely. She shared an incredibly special relationship with both her mom and dad - she was never a mommy's girl or a daddy's girl. She was proudly both. She adored her best friends, Lilly and Chloe, and she loved Finn, her support pup who stayed by her side through so much.
And then there were the Buffalo Sabres. Sophia was a die-hard fan, and her friendship with Rasmus Dahlin became one of the most special relationships in her life. Hockey brought her so much happiness, and there is no doubt that somewhere, somehow, Soph will still be cheering on her Sabres this season.
But for all the strength and compassion she carried, Sophia was also an absolute goof. She proudly declared herself "the funniest person in the world" - even funnier than her dad - and she could make the people around her laugh when they needed it most.
Sophia wasn't simply our daughter. She was our friend, our partner in crime, our snuggle bug, our comic relief, and such a huge part of everything we did. She was strength and softness, stubbornness and compassion, laughter and love, all wrapped up in one beautiful girl.
More than a story.
MEET SOPHIA SKYE.
Sophia was diagnosed with Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma, an incredibly rare form of liver cancer, on June 8th 2022. She was just 12 years old. Fibrolamellar is diagnosed in roughly 1 in 5 million people worldwide, and because it is so rare there is no standard treatment plan. Much of the hope for patients like Sophia comes through research and clinical trials.
For exactly four years, Soph fought with everything she had. She went through countless rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy - pills, infusions, old treatments, and even older ones that had been around forever. If there was something worth trying, Soph was willing to try it.
She endured multiple rounds of radiation to different areas of her body, including her knee, liver, lungs, and spine. She traveled hundreds of miles for treatment in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. She underwent a successful liver resection in Boston and participated in clinical trials in Baltimore and Pittsburgh. For four years, our lives became appointments, treatments, scans, hospitals, traveling, hoping, waiting, and fighting.
And through all of it, Soph never stopped fighting.
On June 8th 2026 - exactly four years to the day after her diagnosis - Soph passed away peacefully in her sleep.
She had always been our princess. But during those four years, we watched her become something more. We watched our 12-year-old girl face things no child should ever have to face with strength, courage, determination, and a whole lot of stubborness.
She was still our princess.
She had simply become our Warrior Princess.
Four years. One fierce girl.
SHE NEVER STOPPED FIGHTING
Her love didn't end with her story.
WHY LOVE, SOPHIA?
♡
Sophia spent her life loving people. She noticed when someone needed help, and more importantly, she did something about it.
Love, Sophia was created to continue what came so naturally to her.
We want children and families throughout Western New York to feel the same kind of love Sophia gave so freely - whether that means helping with an unexpected financial burden, creating a special memory, making a holiday a little brighter, or simply reminding a child that they matter.
Everything we do comes back to one question that Sophia heard countless times throughout her life:
"Do you know how loved you are?"
Through love, Sophia, we hope the answer will always be
yes!
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Helping families with financial burdens related to medical care, treatment, travel, and unexpected expenses.
THEY ARE SEEN. THEY ARE LOVED. THEY ARE NOT ALONE.
Love, Sophia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and families throughout all 8 Western New York counties facing medical, financial, and emotional challenges.
MINI BUCKET LIST ITEMS
Granting meaningful experiences and once-in-a-lifetime memories for children who deserve moments of joy.
All for one mission: to remind every child...
SPREAD LOVE. BRING HOPE. HONOR SOPHIA.
Our Mission
♡
HOLIDAY HELP
Making birthdays and holidays brighter for families and children through our Sophia Celebration Program.
LOVE, ALWAYS
Spreading love, kindness, joy, and hope in everything we do for all eligible kiddos and families - just as Sophia always did.
HER KINDNESS IS STILL MOVING.
A LITTLE PIECE OF SOPH,
PASSED FROM PERSON TO PERSON.
Sophia noticed people. She cared when someone was hurting, gave when someone needed help, and had a way of making people feel seen.
Soph's Hearts were created to carry that part of her forward. Each little wooden heart begins with her message - "Do you know how loved you are?" - and is passed from one person to another whenever someone could use a little extra kindness.
Every handoff adds another chapter to Sophia's story.
Her story didn't end.
It just found new ways to travel.
Her story continues with us.
Together, we can carry Sophia's love forward and make a difference in the lives of children and families in Western New York. Will you be part of her legacy?
GET HELP
GET INVOLVED
DONATE
If you or someone you know could use a little help, we are here.
There are so many ways to make an impact and share Sophia's love.
Your support helps us continue Sophia's mission of love and hope.
Love, Sophia is powered by an incredible team of family, friends, and community members who believe deeply in this mission and in the legacy Sophia left behind. Each of us brings our own experiences, skills, and hearts to help carry her love forward and make a difference for children and families across Western New York.
THE PEOPLE CARRYING HER
Love Forward