Blue Point sisters raise thousands for sick friend, 7

MADISON Coffey lay in a hospital bed last month, wracked by a rare disease that left her too weak to lift her arms. The 7-year-old girl couldn't swallow food, and had trouble even speaking.

Back home, sisters Lyndsay and Caitlyn Conroy were scared. Worried about their friend, they galvanized an army of kids in Bayport and Blue Point to raise money by selling everything from hot dogs and cotton candy to temporary tattoos.

Spearheaded by Lyndsay, 12, and Caitlyn, 9, the fundraisers have grown steadily, taking place each Tuesday on the girls' front lawn in Blue Point, and have raised several thousand dollars, said the girls' mother, Stacy Conroy.

"We've put a lot of time and energy into it," Lyndsay said earlier this week, stuffing the proceeds from face-painting and lemonade sales into a toy cash register and thinking of the day her lifelong friend would be back home in Bayport. "It really means a lot to her, and she's getting better."

Madison is undergoing treatment for juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle pain, in a Westchester County hospital.

Madison - Maddy to her friends - was diagnosed with the disease in June, said her father, Kevin Coffey, who works in finance at a Hauppauge firm. Madison's disease worsened rapidly, and she spent 30 days in an intensive care unit at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, he said. Among the treatments she has received are chemotherapy and steroids, he said.

Madison's condition has improved and she has regained some motion, but she is still getting nourishment via a tube through her nose, he said.

Madison was transferred two weeks ago to Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, where rehabilitation treatments are available for children with the disease, he said.

Coffey said he "broke down in tears of joy" when he learned of the neighborhood children's charity work. He said he may donate some of the money to a society that researches juvenile dermatomyositis.

Madison's treatment is covered by insurance, Coffey said, but he added that he and his wife, Doreen, have rung up thousands of dollars in travel and hotel bills shuttling between Long Island and Westchester.

Lilliana Barillas, Madison's doctor at Cohen, said she has improved significantly in the past month, but it is still difficult to say when she might be able to leave the hospital.

"Her disease was not a nice one initially, but she's doing well," she said, adding that Madison's return home "all depends on how she progresses."

Kevin Coffey, who has taken turns with his wife spending nights at Madison's bedside, said he's looking forward to his daughter's return home. They also have another daughter, Erin, 10.

"As long as she is able to walk, to go to school, have friendships, I'll be happy," Coffey said.

The next Team Maddy fundraiser will take place Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Conroys' front lawn, 51 Middle Rd. in Blue Point.

What is juvenile dermatomyositis

Juvenile dermatomyositis is an autoimmune disease that attacks muscles in children. In severe cases, sufferers can temporarily lose the ability to walk, swallow food or speak.

The disease affects 3,000 to 5,000 children in the United States. Depending on the severity of the case, the disease may be treated with steroids and chemotherapy drugs, and treatment may be followed with physical therapy.