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The late Millie Flamm, left, and Ellie Shelton are shown at one of the first Millie’s Royal Ball events.

Courtesy Millie’s Princess Foundation/Letter V Photography

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Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions student Lanney McKinley, left, plays Jean Bob; RMU student Aaron Stanley, center, plays Rothbart; and RMU student Saurendro Ghosh, right, plays Puffin at Millie’s Royal Ball.

Courtesy Millie’s Princess Foundation/Letter V Photography

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Volunteers are shown at Millie’s Royal Ball.

Courtesy Millie’s Princess Foundation/Letter V Photography

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Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions student Kayla Barker volunteers at Millie’s Royal Ball.

Courtesy Millie’s Princess Foundation/Letter V Photography

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A volunteer interacts with a child at Millie’s Royal Ball.

Courtesy Millie’s Princess Foundation/Letter V Photography

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Volunteers interact with a child at Millie’s Royal Ball.

Courtesy Millie’s Princess Foundation/Letter V Photography

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Whether she’s dressed up like the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, the Swan Princess or herself, the effervescent Ellie Shelton lights up when sharing her story — call it her fairy tale — about becoming involved with Millie’s Princess Foundation, a royal ball and the little girl who inspired it all.

“Because we are a princess foundation, every good story begins with, ‘Once upon a time,'” Shelton said. Giggling, she continued, “Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Millie Flamm …”

Through its dream-making ball, its donors, Shelton and its many volunteers, including dozens from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, this Utah-based cancer-fighting charity makes magic happen at least one night a year for hundreds of ailing children and their families.

Unfortunately, this heartwarming story also includes some heartbreaking parts, including the painful reality that too many children’s lives are cut short and hampered by cancer, terminal illness and other life-threatening conditions.

“It’s humbling,” Shelton said. “These kids are heroes and angels. They go through more than most adults can fathom.”

Sadly, that was the case with Millie. In 2013, the 7-year-old Utah girl passed away from leukemia, but not before inspiring a whole lot of goodness.

Shelton’s story with Millie began 14 years ago when she went to an event dressed up as a mermaid. Four-year-old Millie, who had lost her hair while dealing with relapsing cancer, was enamored with this particular Ariel and asked her parents to invite the Little Mermaid to her fifth birthday party. Shelton’s life hasn’t been the same since.

“I went to her birthday, and meeting that little girl changed everything,” she said. “Millie was so grown up because of everything she went through. She was so innocent and childlike in the way she viewed the world — that if people need help, like, why don’t we help them? If they need a friend, be their friend.”

One day, Shelton visited Millie in the hospital. The little girl told her, “Well, my friend is having a hard day, too.” Millie’s wish was her command, so she visited her sick friend. Upon Millie’s request, she began visiting more and more children at the hospital while wearing her princess costumes to brighten up their days.

Eventually, Millie convinced Shelton to invite her princess friends to come along. You just couldn’t say no to a girl who, despite circumstances, sparkled with contagious kindness, joy and optimism and who spread a hopeful message: “The grass is greener on our side, even with leukemia.”

That small gathering took place in a parking lot and included Millie, 15 friends and family members, six princesses and a bouquet of balloons donated by Zurchers. Shelton was overjoyed with how it turned out. Millie was too, and it sparked even bigger dreams. She asked her favorite princess to bring some princes the next time. After all, you can’t have a good “once upon a time” fairy tale without princesses and princes.

“And so the Royal Ball was born,” Shelton said. “It just kept getting a little bit bigger and a little bit bigger.”

The 2025 shindig took place at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper in late January. Though Millie’s Princess Foundation primarily raises hope, funds and awareness for Intermountain West families affected by childhood cancer, the organization also invites hundreds of children suffering any type of life-threatening condition to this party. They want all kids to experience pampering and an escape from everyday life.

In all, 726 kids and guests attended the 14th annual Millie’s Royal Ball this year. Every ball has a different theme such as “Cinderella,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “The Emperor’s New Groove” or “A Night in Neverland.” Imaginations run wild as volunteers dress up and role-play as royalty, pirates, superheroes and myriad fairytale characters.

Each child is treated like the main character. They dress up and have fun interactions with the likes of Belle, Elsa, Peter Pan, Rapunzel, Capt. Jack Sparrow and Snow White. Fairy godmothers give them fun makeovers. They play games, sing, read, earn prizes, conquer quests, explore the aquarium, participate in adaptive and accessible activities, take memorable photos and dance the night away in whatever ways their abilities allow.

It’s a magical event full of smiles, laughter and hugs.

“It’s the impact of one little girl — isn’t that incredible!?” Shelton said. “Anytime anyone says, ‘What good can I do?’ (I remember) she was 5 when she started her journey of helping, and look at the thousands upon thousands she’s helped now.”

As with any good fairy tale, it takes a lot of help to make so many dreams come true. Shelton, who does marketing for the Swan Princess Co. as her full-time job, oversees the Millie’s Princess Foundation event as a volunteer director. In her own time, she goes to private events, makes hospital visits and, sadly, attends funerals out of her love for the kids.

“I get paid in warm fuzzies,” she said.

Shelton’s mom Laurie Hunsaker is the Royal Ball volunteer coordinator. She recruits and assembles a massive cast of characters to help pull off the major event and make it special. They had 131 volunteers this year.

“They become a part of these kids’ lives in their magical character way,” Hunsaker said. “The impact goes beyond just the Royal Ball.”

Kayla Barker, a Brigham Young University graduate who is pursuing a master’s degree in medical speech-language pathology, was among 41 volunteers from RMU. Serving others is one of Barker’s superpowers. She was the service leader of her cohort, helped tie blankets for charity, gave free hearing screenings and went on a humanitarian trip in Malawi, Africa, last year with others from RMU.

“My profession is a serving profession,” Barker said. “I get to go out and serve a bunch of people. I think I’ve just always had a service mindset. I just like helping others and like seeing them where they’re at and helping them get to where they want to go, if that’s something I am able to do.”

The relationship between Millie’s Royal Ball and RMU has blossomed into something beautiful. Each year, the university hosts required training sessions for volunteers. The service-oriented health care students — specializing in optometry, physical therapy and speech-language pathology — are heartened by making so many children happy. Organizers rely on the RMU crew’s medical experience, health care knowledge, empathy and tender care with kids who have a wide variety of health conditions and equipment.

RMU students have even helped administer first aid and medical assistance at balls.

“I get to hopefully help and create some magical moments,” Barker said. “It comes back to our school motto to love and lift. That’s another way that we can take time out of our busy schedules from studying, doing tests and being out on placement (clinicals) to have a chance to go and lift other people in a different way outside of what we do as grad students. It’s just a nice opportunity.”

Volunteers are asked if they have talents that might enhance the festivities. Barker has put her color-guard skills to good use for the past two years. Kids are enamored with how she adeptly twirls colorful and silky flags. Shelton fondly recalls a young girl being mesmerized by the flags and latching onto Barker. It helped motivate the girl to open up and move more. She is now part of her school’s color guard team.

That’s one of the encounters that touches Barker’s heart.

“Being able to have that one moment that touched someone so much, I’ll take that with me,” she said. “I’ll keep that in mind for the rest of my life.”

It’s her hope that the kids realize they are so much more than their medical condition. Barker’s message: “You’re human. You’re not your cancer. You’re not your diagnosis.”

Like other volunteers, princesses and characters, Barker wants the kids to feel special — or simply normal — if for only one extraordinary evening. Like event organizers, she wants the kids to feel like royalty.

Millie would have it no other way.

Jody Genessy is the senior content writer for Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.