When you wish upon a star: Child cancer survivor and family going to Disney World
After a long treatment this summer to treat a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma, 4-year-old Claire Kitchen will get her Make-A-Wish wish with a trip to Disney World in April. Claire sits with her mother, Nadija, and her two brothers, Finn, 11, on the left and Jude, 6, on the right, as they read a book together while waiting for father, Seth, to get home from work on Thursday evening.
Cherokee Tribune/Todd Hull
The foundation aims to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy.
Claire?s mother, Nadija Kitchen, said her family has been working with the foundation since Claire was diagnosed in May 2010 with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that develops from branches of nerves from the spinal cord.
Right after Christmas last year, Claire underwent a stem cell transplant ? a three-week process that was not only physically difficult for Claire, but also took an emotional toll on the Kitchen family.
?The recovery was the most difficult part of her treatment,? Nadija said, noting that Claire was very ill for two weeks after the surgery.
In March, Claire became sick again with an intestinal infection from having to take numerous antibiotics, Nadija said.
?She stopped eating and walking for 10 days and dropped four pounds,? Nadija said.
Originally, Make-A-Wish had planned for the Woodstock family to go to Disney World in September, but Claire had to go through physical therapy to learn how to walk again and it pushed her treatment back until October.
?We wanted her to be strong and healthy to enjoy the trip,? Nadija said, noting that the foundation?s organizers were very understanding and helped to re-plan the trip for April.
Claire will have her fifth birthday in April, too.
?She knows about the trip,? Nadija said. ?It will be a great birthday present. Just knowing we have that to look forward to as a family is really exciting.?
Claire?s father, Seth, is anticipating reliving childhood memories on the trip.
?Last time we were there, I was a little kid,? he said. ?From what I hear, it will be like rock-star status.?
Seth said his daughter will be able to dress up like a princess and meet characters such as Snow White and Tinkerbell.
?She?s all-girl,? he said. ?She?s always in pink and talking about her hair or her fingernails. She dresses in a different princess dress every day.?
For now, the Kitchen family, including their sons, Finn, 11, and Jude, 6, will stay in Woodstock for the holidays.
Nadija said it will be a low-key celebration, something she appreciates after the challenges of her daughter?s procedure last year.
?Last year, we were preparing her to go in for her stem cell transplant,? Nadija said. ?We were happy last Christmas, but it was still a tense time. This year, we don?t have to think about that anymore.?
?There will be no hospitals, no impending treatments,? Seth said. ?It?s going to be a really nice Christmas all together with the family.?
Claire?s spirit and strength have helped her get through the challenges of her illness, her mother said.
?What?s so amazing is that after being in the hospital and meeting other children, you realize most kids are strong like this,? Nadija said. ?They don?t spend a lot of time sitting around thinking about being sick.?
Claire is currently able to walk and healthy again, but is still undergoing physical therapy. The family takes Claire in for routine scans and tests to monitor the site where the tumor was.
Nadija said the most exciting thing about the trip will be getting to spend family time together.
?It?s been very difficult for them,? Nadija said of her two sons. ?They spent a lot of time away from me.?
Nadija added that during her treatment, Claire received a lot of toys and gifts.
?The boys were always gracious, but they get pushed off to the side a lot,? she said. ?Knowing my boys are going to get loved on is just really exciting.?
Finn and Jude look forward to staying at Give Kids the World Village, a resort nearby Disney World where children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are treated to a weeklong, cost-free vacation.
?They have heard that they can get ice cream 24 hours a day,? Nadija said with a laugh. ?They think they?ll be eating ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner.?
Nadija and Seth said they are overwhelmed by the organization?s efforts to help their family.
?Make-A-Wish is an incredible organization,? Nadija said. ?They are really just trying to give our kids, not just Claire, a great time and we?re so overwhelmed by it.?
Seth said, ?It?s something we?d never be able to afford with a family of five. It?s been a real blessing. We?re just humbled and excited we got picked.?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation needs more than 2.5 billion miles, or 50,000 round-trip tickets, to grant wishes each year. Every mile donated helps wish kids and their families travel to destinations around the world. Once donated, your miles will never expire and are used to support wishes across the country. This is just one simple way you can help grant a life-changing wish experience. To donate, visit www.wish.org/help/donate_airline_miles.
Source: http://cherokeetribune.com/bookmark/16894616
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