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Tag Archives: Make a Wish
Make-a-Wish Foundation Sends Knoxville Girl to Disney World
The Make-a-Wish Foundation helps make dreams come true for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Children can make a wish from one of four categories: I wish to go, I wish to be, I wish to meet, or I wish to have. In fact, they grant a wish every thirty-eight minutes for a child.
The Make-a-Wish foundation works with a seventy-acre “storybook” resort in Orlando called the Give Kids the World Village. Make-a-Wish families can stay here during their trip so children can receive necessary medical treatments and attention while they are away from home. This resort includes villa accommodations, entertainment, and more.
Cali Owens, a three-year-old girl from Knoxville, Tennessee needs a kidney transplant. She spends ten hours every day undergoing dialysis treatment for her condition. She also receives several medications and shots. Cali just had her wish of going somewhere granted by the Make-a-Wish foundation and this little princess left for Disney World on Sunday. Cali will get to experience the magic of Disney World despite her physical struggles and be just like every other three year old for the week. Cali and her family are very thankful for this opportunity.
“There’s a lot of discomfort in her life that other kids don’t know. And basic joys of going to school or a regular bath becomes a whole ordeal,” said Brandi Owens, Cali’s mother.
Cali has found a potential kidney donor through her family’s church, but this individual must first undergo an evaluation next week to determine if this will be successful.
Do you know someone that has been helped by the Make-a-Wish foundation?
Are you ready to book your next Disney World vacation? When you book with me, a portion of your trip goes to help the Give Kids the World Village where Make-a-Wish families can stay in Orlando.
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Ill Boy And Family Are Going To Walt Disney World
Thanks to the Make-A-Wish foundation and the generosity of local businesses young David Zachmann and his family are getting a long overdue vacation to Walt Disney World.
David Zachmann, 11, has struggled his entire left with chronic illness. He suffers from a rare disease called Hirschsprung’s, that prevents his digestive system from properly functioning. David also has Down syndrome and autism. He was born with a heart condition and then when he was 3 weeks old his doctors discovered he had Hirschsprung’s. He has had surgeries to remove parts of his colon and has undergone numerous exams, tests and procedures over the course of his life.
His mother, Dawn Zachmann said “If any kid is a candidate for that (Make-A-Wish Trip), it’s David,” “He really wants to see Cruella De Vil,” she added.
David’s illness has not been the only hardship for the Zachmann family. In July of 2006 Dawn’s husband and David’s father Shannon was killed in a motorcycle crash. Then in November of 2007 the kitchen of their house was destroyed in a fire. David, who was 5 at the time, alerted his older brother of the fire and they were able to get their other siblings safely out of their home.
Disney World Trip Brings Joy To Farmington Baby And Family
Thanks to the help from family and friends, 16-month-old Addilyn Davis was able to meet her favorite character, Mickey Mouse, at The Walt Disney World Resort in May.
Born in August of 2011 Addilyn was diagnosed in February with Krabbe disease, a genetic disorder of the central nervous system. Unfortunately there is no cure of treatment for the disease, so Addilyn faces a shortened life.
Eighteen family members, made the trip with Addilyn, including her parents Jamie and Kyle Davis. The trip to Disney was made while Addilyn still had her sight and could feed from a bottle.
“My family wanted to be there,” Jamie said, voicing her gratitude. “It meant so much that our community came together for our baby girl, Kyle and I. There was nothing that could compare to watching her meet Mickey.”
Krabbe disease affects one out of every 100,000 people in the United States. It was named after the doctor who discovered it in the early 1900s.
Jamie is devoted to raising awareness of Krabbe disease. In addition to passing out brochures at local parades, a walk in Addilyn’s honor is being planned for early 2013. Their family’s experiences are written about on Facebook under “Addilyn’s Journey of Hope.”
Davis also wants to see genetic testing for the disease at birth. New York is the only state that automatically tests for it now, she said.
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Father Denies Little Girls Make a Wish Disney World Dream
According to The Blaze McKenna May a four-year-old cancer survivor’s Make-A-Wish Dream was to take a trip to Disney World. Those dreams have now been cancelled by her own father because he thinks only dying children deserve the charity’s money.
The family lives in Haskins, Ohio and was granted $3,500 to pay for the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Florida theme park. McKenna spent half of her short life undergoing treatment for leukemia. But the brave little girl has been left devastated after her father William May as he refused to sign a consent form allowing her to go.
The father states the gift was an improper use of donations, and that the trip should be reserved for ‘kids who only have six months to live’.
While I can understand where the Father is coming from I believe his pride is stopping him from allowing Make a Wish to grant her a dream of a lifetime. She has been struggling for most of her life and I think she deserves to see Mickey and Friends in the most magical place on earth!
Click here to read more.
What do you think? Should they take the trip or no? Let us know in the comment box below.
Photo credit Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune
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Disney Store Holiday Event in Times Square
This past Thursday I had the pleasure of taking my son Thomas to the Disney Store in Times Square and attending the Star-Studded Top 10 Holiday Gifts Reveal. Being able to be a part of the excitement of the upcoming holiday season was so much fun! I normally wouldn’t want to be in Times Square at 9 months pregnant with a toddler but the promise of Mickey and Minnie and seeing some fun toys was just something I couldn’t pass up.
The event was held on the upper level of the store and when we walked in we were greeted by this sign:
Me? A VIP? OK!
After giving my name and letting them know I was from Chip and Co, I was given a $50 Disney Gift Card. Cha Ching! You know how much loot I can get with that? Of course being the savvy Disney shopper that I am, I knew to pocket that bad boy and hold off to use it online where the merchandise is much cheaper and I’d probably wind up with some good sales deals too.
We headed up the elevator and along the twinkling blue path and were greeted by cast members with goodies!
Mulled Cider and Fancy Water
This cast member was first and offered some beverages for the adults – mulled cider and sparkling water. Very fancy! And the kids were not forgotten because next up was the juice box tray:
Is my kid a VIP or what?
And best of all was this lovely cast member and her outstanding Christmas cookies!
Each one was better than the next
Goodies in hand, we set out to look around at all the great merchandise. There are so many fun places to play and things to do in the Disney Store and we managed to find them all. The make-your-own-cars section was a favorite for my son as well as the mini Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. In fact, most of the kids were packed in there playing. They could care less what the hot toys are – they just wanted to play in the big tunnel! For the first 45 minutes or so, we looked around and played and waited for the presentation to begin. The kids sat on the floor (well, sorta…as much as a bunch of toddlers can be expected to sit) and we listened to all the great things that were going to be available for purchase this season. The top 10 toys are:
1. Animators’ Collection princess toddler dolls(Family Fun Toy of the Year Winner)
2. Cars 2 Remote Control cars with turbo speed – Note: I’m TOTALLY buying this for my little guy!
3. Muppets plush assortment featuring all your favorite characters from the new Disney film “The Muppets” opening on Nov. 23
4. Cars 2 Siddeley Spy Jet
5. Enchanting Princess 5 in 1 wardrobe set
6. Vinylmation Villains 2 and Jingle Smells Vinylmation
7. Singing Rapunzel doll with the voice of Mandy Moore
8. Disney Store’s exclusive fragrances Imagination, Winter and Pixie
9. Wish-A-Littles by Kidada for Disney Store
10. Disney Princess 10-pack dolls
I was able to snap a few pictures of the great toys during the presentation – all of which can be found on at the Disney Store’s website.
After the presentation is where the real fun began! A really fun cast member read the kids a Christmas story, chock full of all our favorite Disney characters. In attendance at the event were some celebrity moms, including Kelly Ruterford and her daughter, La La Vasquez and her son, and Daya Vaidya and her daughter. Of course, I had no idea who they were at the time (apparently I don’t read enough celeb rags!) but my little guy did wind up in one of the promo pictures!
After story time the cast member asked the kids what characters they saw in the story. “Donald! Goofy!” ….”Mickey!!” Once the kids yelled Mickey, the ultimate surprise came! Out walked Mickey and Minnie dressed in their holiday best! My son was ecstatic and started chasing them to the picture area. We waited not-so-patiently in line while the celebs took their photo ops. When it was our turn, Thomas ran right to them and showed them the toy he had picked out. They spent a great deal of time with him. It was definitely a change from being at the parks and having to rush through each character because of the long lines. Thomas got to sit on his buddy’s lap and even stole a kiss from his very first crush.
What a lover!
The event really was a wonderful time. I’m so happy I got to be a part of it. What touched me the most was the fact that for each holiday Mickey or Minnie plush sold from October 31-December 11 at Disney Store and DisneyStore.com, Disney Store will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I will be sure to purchase one of my own!
