Sammy's Make A Wish Part One

When Sammy was first diagnosed, he was visited by the Make a Wish Foundation who wanted to treat him to a special wish.  The organization is a non-for-profit charity which tries to fulfil the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.  Sammy wanted to meet Tiger Woods; golf being his sport of preference.  Well, the scandal had just got out and we knew Sammy was the wrong blonde!  We subtly suggested other options.  In the end, after a meeting between the Make a Wish volunteers and Sammy, a trip to Disney was decided upon....we had no input...it was all about Sammy's wishes.

I was very nervous about the whole thing. After all, Sammy was at a very critical stage in his treatment and wasn't able to wash his own face, never mind ride roller coasters and cuddle with Mickey Mouse!  But we knew we would not be granted the wish unless we had the okay from his doctors and it wasn't going to be scheduled until the summer...when Sammy should have reached Maintenance...which we now know, he did!

August came and a limo pulled up to take us to the airport! The boys were so happy and excited.


 

We were greeted in Orlando by a Give Kids the World rep who was so helpful and showed us how to do everything, including getting the hire care organized.  We were treated  like royalty.  Then, after a short drive, we arrived at the village created by a Holocaust survivor who wanted to make sure no child lost their childhood like he did in the concentration camps.  Their blurb:

Laughter fills the air at Give Kids The World Village, a fanciful, carefree retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses, and their families. Give Kids The World Village is a 70-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort located near Disney and Universal Studios. Here, children and their families are treated to week long, cost-free fantasy vacations, complete with accommodations in whimsical villas,transportation, donated attraction tickets, meals, and much more. At the Village, these children learn that dreams really do come true as they and their families are immersed in joy, love, and hope for a few unforgettably happy days. Since 1986, Give Kids The World has hosted more than 100,000 families from all 50 states and 72 countries.

http://www.gktw.org/aboutUs.asp?a=1

This vacation was really a blessing for us.  We loved the Candy Land villa and the fact that Disney characters visited us at the village so Sammy got to see them without the crazy lines at the theme parks.  There was an "All You Can Eat" ice cream shop open all day and night.  We went once, but became so busy with everything else, we actually didn't go again so didn't gain 1000 pounds from eating there everyday...phew!  There was a carousel ride, a movie theatre, a train station with ride, a pool with a pirate ship, a horse corral and a mini golf course with interactive dinosaurs...so much fun and we weren't even at Disney yet! 

Each morning we had breakfast at the Gingerbread House with volunteers carrying our trays and hundreds of dolls and cuddly toys upon shelves high above our heads. We then did an activity at the village such as swimming in the pool, or the carousel or the Dino Putt or the Amberville Train Station, or the Castle of Miracles.  Then we'd head out to one of the theme parks for the day.  So much was done at the village that we missed, as we generally got back too late...such is the life of a thrill loving, roller-coaster riding, cancer-fighting hero like Sammy! 

Each evening, after a hard day of play, we would arrive back at the villa to surprises for the boys.  They had games, candy and other fun stuff waiting for them as a magical 'extra' to their stay.  Brian and I had the magical extra of no stress, no day to day hassle, and such a sense of being together having fun...I cannot express how much this time meant to me. 

More miracles will follow in part two :)