Kids Wish Network and Local Sponsors Grant Barberton Girl’s Disney Wish

Oct. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- BARBERTON, Ohio – Every time she was waiting for her daughter to return from treatments, Sheena browsed through the pamphlets available on the tables in the waiting rooms. During yet another trip to the hospital, Sheena noticed a flyer for Kids Wish Network, a national charity dedicated to granting wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. She kept the pamphlet and decided to call and see if her daughter would qualify.

You see, just last year, Shareena’s doctors discovered a cantaloupe-sized cancerous Wilm’s tumor on her left kidney. Shareena was immediately started on chemotherapy treatments followed by radiation therapy in order to shrink the tumor and stop its spreading throughout her body; by that point, the cancer had already spread to her lungs and liver. After the chemo and radiation treatments, Shareena’s doctors removed the tumor on her kidney through surgery. The various treatments have left Shareena vulnerable to all sorts of illnesses and they have sapped a lot of her energy. She must currently follow a strict medication regimen and is monitored closely.

For her wish, little Shareena wanted only to visit the theme parks in Orlando, Florida and that is just what happened, thanks to some outstanding local sponsors in both Barberton and Orlando.

Once in Orlando, Shareena and her family happily followed a day-by-day itinerary arranged by her Kids Wish Network wish coordinator that included accommodations, dinner every night and, of course, tickets to any theme park that Shareena wanted to visit.

“Shareena loved it so much,” said Sheena. “It was fun!”

While in the Sunshine State, Shareena got to visit Universal Studios, the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. According to Sheena, Shareena enjoyed riding all of the rides, especially the Space Mountain and Expedition Everest rollercoasters. Shareena also had a blast taking pictures with her favorite characters including Lilo and Stitch; Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Thumper the rabbit.

Another favorite for Shareena and her little sister was the Twister ride at Universal Studios. According to Sheena, her daughters have been through tornado drills before and they knew what to do on the ride; when the ride was over, she proudly proclaimed to her heroic little girls that they had survived their first “tornado!”

“We had such a good time,” said Sheena of her daughter’s wish trip. “Everybody was so nice to us. Thank you!”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Shareena’s wish extra special: American Legion Post 407; American Legion Post 68; Barberton Firefighters Association 329; Barberton Jaycees; Fraternal Order of Eagles 190 Massillon; Fraternal Order of Police 18; Compassion Partners; Royal Plaza Hotel; Pirates Dinner Adventure; Sweet Tomatoes; Applebee’s; and Thrifty/Dollar Rent a Car.  

Kids Wish Network is a national charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children having experienced life-altering situations. Kids Wish Network assists children and their families through several key programs. Every child deserves a chance at happiness; a wish is just a way of bringing them that joy. If you would like to sponsor a child’s wish or if you know a child who is suffering from a life-threatening illness and may be in need of Kids Wish Network’s wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free  888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

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Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children through their uniquely specialized programs.

http://www.kidswishnetwork.org