“It gives hope and something to dream about to a child when they are going through incredibly hard medical procedures. It helps kids look beyond pain, loneliness, and illness to something better.”
Tyler
Tyler was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in August 2020. Because his sister was a perfect match, he underwent a bone marrow transplant the following month but had to spend three months in Iowa City, away from home, as his body recovered from intense chemo and immunosuppression treatments. When thinking about his wish, Tyler decided on Walt Disney World Resort because he’d visited when he was much younger but couldn’t remember it. He spent lots of time researching what parks and rides he’d want to go on. He loved exploring the different countries at Epcot, making that his favorite park.
Tyler’s medical journey increased his gratitude and faith, “It makes me a lot more grateful of the expertise of doctors and medical staff in general. I'm not sure about the rest of my family but I think it humbled all of us in some way or another. It strengthened our faith.”
When asked why people should support Make-A-Wish, Tyler spoke about the impact of his wish, “It gives hope and something to dream about to a child when they are going through incredibly hard medical procedures. It helps kids look beyond pain, loneliness, and illness to something better.”
