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When you consider making a donation to Make-A-Wish, 5-year-old Elanor (Ellie) Gardner hopes you’ll remember her.
She was diagnosed in 2018 with a form of Neuroblastoma in 2018. That’s a type of cancer that’s commonly found in the Adrenal glands.
Ellie is a Wish Kid and her dream came true in April when, after years of treatment, she finally completed treatment. She and her family got to go to Walt Disney World to celebrate in May with the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Credit: Komo News
Make-a-Wish is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. During the Covid-19 pandemic, they had to temporarily pause travel wishes (though they did continue with other wishes like bedroom makeovers and wishes for pets). Disney trips, however, are the most popular wishes and only resumed being granted in September 2021. They are currently working through a record number of wishes as they try to grant the trips wished for during the pandemic. Because of this, donations are needed now more than ever.
Credit: Komo News
Ellie and her family are so grateful to the foundation for making Ellie’s dream of meeting Minnie Mouse come true. She’s loved everyone’s favorite style icon for as long as she can remember and was all smiles when they got to hang out in Hollywood Studios! Her family hopes people will remember Ellie’s story and the smile Make-a-Wish put on her face when they consider making a financial or unused airline miles donation.
Her mom Jessica said,”When you’re a family that’s diagnosed with cancer, being able to go to work and your finances really take a huge hit. We spent over 200 nights at Seattle Children’s. To have a full-time job and to be able to afford something like Disney – we all love Disney. But it’s expensive to go on any trip.”
Credit- Komo News
Even though her cancer is in remission, Ellie will continue to have scans at least every 6 months for the next 5 years. If she remains cancer free during those 5 years she will officially be cured!
We have no doubt that little Ellie will reach that glorious milestone and be free of cancer forever. More good news- she is going to be promoted to big sister in September! Her little sibling is going to be lucky indeed to have such a hearing and strong sister to look up to! It takes a very brave soul to fight cancer, and an even braver one to use that fight for good. By spreading the word and encouraging people to donate, the 5-year-old cancer survivor is doing just that!
