Nick Buckley: Make-A-Wish dream vacation worth the wait for daughter with critical illness

As the Seven Dwarfs' song, "Heigh-Ho," played during a mid-ride ascent, our train came to an abrupt stop.

It was our third go on the Seven Dwarfs' Mine Ride at Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida; the last ride during a long and memorable day for our family.

As a momentary panic washed over the faces of my wife and two kids, I smiled at the thought of being temporarily stuck at "the happiest place on earth" before the ride resumed.

We had waited nearly three years for the experience; a wish fulfilled for my daughter and countless lifelong memories for our family.

Our all-expenses paid vacation to Orlando in June was provided to us through Make-A-Wish Michigan; it was my daughter Charlie's wish following her kidney transplant in 2019.

Make-A-Wish grants wishes for children ages 2 to 18 who have critical illnesses, at no cost to families. Typically, wishes must be fulfilled within one year of being granted. But the organization adapted its policy amid the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of wishes granted through Make-A-Wish Michigan are destination wishes. Like many families, we opted to wait until it was safer for our immunocompromised kidney warrior: when travel restrictions were lifted and our family was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Charlie was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (often called FSGS) when she was 5. It's rare disease that attacks the kidney's filtering units, causing scarring that leads to permanent kidney damage, and there is no known cause or cure. She takes about a dozen medications daily and has regular blood draws and clinic visits, but is otherwise a typical 12-year-old who refuses to be defined by her chronic kidney disease.

We are fortunate Charlie's new kidney is doing its job, and she is today as healthy as she's ever been. It's one of the reasons we were able to delay the wish trip, despite multiple alternative or modified wish opportunities presented by our amazing Make-A-Wish volunteers, Jeff and Wenda Newhouse.

Amid the uncertainty and stress caused by the pandemic, Charlie could look forward to the red carpet treatment at Disney parks and Universal Studios, which exceeded all of our expectations.

MORE: I gave my daughter a kidney. She's given me so much more.

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For kids in time-sensitive situations, waiting was not an option. So Make-A-Wish works with families to modify the child's wish, offering once-in-a-lifetime opportunities closer to home.

"One thing that is critical is granting the true wish of the child," said Make-A-Wish Michigan President and CEO Michael Hull.  "And, in uncertain times, or when a child might not be able to travel because of COVID or because their medical condition will not allow it, our team works to stay as true to that wish as possible.

"When you trace our history back to why Make-A-Wish was created, it was to grant the wish at a time when the child needs it the most. As we think about COVID, that was one thing that was the hardest for us," Hull continued. "For some kids, we have a window and this is when the wish needs to happen. Between the surgery and three years of chemo, or between this and that. That has been the biggest challenge as we think through and balance it all because we want to stay true to that vision."

Make-A-Wish Michigan is on track to grant 400 wishes this year; a typical pre-pandemic number for the foundation based in Grand Rapids, one of 60 chapters of the international nonprofit. Hull said it's roughly double the number of wishes granted during the past two years of the pandemic.

The delays in fulfilling travel wishes caused by COVID-19 has created somewhat of a backlog. When Make-A-Wish Michigan begins its next fiscal year in September, it plans to grant the most wishes in a year since it was founded in 1984.

"As we come out of the pandemic, I'm not as worried about the backlog. I am worried about all the additional kids who are potentially diagnosed with a critical illness," Hull said. "In the state of Michigan, an estimated 800 kids are diagnosed with a critical illness each year... We do know medical care changed a little bit. People were not going to get that normal checkup."

Like many nonprofits, fundraising and finding volunteers has been a challenge for Make-A-Wish Michigan during the pandemic. And rising inflation means travel wishes cost more.

Still, the foundation has been able to leverage its partnerships, such as with Allegiant Air or Give Kids The World Village in Florida, the enchanting 89-acre resort where we stayed. But many businesses have been feeling the pinch of an economy on the verge of a recession, including those that typically donate time and resources to help fulfil wishes.

Make-A-Wish Michigan is gearing up for its biggest annual fundraiser, the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. Now in its 35th year, the tour is a three-day, 300-mile bike ride beginning July 28 at Eaton Proving Grounds in Marshall, traveling to Traverse City, then on to the campus of Ferris State University. The July 30 ride is from Big Rapids to Beagle Middle School in Grand Ledge, followed by the July 31 ride from Grand Ledge back to Marshall.

"Our mission goes on, no matter what," Hull said. "If it's a pandemic or a recession, our mission has to go on because children are still being diagnosed with critical illnesses.

"Next year, we're attempting to grant more wishes than we ever have in our history, because more kids need them, and we have to grant these wishes. With that comes the need for our community to rally behind us... In addition to all our wishes, we have to really accelerate our fundraising efforts and let the people of Michigan know, hey, we need you."

For more information or to donate, visit wish.org/michigan.

Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Make-A-Wish Michigan sets biggest fundraiser with annual bike ride