Family Receives 'Dream' Trip After 4 Years Of Treatment
Victoria, BC - November 24, 2006
The Help Fill A Dream Foundation of Canada has fulfilled the dream of another child. After battling Stage IV neuroblastoma (tumours of the nerve tissue) and undergoing treatment for four years, 11 year old Spencer and his family flew to Disneyland on November 21st for a week of fun and relaxation.
The dream application arrived at the Help Fill A Dream office on November 13th with an urgent request to ‘make the dream come true’ within two days. Spencer will continue his treatment soon and he and his family wanted to visit Disneyland prior to that. Everyone involved in making Spencer’s dream a reality pulled out all the stops to finalize the arrangements within 24 hours. "When you’re in the business of helping kids with life-threatening illnesses, you need to respond quickly and efficiently", says Bob Campbell, President of the local Help Fill A Dream Foundation. "We are extremely grateful for the support of partners like Merit Travel and Disneyland Resorts to help us give Spencer and his family this early Christmas gift".
Since the Foundation’s inception in 1986, it has granted over 700 dreams and provided emergency financial assistance for more than 800 children and their families from Vancouver Island and throughout the province, under the age of 19 with life threatening illnesses. Dreams range from trips to Disneyland, the most popular request, to purchasing computers to help with schoolwork. The Foundation also provides emergency financial aid to families to ease the burden created by reduced incomes, medical expenses, and other drains on family resources. The Help Fill A Dream Foundation is the only organization of its kind that provides emergency financial aid.
For additional information and photos please contact Paula Krisch, Executive Director, at 250-382-3135 or hfad@telus.net.
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