When volunteers with the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Southern Nevada visited the home of 14-year-old Breana, she knew she wanted to see architecture in Europe. When pressed for specifics, the National Honor Society student narrowed down her wish to viewing architecture in Italy. Through the Wishes at Sea program, which is a product of the partnership between the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Royal Caribbean International, wish granters were able to create a wish experience packed with close-up views of some of the world’s most famous sites for Breana.

The young teen – along with mom Jayme, dad Steven, and sisters Erica and Kayla – chose to take a Mediterranean odyssey cruise aboard Grandeur of the Seas. Flying from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Rome, Italy, the family left the port in Rome aboard the luxurious Royal Caribbean ship. They pulled ashore in Naples, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and Florence, Italy, for shore-side adventures. Breana got to check out the architecture of many churches and historic landmarks. The family noted that she did not get tired at all. In fact, they credit her with setting the fast pace.

When the group returned back to the United States, they invited the volunteers from the Southern Nevada chapter to their home to see the pictures and video from their Italian adventure. Two months after their trip, the family was back in contact with the chapter by sending a thank-you letter that highlighted the hope, strength, and joy found in their Make-A-Wish^® experience.

“The granting of Breana’s wish was so much more than the materialistic aspect. Although absolutely everything we needed was provided by Make-A-Wish, the biggest blessing that you provided for our family is very hard to put into words. The wish gave us a goal to look forward to and, since we were focusing on it, we were distracted from the chemotherapy and other undesirable medical procedures. We were able to take a break from the cancer battle and reinforce our love for each other. We can’t put a price tag on that.”