When three-year-old Johanna was diagnosed with leukemia in 2017, cancer treatment made some of her favorite activities a lot more difficult. Johanna is a playful, free-spirited little girl with big dreams. She loves playing outside with her friends and family, and has a particular love of climbing, swinging, and giggling her way across the nearest playground. 

Johanna’s parents heard about Make-A-Wish Alabama from other families going through cancer treatments at Children’s of Alabama. Johanna was referred for a wish, and when her volunteers arrived to start determining what her wish would be, Johanna was ready. She wished to have a swing set with an attached playhouse in her own backyard. The only rule? Johanna wanted the set to be her favorite color: pink.

“Johanna is a girly girl,” said Amanda Dickey, Johanna’s wish coordinator. “Once we found the right playset, we started looking for the perfect shade of pink to paint it to make sure it was exactly what she wished for.”

Local companies came together to donate the playset, mulch and flowers, and, of course, the pink paint. On wish reveal day, volunteers showed up to assemble the swing set in Johanna’s backyard. When she arrived, Johanna took off toward her new pink playset with a huge smile on her face. 

For a little girl who had been fighting so bravely, a pink playset was the perfect start to the end of cancer treatment.

May 2021 marked four years since Johanna’s diagnosis. She is currently a healthy, happy kiddo who has held on to her spirit of joy and playfulness throughout her journey.