"I wish to be a Zookeeper for a day!"
Amelia
4
leukemia
Amelia’s Zookeeper Wish
Amelia has always been active, cheerful, and full of life. In addition to being a wonderful big sister, she has a heart for animals of all kinds and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.
But in December of 2020—just 10 days after her third birthday—all that activity was put on hold. Amelia was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood cells and bone marrow.
Dealing with ALL meant that Amelia didn’t just have to deal with the uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy, but the pain, fatigue, and fevers caused by the disease.
“It was gut-wrenching,” Amelia’s mom, Carrie, said of the experience. “There’s nothing that you can do as a parent to prepare for hearing the words, ‘Your child has cancer.’
Like any parents, Amelia’s mom and dad were blind-sided by her diagnosis. “The world was frozen,” her mom says. “We went into survival mode.”
During Amelia’s initial two-week hospital stay, the staff gave her parents a list of charities they could turn to for help, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Carrie was instantly reminded of her close connections with the organization. In high school, a close friend’s sister was granted a wish, and in college, she joined the Chi Omega sorority—one of Make-A-Wish’s most cherished partners.
[QUOTE: “It’s always been something that’s near and dear to my heart. And I saw with my friend’s sister how it could affect a family positively…never in a million years did I think that my family would use this organization.” - Wish mom, Carrie]
Even though they were in the midst of a global pandemic, Amelia’s family began talking about and planning her wish. They wanted an experience that the entire family could look forward to as well as remember. Something that would resonate with Amelia.
They quickly found the perfect wish: to be a zookeeper for a day
Amelia woke up that morning with the biggest smile on her face! Her excitement was so contagious her parents still say that morning in the hotel room was the highlight of their whole experience.
The family arrived at Zoo Miami, the largest zoo in Florida and the fifth largest in the United States. Communications Director Ron Magill greeted them in a golf cart an hour before the zoo opened and whisked Amelia away to feed the giraffes.
Decked out in a custom zookeeper outfit, Amelia received the full “behind-the-scenes” tour! From petting a sloth to watching elephants do tricks, her day was filled with experiences that aren’t available to the general public.
The highlight of the day, however, was a party in Amelia’s honor—hosted by chimpanzees! The chimps’ habitat was fully decorated, including a banner boasting “Amelia.” And what party would be complete without a gift for the VIP? One of the chimps, Samantha, created a finger painting that Amelia cherishes to this day.
Amelia’s mom says the day was incredible. “They made every moment, every touchpoint, so magical.”
For Amelia and her family, her wish was more than just a fun trip. It was an adventure that brought a ray of sunshine into the darkest of days.
“It was so beneficial for our state of mind to see that light in her,” says her mom. “This was an experience that we could have never given to her.” Her dad agreed. “It was an incredibly positive experience in a really negative two years.”
Being able to talk about the upcoming experience—and reflect on it afterwards—has done wonders for Amelia’s outlook on life. Going in and out of the hospital during a pandemic was a very isolating experience for the entire family. With nothing else going on in their lives, cancer became the go-to topic of conversation.
“You want to talk about something else, but there’s nothing else going on,” says Carrie. Watching their daughter be a zookeeper for a day was a memory that they can continue to turn to again and again, and one that Amelia will look back on with fondness when she becomes a veterinarian!
The Make-A-Wish Foundation makes a world of difference to families in your community who are looking for a similar lifeline during a tough situation. Contact Make-A-Wish Central and North Florida today to learn more about opportunities to provide your support or visit our website cnfl.wish.org.