I wish to go to Walt Disney World Resort!
Vyla
6
cancer
Vyla's Disney Wish
At six years old, Vyla enjoys most of the same things as other girls her age: princesses, gymnastics, eating ice cream, and playing with her little brother. And though she may be vibrant and vivacious now, Vyla’s life used to look a lot different.
Two years ago, Vyla’s mom Kirsten took her to the doctor for what she thought was a routine UTI. Unfortunately, that one visit would throw their family’s life into a tailspin. Doctors discovered a Wilms tumor on her left kidney and, at just four years old, Vyla was diagnosed with cancer.
A Wish Come True
Also known as nephroblastomas, Wilms tumors most commonly affect children under the age of 5. While these growths often cause fever, abdominal pain, and swelling, doctors’ main concern with Vyla was high blood pressure.
The preschooler was put on blood thinners to get her blood pressure under control and underwent surgery to remove the tumor. In some cases, Wilms tumors can spread to the lungs, lymph nodes, or the other kidney. Thankfully, this one didn’t and the operation was a success!
Throughout her two-week hospital stay and subsequent recovery, Vyla had one repeated request.
“She kept asking to go to Disney,” Kirsten remembers. “Because of the cancer diagnosis, her immune system, and the treatments, we wanted to wait as long as we could. We would tell her, ‘As soon as your doctor clears you, we’ll go.’”
During this time, the family also received a packet of resources containing information about several organizations. “There were some other programs that had wishes in them, but we felt like Make-A-Wish was the program to go with.”
Finally, in February of 2023, Vyla was cleared for travel. Her wish would be granted!
All Hail Queen Vyla!
Once she was finished with treatment, Vyla had double the cause to celebrate: “For my birthday, I went to Disney at the same time as my Make-A-Wish!”
And what better way to mark such special occasions than a royal makeover?
Vyla visited the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and transformed into Aurora and Elena of Avalor before enjoying a magical visit to Disney. But don’t downplay her accomplishment by calling her a princess. Vyla is happy to inform anybody who asks, “Now I’m a queen!”
(She still has the crown, so you know it’s official!)
For five days, the family experienced the best Disney had to offer. They rode all the rides, met the princesses, ate delicious meals, and every night, they watched the fireworks from their balcony at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
One night, the resort even organized a boat trip to view the fireworks from the water. “That was just like pixie dust,” Kirsten says. “It was great.”
Bringing Families Together
The entire experience was so magical, Vyla had a hard time naming a favorite part from the trip. But for Kirsten, the choice was easy.
“Just having our family be stress-free—not in hospitals and worrying. Seeing both our daughter and son being kids, I think that was the best part of it. And then of course seeing her be a princess on her birthday, that was spectacular.”
During her hospitalization and treatment, Vyla and her illness were at the center of her family’s life. Going on her Make-A-Wish trip was a way to put “Queen Vyla” in the spotlight while also highlighting the ones who never stopped supporting her.
“Honestly, whenever someone is diagnosed with cancer, it’s all about them. It does affect the whole family,” Kirsten says. “Our trip allowed us to celebrate and bond again with a shared experience and just have normal family time. And we had the best time!”
You Can Make a Difference
Today, Vyla’s prognosis is good and her future looks bright. But even during her darkest hours, her wish gave her hope.
The vast majority of Wish Alumni report that their wish experience helped relieve traumatic stress related to their illness, and just knowing that their wish would be granted gave them the strength to fight another day.
For Vyla and other children like her, Make-A-Wish® Central and Northern Florida offers more than a fun vacation or unique experience. We help families cope with the stress of living with a critical illness and provide opportunities for these incredible children to experience what it’s like to simply be a kid.
If you’d like to join us in our mission to grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illness, connect with your local office today. We’d love to hear from you!