I wish to be the voice of a cartoon character
Georgia
cancer
Georgia's Wish Ignites Transformative Joy and Brings Her Family Closer
Ever since she was old enough to walk, Georgia has loved to run and play with her family and friends. But in the days leading up to her 10th birthday, she felt her energy fade as her body experienced painful symptoms. After undergoing a series of invasive tests, Georgia was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer.
In what felt like an instant, Georgia was ripped away from her bustling social life at school and forced to start an intense chemotherapy regimen that was followed by surgery. As she recovered, Georgia had to stay home at all times, causing her to feel lonely and afraid. “It was isolating and difficult,” she said. “It was really hard not to be able to go to school or see friends.”
Amidst a dark moment in time, Georgia’s hope was restored when she learned she would be granted a wish. While in isolation, Georgia and her siblings watched hours of their favorite TV series, Disney's “Gravity Falls.” She knew that her heartfelt wish was to be a character on the show – and to share the experience with her family.
Soon, Make-A-Wish® sent a limousine to pick up Georgia and her family and take them on a Hollywood adventure. “It was fantastic!” said Julie, Georgia’s mom. “After everything, it was the coolest thing ever to know that Georgia was going to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
After arriving in LA, the creator of “Gravity Falls” met the family and gave them a tour of the studio where the TV magic happens. Georgia glowed with excitement as she watched the animation process that brings her beloved characters to life. She even got to experiment with animating, create voices with her siblings in the sound booth and record a line of dialogue for the show.
The animators designed her character as “Girl with Bow,” to commemorate her love for hair bows. The resemblance between Georgia and her character is unmistakable. “I was like, ‘wait until my friends hear about this and see me on TV!’” Georgia said with a bright smile.
When the episode premiered, Georgia’s family hosted a viewing party in their backyard, inviting her classmates and community to celebrate with her. Georgia was amazed to see her animated self on-screen and her name in the end credits. “I felt like I was in a movie!” she said.
Georgia’s wish also brought her parents renewed hope after months of emotional trauma. Her dad, Todd, calls the wish trip “one of the greatest life experiences” the family has shared. “My favorite part of the wish was to see all my kids light up – it made me light up!” Todd said
Georgia is now a thriving, cancer-free high school senior. She is already thinking about college and her plans for the future. “She was a little girl when she went into this, and she came out as a young lady,” Todd said.
Together, Disney and Make-A-Wish have made more than 145,000 wishes come true over the course of their 42-year relationship, with every part of Disney — from its theme parks and shopping sprees, to sports-themed experiences, to the television and movie studios — helping grant these life-changing wishes.