Iris is a bubbly, outgoing eight-year-old girl from Kauai who shines when she's experiencing the joy of dancing. Seeing her twirl around her new studio and enthusiastically run from one nook to another, you would never know that three years ago, Iris couldn’t walk.

Diagnosed with a digestive disorder at the age of 2, Iris has struggled with her health since she was born. Her parents enrolled her in ballet class when she was 3 years old to work on physical therapy. “It has been so good for her. It has completely changed everything of who she is,” says Stacey, Iris’ mom.

But it hasn’t been easy. Iris got so sick when she was 5 years old that she lost her ability to walk for more than 6 months. She went through extensive physical therapy, and Stacey says she is now stable, although every day is different, and she still struggles.

Her doctor referred Iris to Make-A-Wish Hawaii, and initially she wished to go to Walt Disney World^®. Two days before her flight was scheduled to leave, the pandemic brought travel to a hault.  Looking at what would bring her the most joy at home on Kauai, Iris reimaged her wish: she wanted a dance studio so she could pursue her passion and make TikTok videos!

Thanks to the generous support of H.T. Hayashi Foundation, and labor and materials donated from Unlimited Construction, Iris’ wish was granted.

“Make-A-Wish really helps spread the message of joy, compassion and love, and we feel like, especially in hard times, it’s extra important to make sure that those values are spread throughout the community,” says Jan Harada of H.T. Hayashi Foundation. “When you can bring some joy and inspiration to people who are struggling—kids—we feel it actually helps them heal, it helps them recover, and it helps their families, too.”

Knowing her wish was going to come true gave Iris strength. “In between doctor appointments, needle injections, blood draws, tube changes and bathroom breaks, knowing this space was being created for her has been something she’s been looking forward to,” Stacey says.

“I waited kind of a long time, and it was worth the wait. It’s so big and nice and clean—and I’m going to keep it clean,” Iris says.

After seeing her dance studio for the first time, Iris had one message for everyone who worked to make her wish come true: “Thank you so much. You’re going to change my life.”