I wish to be a horse trainer
Sarah, 5, Kapolei
leukemia
Wish in Progress: Sarah's wish to be a horse trainer
Five-year-old wish kid Sarah from Kapolei is a spunky, free-spirited child who has loved horses since her first ride at just 2 years old. Her favorite show, Spirit, is about a horse of the same name that takes place on the frontier. Sarah has always dreamed of riding and taking care of horses herself, but her battle with leukemia has gotten in the way.
Before she turned 3, Sarah was rushed into emergency surgery to remove her appendix—a rare occurrence for a child her age. Doctors found cancer cells on her appendix, and within a week Sarah was in her first oncology appointment.
As an immunologist pursuing her PhD, wish mom Caitlin knew that issues with Sarah’s blood work would most likely point to leukemia. After her official diagnosis, Sarah endured kidney failure and other complications but, according to Caitlin, “bounced really fast” and remained strong.
When Make-A-Wish Hawaii first approached the family with the idea of a wish, they knew right away something horse-related would bring Sarah the most joy.
Said mom Caitlin, "She loves everything about horses, but since her diagnosis she hasn’t gotten a chance to spend a whole lot of time with them.”
Originally, Sarah’s wish was set to include a trip to Utah to explore the frontier, just like in her favorite show. With the pandemic, Caitlin and Sarah’s wish team brainstormed ways to bring Sarah’s wish to life right here in Hawaii, creating an exciting plan for her to visit various ranches locally and interact with horses.
The first part of Sarah's wish to be a horse trainer recently took place on the Windward Side of Oahu. Sarah and her 'ohana spent the day learning about, feeding, and riding horses. From start to finish, Sarah couldn't contain her excitement and didn't want the day to end.
Says Caitlin, “This idea to visit ranches here was fantastic, and she obviously loves it. Everyone seems to really care about making it something very special for her to remember."
Stay tuned for more on Sarah's journey!
