I wish to visit LEGOLAND
Pawel
14
leukemia
Pawel's Wish Builds Hope
During the midst of COVID-19, life was far from normal. School was online, jobs were remote, and strict social distancing was in place. So, when Pawel began to take more naps, eat less, and was not as active as usual, his parents assumed they were simply seeing the effects of the raging pandemic. After a routine trip to their family doctor, test results confirmed something completely unexpected: Pawel had leukemia.
The next year would be the hardest of Pawel’s journey. He began rounds of tough chemotherapy at Loyola University’s Medical Center before needing additional treatment at Lurie’s Children Hospital. Here, doctors gave him a new treatment plan, and they began to plan a bone marrow transplant. Pawel endured one more extreme round of chemo before the harsh surgery. To his family’s relief, Pawel’s transplant went smoothly. Doctors' appointments became less and less, and soon Pawel began to feel like himself again. Still, the effects of his illness were lasting.
After being connected with Make-A-Wish Illinois, Pawel, alongside his mother, father, and younger brother, took a dream trip out to California. The highlight was visiting LEGOLAND, where Make-A-Wish arranged for a master build experience for Pawel. While there had the chance to build his own LEGO minifigure and leave it in a display of his choice, the White House, in LEGOLAND.
Pawel has always loved to build with his Legos, so this personalized experience had a tremendous impact on his recovery.
The family also visited SeaWorld and enjoyed a behind the scenes VIP tour of the San Diego Zoo. His father explains, “It was amazing for all of us to go together on this trip after everything we went through. It was like a reward. We had unforgettable moments and memories that will last forever.”