There was no time to think, they had to act fast so Tess could get the treatment she needed. She was admitted the same night that she was diagnosed and she was in the hospital for two weeks. Tess has had an amazing support group, which included her three older siblings and her parents. She had chemotherapy for ten months and had countless hospital visits and blood transfusions. It was a tough time because she had several severe reactions to treatment which led her to get admitted to the ICU three times. She went into remission after her second phase of chemotherapy. She is currently in her final treatment for maintenance but is projected to be done in February 2025!

At her infusion clinic, a social worker talked to them about Make-A-Wish. Tess already knew about the organization because of the kids she had met during treatment. When Make-A-Wish reached out, she was thinking of possibly meeting an artist, but she decided she wanted to go on a trip with her family and most importantly she wanted to swim with Dolphins. Make-A-Wish partnered with the USC Make-A-Wish Club to create a special wish reveal. They hosted Tess on campus, gave her a school tour, and then announced that she was going to Hawaii! At her wish reveal she met Sean, a former Wish kid, and saw how his journey led him to USC. 

During her trip to Hawaii, she had the chance to relax away from the hospital and her treatments. Her siblings were able to join and the entire family got to be together for this unforgettable experience. A highlight of the wish was that Tess checked off a bucket list item, to swim with dolphins! She was able to explore the island and spent her time swimming at the beach. Most importantly she had quality time with her whole family and created core memories. Tess is a resilient, motivated kid who works hard to make her dreams come true. She is now looking into the future and hopes to be a USC Trojan one day.