It has been more than four years since doctors found a mass in my daughter Mailynn’s cheek and ear area, diagnosing her with sarcoma, a rare cancer, causing a soft tissue tumor.

It was devastating and changed our lives in an instant.

Mailynn, who was six years old at the time, spent four weeks in the hospital following that first visit and faced a lengthy battle that included numerous doctor visits and treatments that meant she would lose her hair. This was another low blow for Mailynn.

Then Make-A-Wish Michigan came into our lives.

I remember Mailynn getting the brochure, and I remember the awe on her face when she saw an image of a boy swimming with a dolphin, and the wonder in her voice when she asked, “We can do that?”

Make-A-Wish gave her something to focus her attention on, other than her treatments and health.

At the time, we were moving into a new house, and Mailynn wanted a room of her dreams, including picking out stuff we couldn’t have given her. We had her big birthday party in December, and at the same time had the big reveal about her room. She was ecstatic.

- Wish Mom Tatiana