I wish to swim with the dolphins
Beatriz
15
cancer of the optic nerve
Beatriz Takes A Dip With The Dolphins
When Beatriz was just eleven years old, she had her first seizure. "About three years ago, she was not feeling good at school," her dad Antonio says. "She had fallen asleep in the nurse’s office. Then when we were walking up our stairs, she had a seizure.” Beatriz’s family rushed her to the hospital where doctors discovered she had a tumor of the optic nerve. “She had emergency surgery that same day," Antonio continues.
After receiving her diagnosis and entering a treatment protocol, Beatriz’s world complete changed. “It's been rough because a lot of the things that I used to love I can't do anymore,” she says. "I used to like going on my gymnastics bar at home, doing flips and stuff. I can't do that anymore because it can cause me to have a seizure."
When Make-A-Wish came into Beatriz’s life, there was no doubt what her wish would be. "I wished to swim with dolphins because when we went see our cousins and my grandma in Tampa, we went to SeaWorld. Ever since then, it was always in the back of my mind, I want to go swim with the dolphins. So, when my mom goes, “anything you want,” I was like, I want to take this chance to go swim with the dolphins.”
Thanks to the support of our friends at Bristol Myers Squibb, Beatriz’s wish came true. Under the guise of an ID photoshoot, Beatriz and her family arrived at the BMS facility where a surprise sendoff party awaited her. The family was greeted by a cheering crowd full of BMS leadership, including Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs Michelle Weese, and other employees to wish her safe travels on her trip to Key Largo. "It's a really warm feeling to know that people out there care and they help other people out,” her dad says. “I really appreciate them." BMS not only had gifts for Beatriz, but also for her siblings.
The very next day, the family headed down to Key Largo to swim with the dolphins. "The wish was absolutely amazing,” Beatriz’s mom Jessica says. “Just by being in the resort, we didn't have to do anything else. When they met the dolphins, they were astounded just to see such a beautiful mammal right in front of them. It was amazing.”
“I couldn't have asked for anything better,” Jessica continues. “Just watching my kids have a great time was enough for me. She has told everyone about what Make-A-Wish has done for her and about her whole experience. She shows her Make-A-Wish shirt to everyone, and she tells everyone about Make-A-Wish. It's amazing to know that there are so many people out there that give so much for their children to be able to get their wishes granted, in the rough world that we're living in. It gives you a little hope for our kids future."