I wish to go on a Disney Cruise!
Raini
6
cancer
Raini's Disney Cruise Wish
Raini is a spirited 6-year-old from the Florida Panhandle who brings big energy wherever she goes. Her parents describe her as outgoing and outspoken — the kind of kid who knows what she likes, says what she means and finds joy in the things that make her feel most like herself.
She loves baby dolls, princesses, cheerleading, playing outside and all things Disney. At school, she was in kindergarten, learning and growing alongside her classmates. At home, she was one of five siblings, surrounded by the busy, joyful rhythm of family life.
Long Drives and Big Courage
Raini first started complaining about leg pain in the fall of 2024. At first, her family wondered if it might be growing pains or soreness from travel. But the pain didn’t go away, and soon she began limping.
After X-rays and an MRI, doctors found a more serious issue in her hip. Raini was eventually diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a rare condition that required chemotherapy, a port and close monitoring.
For the first six weeks of treatment, Raini’s family traveled from Panama City to Pensacola every week—more than two hours each way. After that, they made the same trip every three weeks for chemotherapy, along with extra visits for imaging, MRIs and specialist appointments. There were ER visits for fevers, long stretches away from normal routines and nights when the Ronald McDonald House became their home base away from home.
The distance was hard, and so was missing her first year of school. Raini eventually had to step away from kindergarten, and because hospital homebound support took time to get started, she fell far enough behind that she would need to repeat the year.
Still, Raini met so much of it with courage. When nurses drew blood or accessed her port, they would ask what number she wanted them to count to. Raini’s answer was always simple: one.
“She took it like a champ,” her dad, Zachary shared.
Dolphin Kisses and Disney Smiles
By the time Raini’s wish came together, her family was ready for something they could look forward to together. After a year of treatment, travel and uncertainty, they wanted a chance to celebrate.
A Disney cruise brought together so many things Raini already loved. She has always been a water baby, and Disney had long been one of her favorite things. The cruise offered the characters, princesses, shows and wonder she loved, with the added joy of being out on the water with her whole family.
Before the ship even pulled away, Raini was already being celebrated. Her family was chosen as the first family to board and Raini had a special meeting with Cinderella and Prince Charming.
From there, the cruise unfolded into one joyful moment after another. Raini wore her wish kid button, and crew members and characters noticed it throughout the trip. They offered kind words, encouragement and little moments of recognition that made her feel seen in the best way.
In the Bahamas, Raini had one of her favorite experiences of the whole wish: meeting a dolphin. She got to pet it, receive a dolphin kiss on the cheek, and laugh as it splashed nearby. Long after the trip ended, the dolphins were still one of the first things she talked about.
There were Broadway-style shows, kids clubs, princess meet-and-greets and even a pirate night featuring fireworks and a Jack Sparrow-style concert on the ship. Raini met Tiana, Rapunzel, Belle, Aurora and more, collecting autographs and photos along the way.
One especially meaningful moment came when the wish families onboard were invited to a private experience with Captain Mickey and Captain Minnie. Away from the crowds, Raini got hugs, photos and time with two of Disney’s most beloved characters.
“She absolutely loved everything about it,” her mom, Paige, said. “Her face was priceless.”
A Whole New World
Before her wish, so much of Raini’s world had become smaller. Treatment pulled her out of school. Fevers meant hospital visits. Precautions limited where she could go and what she could do. Her dad described that season as one where her life revolved around medical needs, isolation, and being apart from the everyday rhythms of childhood.
The cruise helped her world open wide again.
Raini made friends on the ship. She saw characters she loved. She played, laughed, swam, explored and enjoyed being part of the world again without having to think about the reason she was there.
The wish also gave her family something joyful to share after a year that had pulled them in so many directions. Raini is one of five children, and the cruise gave each sibling something to enjoy. After months of appointments, travel and stress, the whole family got to be together for something fun.
“She definitely looked forward to it,” Paige said. “And even now, they all still talk about it.”
More than anything, the wish gave Raini motivation and hope at a time when she needed both.
“Going on the cruise gave her so much motivation and positivity, and just a whole new outlook on life, really. Her life changed for sure.”
Help More Wish Kids Feel This Joy
Raini’s wish was a life-changing experience for a child with a critical illness—one that helped her reconnect with joy, family, friendship and the wider world.
Across Central and Northern Florida, wish kids like Raini are waiting for moments that remind them they are more than their diagnosis. With the support of donors, volunteers and local communities, Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida® can keep creating wishes that bring strength, hope and transformation when families need it most.
Donate today to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses across Central and Northern Florida.