The Lasting Impact of a Wish
At the age of two, Natalie was diagnosed with leukemia. She spent her second birthday in the hospital starting chemotherapy. Over the course of her treatment, she spent three months in the hospital, received twelve blood transfusions and even lost her ability to walk. Natalie and her family were struggling to see the light at the tunnel. But then, one of Natalie’s doctors referred her to Make-A-Wish.
“Cancer takes a big toll on your body, but also your heart. Make-A-Wish was a huge part of the recovery for my heart. Even though my doctors and nurses helped heal my body, Make-A-Wish helped heal my heart,” Natalie said.
After about two and a half years of treatment, Natalie was declared cancer-free. Because Natalie was still so young, her parents decided to postpone her wish until she was a little bit older so she would remember it. On the week of her fifth birthday, Natalie’s wish to go “to go where the princesses live” was granted, and her family took a trip to Disney World.
Natalie’s wish to go to Disney World gave her hope and strength on some of her hardest days of treatment. When treatment and recovery felt impossible, she looked forward to meeting the princesses and exploring the magic of Disney World.
“My wish was helping me through my recovery. I remember the lead-up to my wish being a time of joy and recovery for my family. We got to spend a lot of time together, and then go on a big vacation. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday—at Disney this time—and not a hospital room,” Natalie said.
Natalie’s wish had a lasting impact. She continues to volunteer and help Make-A-Wish. Natalie actively participates in art parties, attends events like Wish Night and Wranglers & Wishes, and she recently spoke at the TCU chapter of Chi Omega’s yearly auction to raise money for Make-A-Wish.
In 2022, Natalie and her friend and fellow wish alumna Jordan created an incredible piece of art for Wish Night. Jordan and Natalie initially bonded as they went through leukemia treatment together and have remained close friends. They have both been involved with Make-A-Wish for many years, and they were excited to work together to give back. After sorting through ideas, they decided to make something that represented their friendship, so they painted two girls, holding hands with the Make-A-Wish star above their heads, surrounded by trees, with the moon on one side, and the sun on the other. The painting was sold in the Wish Night Dallas auction for $10,000, and the buyer generously donated the piece back to Make-A-Wish. It now hangs in the Make-A-Wish North Texas headquarters in Addison.
“It has always been a dream of mine that one of my art pieces could be hung at the Wishing Place, and Jordan has always hoped for the same thing. The fact that our painting, which represents everything that Make-A-Wish is—hope, love, friendship, joy—hangs in a place where we found so much of those emotions, will forever be one of my proudest achievements,” Natalie said.
Make-A-Wish is incredibly grateful for wish kids like Natalie that stay involved with Make-A-Wish after their wishes are granted. If you are a wish alum and want to get more involved, please email [email protected].