ST. LOUIS — Yesterday Dana introduced us to Preston, a recipient from Make A Wish. Their annual signature fundraiser Walk for Wishes is coming up on April 10th. Walk for Wishes is a community wide fundraising effort and it raises money to grant wishes for children facing critical illnesses. Today, Courtney introduces us to another special Make A Wish kid, Victoria, who at 14 already knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it.
COVID has forced a lot of kids to work on school remotely this year and it has been tough. It has been especially tough for kids like Victoria who has a brain tumor. She shared that she doesn’t really leave the house right now out of caution to keep herself healthy. Victoria found out about her brain tumor when she was just 5 years old and while she remembers getting the news, she can’t really remember life before her diagnosis.
Victoria says she doesn’t like to talk about her diagnosis too much because it prompts a lot of questions from her friends. She still goes into the hospital several times a year and spent half of her summer break in 2018 getting surgeries. In the middle of everything, she got curious about the medical equipment being used on her and she started collecting some of it. Victoria knows she wants to be a doctor someday and help people just like her.
Victoria wished for a whole set-up to get her school ready. Make A Wish was able to provide her with a Mac laptop, software, and a separate monitor. She explains that she has always wanted a computer as school is a big priority for her and now, she doesn’t have to hand write all her papers. Victoria loves to write and research. Getting her wish has helped Victoria to focus on things she cares about. She can also use her computer to relax and keep in touch with her friends.
This year’s Walk for Wishes is on April 10th as a virtual event. You can register and walk wherever you are. You can create your own team or join Dana or Courtney’s team! Courtney and Dana each have a goal to raise $1,000 to help Make A Wish kids. If you would like to join Courtney’s team and donate, information can be found on www.walkwithKSDK.com, find the St. Louis event, and search for Courtney Budelman under team names.
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