Nearly 10 months to the day that it closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Give Kids The World Village reopened its whimsical gates to wish families on January 17, 2021. The day represented a joyful homecoming for the families as well as GKTW staff and volunteers. “We are elated to be able to get (click for more)
I was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Wilm’s tumor when I was two. In 2001, my family and I stayed at Give Kids the World as part of my wish trip after a year of battling cancer. Although I was extremely young when my wish took place, I grew up with an amazing photo album that captured my memories and experiences! My wish trip gave my family a sense of normalcy and much needed time to breathe after a year of such extreme stress. (click for more)
At the beginning of 2001, we were a happy, go-lucky family but by July of that same year our lives as we knew them came to a halt. At three-years-old I was diagnosed with stage three Wilms’ Tumor that had metastasized to other lymph nodes in surrounding areas. I underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments. These treatments debilitated me from being able to walk, eat and be a normal kid. All hope was taken away from my family the day I entered the hospital’s hospice program. The doctors told my family that I had a few months left to live, and I was eligible for a “wish” from my local wish granting organization. This was a scary month for both my family and the country, as it was during the same time as 9/11. Little did I know how my cancer and this trip would change the course of my life. (click for more)
Our stay at Give Kids The World was meaningful for so many reasons, but our favorite moment was getting to visit the Castle of Miracles and see Jack’s star among the thousands of others on the walls and ceilings there. Jack’s condition can be life-threatening, and I don’t like to think about that. However, when I stood in the castle and thought about all of those wish kids, some of whom are no longer with us, and some whom are now healthy and thriving, I felt honored and so touched to see Jack there and become part of that legacy. I hope he will understand that one day. (click for more)
Two years ago, my daughter Abby was a normal 13-year-old. One who loved to ride her bike, play ping pong, draw and sing. Now instead of doing the things she loved doing, she battles Dysautonomia, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Abby handles it with grace and strength every day, but the hardest (click for more)
