Kids Wish Network Sends Woodridge Girl and her Family to Florida on a Wish Trip
WOODRIDGE, Ill. - In 2009, Natasha started experiencing body aches and she just kept catching colds. At one point, she even lost hearing in one ear, so she was taken to the emergency room. There, Natasha was placed on antibiotics and didn't show any signs of getting better, so her doctors opted to try testing for other issues and did a spinal tap. After that, Natasha was diagnosed with having lupus, an inflammatory condition in which the immune system attacks the body's organs and tissues. For this condition, she takes medicines and visits the hospital for IV treatments two to three times a month.
During yet another visit to the hospital, Natasha's mother, Patience, saw a brochure for Kids Wish Network, a national children's charity dedicated to granting the wishes of children who have life-threatening illnesses. She felt her daughter might qualify for having a wish granted, so she sent in Natasha's information and it wasn't long before she received a call telling her that Natasha was approved for a wish.
When asked what she wanted to wish for, Natasha replied that she wanted only to enjoy a family getaway to Orlando, Fla. to enjoy some of the fantastic theme parks there.
“The whole experience was wonderful,” said Patience. “We loved it and enjoyed it.”
While in Orlando, Natasha and her family were treated like royalty with accommodations at the luxurious Royal Plaza Hotel in Downtown Disney, dinner reservations every evening and, of course, tickets to whatever theme parks that Natasha wanted to visit.
According to Patience, “The dinners were wonderful and the hotel was wonderful…everything was wonderful! It was a wonderful experience and something that I would never have been able to do on my own.”
The parks that Natasha visited were Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center, where she rode all sorts of rides and just had a real blast.
“Natasha had fun,” said Patience. “We all did. She really enjoyed the rides and thought it was the greatest thing in the whole world…It [the wish trip] is a wish-come-true for my children. I think it is the most wonderful and beautiful thing ever.”
Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Natasha's wish extra special: Compassion Partners, Royal Plaza Hotel, Pirates Dinner Theater, Chili's Bar & Grill, T.G.I. Friday's, Longhorn Steakhouse, Oriental-Décor.com and Wonderworks.
Kids Wish Network is a national charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children having experienced life-altering situations. Kids Wish Network assists children and their families through several key programs. Every child deserves a chance at happiness; a wish is just a way of bringing them that joy. If you would like to sponsor a child's wish or if you know a child who is suffering from a life-threatening illness and may be in need of Kids Wish Network's wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org