Charlotte's Story

Wish Kid Charlotte meeting a unicorn

Charlotte, 5
blood disorder
I wish to meet a unicorn

Charlotte's Enchanted Wish Restores Her Strength to Fight

Charlotte’s blood disorder put her in and out of the hospital so often that she missed out on much of the joy of childhood. But for a while, her resilience and whimsy shined through even the longest hospital stays and most difficult transfusions. She loved playing dress-up, styling her long blonde hair and imagining a world with unicorns.

Then, her treatment regimen became too much for Charlotte to endure. She was heartbroken when her parents broke the news that this next phase would cause her to lose her beloved hair.

“After Charlotte had her bone marrow transplant, she felt so bad that she didn’t even care about losing her hair anymore,” said Alan, Charlotte’s dad. “She was so miserable … we watched our happy-go- lucky child become replaced by someone who was always depressed.”

Charlotte’s mom, Estela, feared that Charlotte was losing her strength to fight her illness. “She lost her spirit,” she said. “She lost everything that made her who she was. She stopped getting out of bed, she stopped eating … everything hurt … I lost my baby.”

After so much suffering, Charlotte desperately needed something to renew her motivation to persevere. When Make-A-Wish® came into her life, her parents finally got a glimpse of the vibrant child they had missed so much. “She was unbelievably excited,” Alan said. “Knowing that she would get to see a unicorn in real life was a big deal for her.”

The day Charlotte’s wish came true, she had a reason to fight through the pain and get out of bed. Instead of focusing on what hurt, she beamed with joy as she dressed in a fancy white dress and went outside to find a ride waiting to transport her to the “enchanted woods.” She squealed with excitement the moment Bam Bam the unicorn emerged from the trees, decked out in glitter.

“I was in tears [seeing her] so happy that her wish came true,” Estela said. “It was overwhelming. She was jumping and smiling. It was beautiful.”

Because of the generous support of donors like you, Charlotte’s wish ignited a joy so powerful that it helped heal her spirit. Today, Charlotte continues to use her wish experiences as a coping mechanism that reminds her to keep fighting and believing in brighter days ahead.

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