There are an immense amount of ways I could tell you how writing this statement makes me feel. An accumulation of difficult memories resurface alongside many joy-filled recollections of phone calls, announcements, and celebrations all in relation to my niece's recent victory over Leukemia.
I could infinitely ramble on about how incredibly impressed I was with this child when she was diagnosed only weeks after celebrating her 3rd birthday and the entire two years she went along from treatment to treatment, never losing her silly spirit or the naturally spicy flare she has to her personality. Truly, her story; our story, begins and continues to be centered around a toddler who carried her family, all the adults, in strength all while being the only one who was in the midst of physical suffering.
Stating Iuli's inspiration to me and many others seems obvious, but it is a declaration that cannot be skipped over-- witnessing her battle and triumph over cancer has been earth-shattering and life-changing and all of the other wonderful, hard-core adjectives combined. I'm positive many others who have walked alongside a child with a critical illness would attest to a similar testimony.
Make-A-Wish is a well known organization who provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience to the children who, like Iuli, deserve it most.
