Make-A-Wish Sends Family to Disneyland

A five-year-old girl battling leukemia for the last two years will be heading to Disneyland later this week, thanks to a collaboration between the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and local blood donation center Vitalant.  Hundreds of blood donors ended up donating to the cause, raising more than $9,600 for the trip.

"We knew there was a large segment of our donors who'd take the challenge to do something more," said Scott Edward of Vitalant.  "So the points they'd get for shirts or movies, they would give back during our double giveback challenge back in April."

Maya and her family will spend a week at Disneyland.

"The kids have heard about Disneyland but  they've never been," said Scott Morrison, Maya's father.  "So this is exciting for all of us to go as a family.  We've spent a lot of time connecting and traveling this year, something we love to do so going to Disneyland is a real blessing."

Maya was diagnosed with leukemia when she was just three years old.  She's five and a half now and the prognosis is good.

"We are blessed to have a great prognosis," said Sara Morrison, Maya's mother.  "She has a 90 percent to 95 percent chance of being cured by 5 years out of treatment, so by the time she's 11 she'll be cured if she hasn't relapsed."

They're leaving on Wednesday.

"It's going to be a wonderful experience for the family; a great way for them to start fresh after going through such an ordeal," said Justine Palacios of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  "A way to get back to being normal again and celebrate the fact this chapter has ended and a new one is about to begin."

The Morrisons say the support they've seen through all of this has been a big help.

"It's really not a surprise though, that we've had this support form the community," Scott said.  "Every time we turn around there's this wider community that continues to offer more and more support and makes us want to become part of that and support others, so it's been a beautiful thing."

The local chapter of Make-A-Wish grants wishes about every ten days - all funded by donations, and those donations stay here to make wishes for local kids come true.