I wish to go to California to see Sequoia Trees
Jonah
6
Burkitt's lymphoma
Jonah Heads To California To See The Sequoia Trees
Jonah was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma when he was just five years old, after receiving surgery for an enlarged lymph node on his neck.
“We were shocked and devastated as we tried to navigate what the next steps would be,” his mom Becky says. While Jonah’s prognosis was good since the cancer was detected early, the young boy would still need to undergo a grueling treatment process. “The three months he had to endure weekly chemo, hair loss, a rare infection, an extended hospital stay, and 15 doses of medication at home a day were traumatic for our whole family,” Becky continues. “Even now that he is considered cured, we are still dealing with the psychological and behavioral impacts that Jonah struggles with and how they impact his eight-year-old brother and twin sister.”
Jonah’s cancer diagnosis and treatment took away many aspects of a normal childhood for the young boy. One of those aspects was enjoying time playing and hiking in the great outdoors. “He has always particularly loved trees,” Becky says. “I had told him from a young age that someday we would go see the really big trees in California.” When Make-A-Wish entered Jonah’s life, he knew just what to wish for - to see those big sequoia trees in California.
With Jonah’s wish, his family found themselves in the center of Sequoia National Park, basking in the resilience of trees that had been around for thousands of years. A resilience not unlike that of their brave six-year-old. “It was so heartwarming to see him doing what he loves again after so many months of being sick and having to get his strength back,” Becky says. “We had an amazing time hiking, going inside the trees, horseback riding, and even seeing a bear! Jonah was delighted and was so proud to become a Junior Ranger at the park. He kept telling everyone with a big smile that he was the reason we got to go on this trip!”
“Jonah's wish absolutely made a life-changing difference to our family,” Becky continues. “It has given us a new focal point for this painful year and provided an opportunity for us to begin healing and reconnecting as a family. Though we are still navigating his emotional healing from his ordeal, the memories we made on the trip serve as a reminder that we can have great experiences as a family even when things are tough."
The kindness of strangers can change everything.
Becky
Jonah's mom
