Charlotte likes to surround herself with all things pink. Shesa国际传媒檚 smiling when shesa国际传媒檚 eating waffles for breakfast or popcorn and gummies as a snack. She enjoys singing along to her favourite movies or gleefully dancing.

Charlottesa国际传媒檚 chronic lung disease required several hospital stays and a dozen surgeries. Her older brothers, twins Kayden and Kaleb, were constantly worried for their little sister and wanted to know when shesa国际传媒檇 be coming home.

sa国际传媒淐harlottesa国际传媒檚 medical journey has been quite something for our family, and for herself,sa国际传媒� said Charlottesa国际传媒檚 mom, Alicia. Part of Charlottesa国际传媒檚 treatment regimen includes 40-minute breathing exercises once a day and taking medication to keep her airways open and strong. sa国际传媒淗aving a sick kid, you sometimes lose sight in life and become so consumed,sa国际传媒� she added. sa国际传媒淵ou have so many tears of worry and stress.sa国际传媒�

Charlottesa国际传媒檚 special wish was to visit her favourite theme park in Florida five years ago, when she was three-years-old. The family stayed at Give Kids the World Village, a non-profit resort. Alicia said the whole family packed their bags and left behind their routine of doctorsa国际传媒檚 visits and stress. The week-long trip was their first family holiday away from home.

sa国际传媒淲hen we were in Florida, I didnsa国际传媒檛 see Charlotte as a sick kid,sa国际传媒� Alicia said. During the trip Alicia was constantly overcome with tears of happiness and joy which she hadnsa国际传媒檛 experienced in years. sa国际传媒淚t was remarkable and unimaginable; I had feelings I havensa国际传媒檛 felt before of what it was to feel like a normal family.sa国际传媒�

At the resort, Charlotte and her brothers started every morning with waffles and sprinkles and were treated like sa国际传媒渞oyalty.sa国际传媒� Charlotte also surprised her parents when she rode a therapeutic horse. Her mom joked that Charlotte was always terrified of cats, dogs and butterflies, but she rode the same horse three times and wouldnsa国际传媒檛 get off!

Once home, Charlotte returned to treatment for her chronic lung condition. Even five years later, Charlotte still talks about her wish experience that brought so much light into her life.

sa国际传媒淢agic truly does exist and Isa国际传媒檓 so glad we got to experience it as a family,sa国际传媒� Alicia said.

Your support helped grant nearly 1,000 life-changing wishes last year, but our need remains great. A child is diagnosed with a critical illness every 20 minutes. With three new children facing critical illnesses each and every hour, the need for is continuous.