This month, Black Press Media has teamed up with and BraveFace to help grant wishes, . Heresa国际传媒檚 one wish that was granted through the Make-A-Wish B.C. and Yukon chaptersa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚 wish to go see the turtlessa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� August 2019

In the summer of 2019, four-year-old Rose had a longtime wish come true and she got to share it with her twin sister.

She and her twin sister Nina are alike in so many ways, save a small birthmark on Rosesa国际传媒檚 chin and Nina being a little bit taller. By their parentsa国际传媒檚 accounts, theysa国际传媒檙e both quite shy. Both kids love to dance, both love to ski and both love to ride bikes. They are sa国际传媒渆qually persistent and feisty,sa国际传媒� as their mother, Ginny, suggests.

But there is one major difference between them: Rose has had to endure a battle with leukemia. Her sister, Nina, is her constant supporter and was by her side every day as Rose faced her critical illness.

sa国际传媒淩ose caught a cough that Nina didnsa国际传媒檛 have,sa国际传媒� said Ginny, noting that it was unusual for one twin to catch something that the other did not. sa国际传媒淩ose started sleeping more, and she was pale.sa国际传媒�

That was all the evidence Rosesa国际传媒檚 parents needed to go see a doctor and sadly, she was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 22 months old.

sa国际传媒淚t was terrifying,sa国际传媒� said Ginny. Rosesa国际传媒檚 dad, Jeremy, said that Rose had to be airlifted from their hometown to Vancouver, where there was an initial 10-day stay in BC Childrensa国际传媒檚 Hospital followed by a further six months of treatments.

sa国际传媒淎s a parent,sa国际传媒� said Ginny, sa国际传媒淵ousa国际传媒檙e just coping, making sure the [kids] donsa国际传媒檛 get upset or alarmed by whatsa国际传媒檚 happening through it all.sa国际传媒�

Jeremy said the whole family is still dealing with the trauma of it all. Rosesa国际传媒檚 twin was also affected by the experience; with so much focus on Rose for so long, it was, at times hard on Nina, who her parents felt took on a lot of the stress for her sister.

sa国际传媒淣ina is more sensitive than Rose,sa国际传媒� according to Ginny and Jeremy said.

At the end of all the treatments and hospital stays, and time away from home, there came a period of recovery. Then finally, Rose was truly ready and able to have her wish granted by Make-A-Wish.

sa国际传媒淩ose seems to light up around animals,sa国际传媒� said Ginny. Jeremy says theysa国际传媒檝e watched Finding Nemo dozens of times. sa国际传媒淲e all watch Blue Planet as a family,sa国际传媒� Ginny also noted, adding that when they lived in Vancouver for treatments, the family made regular trips to the Vancouver Aquarium. Rose seemed particularly interested in the shark tank, where one of the aquariumsa国际传媒檚 most famous long-time residents also lives: a sea turtle named Schoona. Eventually, Rose made a wish to release baby sea turtles.

The family travelled to Florida and the Gumbo Limbo Nature Centre to make Rosesa国际传媒檚 wish come true. While they were there, it wasnsa国际传媒檛 only baby turtles that were hatched. Ginny and Jeremy watched their own daughters come out of their shells a bit, too.

sa国际传媒淲here normally they are so shy, they sat right upfront during the education sessions at Gumbo Limbo,sa国际传媒� explained Ginny. sa国际传媒淭hey answered questions and were so engaged. It was special to see that.sa国际传媒�

Rose got to take part in a public sea turtle release as well as a special, private release with her sister and parents on a warm Florida night. There, on the beach, the family watched as tiny sea turtles scooted their way across the sand. The experience brought a new life in the ocean for the turtles and granted a wish for Rose.

Jeremy and Ginny feel as though through the trip theysa国际传媒檙e able to close a chapter on the whole experience with cancer.

They say that a lot of Rosesa国际传媒檚 sentences start with sa国际传媒渋n Floridasa国际传媒�sa国际传媒� as she looks back on her wish experience of releasing baby sea turtles. Itsa国际传媒檚 a happier moment for the family to remember than any time spent at the hospital.

Critically ill kids put on a Brave Face every day. Now you can, too, in support of Make-A-Wish.

Black Press Media and have come together to support children facing life-threatening conditions, and we invite you to join us in helping childrensa国际传媒檚 wishes come true. !

By purchasing a pack of three masks designed and manufactured right here in British Columbia for children, youth and adults, yousa国际传媒檒l be supporting the .