Rainbows bring the promise of sunnier times ahead, and little Lilia Wiebe will soon have a perfect place to keep one of her very own.

In the spring of 2019, then-two-year-old Lilia Wiebe had not been sleeping well in her home in Enderby, B.C., and she seemed to be feeling under the weather.

A few weeks later, in the month of May, not only was she still not feeling well, she didnsa国际传媒檛 even have the energy to walk anymore.

Eric and Kaitlyn Wiebesa国际传媒擫iliasa国际传媒檚 parentssa国际传媒攈ad already taken her to the doctor, but now they knew something was really not well with their daughter. A trip to the Shuswap Lake emergency room and blood test later, it was confirmed that this was no ordinary bug that Lilia was carrying in her young body.

Want to help grant wishes for children like Lilia? Join Black Press Media and BraveFace by .

She was given an emergency blood transfusion and was immediately airlifted to Vancouver, where further tests confirmed a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

sa国际传媒淲e were in hospital, then, for 10 straight days,sa国际传媒� recalled Eric Wiebe in a recent phone interview, as Lilia received her initial treatments that began her battle against the cancer.

The next two months were spent in Vancouver, with the Wiebes taking up residence at Ronald McDonald House, attached to B.C. Childrensa国际传媒檚 Hospital. Lilia received intravenous chemotherapy at B.C. Childrensa国际传媒檚 hospital once a week, and a daily dose of oral chemo and medication.

Treatments and a need to be in Vancouver continued for months. Eric had to continue his work in the construction industry back in Salmon Arm, and Kaitlyn had to give up the part time work she was doing, to be with Lilia on her treatment journey. Though they are now back in Enderby, there is still a lot of travel back to the coast for appointments and treatments every few months.

sa国际传媒淎long the way, when we couldnsa国际传媒檛 always be together, we had support from our community,sa国际传媒� said Eric. Friends and residents in Salmon Arm donated money to help cover lost wages, and sa国际传媒渟omeone even donated flight tickets to us, to allow me to fly to Vancouver to be at the hospital.sa国际传媒�

Lilia is still taking oral chemotherapy and medications in addition to the regular trips to Vancouver. Eric said that with only three more visits to Vancouver needed in the coming year, family is doing their best right now just to build as normal a life as possible for Lilia as she goes through her cancer battle.

And theysa国际传媒檙e also building something else, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Somewhere along the line of treatment appointments, Liliasa国际传媒檚 her doctors informed that she would qualify for a wish.

sa国际传媒淚t took a bit of explaining to Lilia that she was going to be able to wish for pretty much whatever she wanted,sa国际传媒� said Eric, but once she understood the concept, there was no stopping her.

sa国际传媒淲e must have walked through probably a dozen different ideas that she hadsa国际传媒�. From all the ideas that a three-year-old can have, a playhouse wish was born. Part of the Wiebesa国际传媒檚 basement is being transformed into Liliasa国际传媒檚 wish, but due to COVID-19 restrictions and the ability of workers to come and go freely the job is taking some time. Lilia doesnsa国际传媒檛 seem to mind the work in progress.

sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 really enthused with it; shesa国际传媒檚 ready,sa国际传媒� said Eric, who said she talks a lot about what shesa国际传媒檒l do in the playhouse once her wish is fully built.

Lilia plans to make it a home for her dolls and stuffed animals, complete with a bedroom setup for them, and her play kitchen. Also of note: she really hopes there will be a rainbow somewhere in her playhouse, a nice reminder, perhaps, that after a storm the sunshine always comes back eventually.

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 .

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