Make-A-Wish Minnesota helps 7-year-old girl's dream of seeing the ocean come true
MINNEAPOLIS -- Thanks in part to pandemic travel shutdowns, there are more than 100 Minnesota kids waiting for their dream trip through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Reg Chapman introduces us to a girl whose recent wish trip shows how powerful a granted wish can be.
As she celebrates her 7th birthday, Olivia Beekman still talks about last year's birthday party, where she got to see an armadillo.
But the ocean was the main attraction — even her birthday cupcakes reflected her love of the open water.
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"They has pictures of the ocean and they looked exactly like sand," Olivia said.
It was the ocean, sounds and sights of it, that helped Olivia during her more than 18 month stay at Masonic Children's Hospital.
"Olivia would listen to the ocean waves on her sound machine and we found out that not just the ocean waves on her sound machine, but also video of marine life. But ocean documentaries really calmed her during treatment," Olivia's Mom, Grace Beekman said.
It was during this party Olivia learned her wish to see the ocean would be granted, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"Watching her greet this old friend that it had become it was really magical," Grace said.
Pictures don't do justice to the time this family had in San Diego, with a room right on the ocean.
"We were the Minnesotans swimming in the 50,60 degree weather outside," Olivia's Dad, Darrin Beekman said.
For Olivia, who spent most of 2019 and 2020 fighting neuroblastoma, seeing the ocean was a dream come true.
"I really liked that — seeing the ocean. I just never seen it before and I know a lot about the ocean. But only 5% is explored, so I just wanted to see the ocean for myself. I love it and its like a good friend to me."
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Olivia's parents are thankful for what Make-A-Wish has done to shine some light during some very dark days.
"Make-A-Wish came alongside us during that time and acknowledged, we see you, we see what you are experiencing, and we think you still deserve to savor life in the midst of this pain," Grace said.
Now cancer free for three years, Olivia is ready for new adventures.
Next, Olivia says she wants to take snowboarding lessons.
You can help kids like Connor get much-needed breaks and hope by donating unused airline miles. Donated miles never expire for Make-A-Wish, and they help keep costs down to get more kids their wishes.
Learn more about how you can help by heading to wcco.com/makeawish.
