Ten-year-old Annie Corrigall has been through a lot in her first decade.

At three years old, the Courtenay youngster was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. One year later, she was diagnosed with CrohnB次元官网网址檚 disease. At six, she was diagnosed with epilepsy.

B次元官网网址淎nd then just this summer, she was diagnosed with celiac disease,B次元官网网址� said her mom, Danielle. B次元官网网址淎 lot of the challenges are just the cost of everything.B次元官网网址�

ThatB次元官网网址檚 where Help Fill A Dream Foundation originally stepped in.

B次元官网网址淢y husband (Dave) had lost his job. We didnB次元官网网址檛 have any healthcare, and PharmaCare is quite useless, in my opinion, so we had to pay for a lot of her treatments out of pocket. So they (Help Fill A Dream) helped pay for the Dexcom, which is a continuous glucose monitoring systemB次元官网网址� to run those (cost) around $400 a month. So that was the biggest thing, but mostly the medical bills that we were having a hard time with.B次元官网网址�

The Help Fill A Dream Foundation is well known for its philanthropic ways of making dreams come true for sick children, it also has a financial assistance program, to help families with the day-to-day costs of dealing with sick children.

According to the website, the intent of the program is to help reduce the financial stress that families experience from the costs and challenges associated with their childB次元官网网址檚 condition.

B次元官网网址淗elp Fill A Dream was first introduced to Annie when we received an application in June 2016 to assist the family with the expense of diabetic supplies,B次元官网网址� said program manager Janine Boomer. B次元官网网址淲e have continued to give diabetic support to Annie when necessary.

B次元官网网址淗elp Fill A Dream operates quietly in the background as a resource for families at a time of great need. When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening/critical condition a familyB次元官网网址檚 focus becomes their child, their medical appointments and treatment. And when the time is right a family can apply for a dream.B次元官网网址�

That time has arrived for Annie.

On Wednesday, Nov. 30, Annie and her family were presented with AnnieB次元官网网址檚 dream of a trip to Disney World. She also received $300 in spending money from Help Fill A DreamB次元官网网址檚 Comox Valley volunteer team.

The reveal party took place at the Help Fill A DreamB次元官网网址檚 Comox Valley corporate sponsor, Georgia Straight Collision.

B次元官网网址淪he had originally picked a guide dog, but she was too young at the time, so she picked Disney World.B次元官网网址�

Annie is in Grade 5 at Courtenay Elementary, but due to being immunocompromised, she does miss a lot of school.

B次元官网网址淛ust the stress of her being sick - she has been tube-fed before (due to) the CrohnB次元官网网址檚 disease, so that comes with extra cost and stressB次元官网网址� for us it is an everyday thing, so you have to just take one day at a time and go with the flow.B次元官网网址�

The Corrigalls have been reciprocating Help Fill A DreamB次元官网网址檚 generosity by helping spread the organizationB次元官网网址檚 message.

B次元官网网址淲e have done drawing boards or storyboards for their Golf For Kids; theyB次元官网网址檝e asked us to do video of AnnieB次元官网网址檚 story for galas and things like that. And then she was nominated to get her dream filled two years ago, before COVID.

B次元官网网址淲e appreciate our families, like AnnieB次元官网网址檚, allowing us to share their story, pictures, and video so that donors can see what an impact their donations have on our Dream kids,B次元官网网址� said Boomer. B次元官网网址淥ften the story or picture of one of our Dream kids moves a donor into action which is invaluable for the Foundation.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e heard about Help Fill A Dream through our social worker at Nanaimo Hospital,B次元官网网址� said Danielle. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 have pediatric care here in the Valley, so all of AnnieB次元官网网址檚 appointments are either at the ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital (Vancouver) or Nanaimo Hospital.B次元官网网址�

The Corrigalls are also a YANA family. You Are Not Alone (YANA) is a local non-profit society that provides accommodation and funding to Comox Valley families who need to travel outside the community for medical treatment for their children.

She said organizations such as Help Fill A Dream and YANA are invaluable.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 even put it into words,B次元官网网址� said Danielle. B次元官网网址淛anine and Craig (Smith, executive director) through Help Fill A Dream have really been above and beyond, giving us hope to get through this. They are always dropping stuff off at the house and doing little things, but it means so much to Annie.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 even know that these charities are out there, and now one of my big things is making sure other people know those organizations are out there,B次元官网网址� said Danielle. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a way I can pay forward.B次元官网网址�

terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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