Toronto has a very special guest this week.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Wonderland theme park, RipleyB次元官网网址檚 Aquarium of Canada, the Toronto Zoo and even the Toronto Maple Leafs will get a visit from terminally ill cancer patient Hannah Day. With the assistance of the Help Fill a Dream Foundation, the six-year-old West Shore resident will enjoy a holiday that the non-profit organizationB次元官网网址檚 board hopes she wonB次元官网网址檛 soon forget.

B次元官网网址淥ur mandate is to help children with life-threatening illnesses and Hannah Day fits right in,B次元官网网址� said board vice-president Jaime Adams. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had the dream request and it was approved for quite a while, but it has been up to the doctor as to whether she could travel.B次元官网网址�

The trip to Toronto was booked then cancelled twice already because the young girl, whose rare chemotherapy-induced leukemia was deemed terminal in May, became ill again. Without medical clearance to go, Day and her family waited patiently for the right time B次元官网网址� doctors gave them the green light Friday.

B次元官网网址淗er mouth dropped wide open; she was in shock,B次元官网网址� Brooke Ervin said last week, describing her daughter hearing the news. B次元官网网址淚t dropped more open when she (found out) she would see the Maple Leafs B次元官网网址� because sheB次元官网网址檚 a big hockey fan.B次元官网网址�

Ervin said HannahB次元官网网址檚 favourite thing in the entire world is the fair. B次元官网网址淎nd she was shocked she would go to one of the biggest in Canada.B次元官网网址�

Help Fill a Dream Foundation covered the cost of airfare, included an additional $840 for incidental travel costs, and provided $200 for gifts for Hannah, who has battled cancer for most of her young life. She was scheduled to receive more treatment on the day the family flew to Toronto, but Ervin said they decided instead to take the opportunity for a family vacation as a way to preserve HannahB次元官网网址檚 happiness.

B次元官网网址淭his was our last chance to go on this trip because Wonderland closes on Oct. 31. So we put all treatment on hold B次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Ervin said.

B次元官网网址淎t this point in time we prefer quality of life. She has no clue (about her diagnosis) and talked about her birthday next year. It is hard for me to hear those things B次元官网网址� and as you know treatment is no longer working for us. We prefer to give her this special gift that she deserves.B次元官网网址�

While her weight has dropped to 27 pounds, HannahB次元官网网址檚 spirits are high, Ervin said, and it is hard to tell how ill she is based on how she runs and plays as if she is healthy.

Ervin voiced gratefulness to the foundation, which Adams said is here to help local families.

B次元官网网址淭heir family is going through significant turmoil financially and this will take everything away for a week and allow them to be a family and enjoy every moment of this,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址�(We want to) bring a smile to HannahB次元官网网址檚 face and take away the moments of being scared, moments at the hospital, and let them be a family again.B次元官网网址�

alim@goldstreamgazette.com