An online campaign to send a terminally ill eight-year-old B.C. boy on a Disney cruise with his family is gaining momentum.
His family has been told it will likely be the last vacation for Caleb McLean of Langley, whose cancer has returned, two years after he was first operated on.
Father Travis McLean said attempts to remove one of two resurgent tumors have only been partially successful, and doctors have told them Caleb only has months to live.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 believe them,B次元官网网址 McLean said, struggling to keep his composure.
B次元官网网址淚 think my son is a fighter. HeB次元官网网址檚 going to defeat the odds.B次元官网网址
When a visitor from Make-A-Wish BC and Yukon, a charity that grants wishes to seriously ill kids, asked Caleb what he would like, he said he wanted to go on the B次元官网网址淒isney boatB次元官网网址 with his mother, father and all five siblings.
That was more than the foundation could cover, and the family was told the trip would only be possible with Caleb, both his parents, and just one of his five siblings.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unfortunate,B次元官网网址 Travis said.
B次元官网网址淚 have nothing against Make-A-Wish. I can kind of see where theyB次元官网网址檙e coming from. You donB次元官网网址檛 realize how many kids have cancer [and would qualify to have their wish granted by the foundation] until youB次元官网网址檝e been to an oncology ward.B次元官网网址
CalebB次元官网网址檚 aunt Danielle Glynn responded by setting up an online gofundme campaign called to raise the estimated $45,000 it would cost to sent Caleb, his parents and all five siblings on his dream vacation.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a big heart in a little body,B次元官网网址 a tearful Glynn said of her nephew. B次元官网网址淗e lights up the room with his smile.B次元官网网址
In the first three days, more than 190 people have donated about $23,000 to the campaign and the pace of contributions has picked up as word spreads, Glynn said.
Like her brother, Glynn said she understands the foundation has to stay within a budget, and she has nothing bad to say about it.
But asking a family to choose which of five children will accompany their brother on his last vacation B次元官网网址渏ust sucks,B次元官网网址 Glynn said.
B次元官网网址淗ow do you pick which sibling?B次元官网网址
A spokesperson for Make-A-Wish BC and Yukon, Stuart Chase, said they are discussing an B次元官网网址渁lternateB次元官网网址 arrangement with the family that would be within the foundationB次元官网网址檚 budget.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the reality we work with every day.B次元官网网址 said Chase, the marketing and communications director for the charity.
B次元官网网址淲e are totally donation-based, not government funded.B次元官网网址
Chase had nothing but positive things to say about the family GoFundMe initiative for Caleb.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really awesome that theyB次元官网网址檙e going to bat for him,B次元官网网址 Chase said.
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