This month, Black Press Media has teamed up with and BraveFace to help grant wishes, . HereB次元官网网址檚 one wish that was granted through the Make-A-Wish B.C. and Yukon chapterB次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 wish to go see the turtlesB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� August 2019

In the summer of 2019, four-year-old Rose had a longtime wish come true and she got to share it with her twin sister.

She and her twin sister Nina are alike in so many ways, save a small birthmark on RoseB次元官网网址檚 chin and Nina being a little bit taller. By their parentB次元官网网址檚 accounts, theyB次元官网网址檙e both quite shy. Both kids love to dance, both love to ski and both love to ride bikes. They are B次元官网网址渆qually persistent and feisty,B次元官网网址� as their mother, Ginny, suggests.

But there is one major difference between them: Rose has had to endure a battle with leukemia. Her sister, Nina, is her constant supporter and was by her side every day as Rose faced her critical illness.

B次元官网网址淩ose caught a cough that Nina didnB次元官网网址檛 have,B次元官网网址� said Ginny, noting that it was unusual for one twin to catch something that the other did not. B次元官网网址淩ose started sleeping more, and she was pale.B次元官网网址�

That was all the evidence RoseB次元官网网址檚 parents needed to go see a doctor and sadly, she was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 22 months old.

B次元官网网址淚t was terrifying,B次元官网网址� said Ginny. RoseB次元官网网址檚 dad, Jeremy, said that Rose had to be airlifted from their hometown to Vancouver, where there was an initial 10-day stay in BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital followed by a further six months of treatments.

B次元官网网址淎s a parent,B次元官网网址� said Ginny, B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e just coping, making sure the [kids] donB次元官网网址檛 get upset or alarmed by whatB次元官网网址檚 happening through it all.B次元官网网址�

Jeremy said the whole family is still dealing with the trauma of it all. RoseB次元官网网址檚 twin was also affected by the experience; with so much focus on Rose for so long, it was, at times hard on Nina, who her parents felt took on a lot of the stress for her sister.

B次元官网网址淣ina is more sensitive than Rose,B次元官网网址� according to Ginny and Jeremy said.

At the end of all the treatments and hospital stays, and time away from home, there came a period of recovery. Then finally, Rose was truly ready and able to have her wish granted by Make-A-Wish.

B次元官网网址淩ose seems to light up around animals,B次元官网网址� said Ginny. Jeremy says theyB次元官网网址檝e watched Finding Nemo dozens of times. B次元官网网址淲e all watch Blue Planet as a family,B次元官网网址� Ginny also noted, adding that when they lived in Vancouver for treatments, the family made regular trips to the Vancouver Aquarium. Rose seemed particularly interested in the shark tank, where one of the aquariumB次元官网网址檚 most famous long-time residents also lives: a sea turtle named Schoona. Eventually, Rose made a wish to release baby sea turtles.

The family travelled to Florida and the Gumbo Limbo Nature Centre to make RoseB次元官网网址檚 wish come true. While they were there, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 only baby turtles that were hatched. Ginny and Jeremy watched their own daughters come out of their shells a bit, too.

B次元官网网址淲here normally they are so shy, they sat right upfront during the education sessions at Gumbo Limbo,B次元官网网址� explained Ginny. B次元官网网址淭hey answered questions and were so engaged. It was special to see that.B次元官网网址�

Rose got to take part in a public sea turtle release as well as a special, private release with her sister and parents on a warm Florida night. There, on the beach, the family watched as tiny sea turtles scooted their way across the sand. The experience brought a new life in the ocean for the turtles and granted a wish for Rose.

Jeremy and Ginny feel as though through the trip theyB次元官网网址檙e able to close a chapter on the whole experience with cancer.

They say that a lot of RoseB次元官网网址檚 sentences start with B次元官网网址渋n FloridaB次元官网网址�B次元官网网址� as she looks back on her wish experience of releasing baby sea turtles. ItB次元官网网址檚 a happier moment for the family to remember than any time spent at the hospital.

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 childrenB次元官网网址檚 wishes come true. !

By purchasing a pack of three masks designed and manufactured right here in British Columbia for children, youth and adults, youB次元官网网址檒l be supporting the .