Wish stories

After a long period of illness and several doctor appointments, Zara was diagnosed with leukaemia for the first time In October 2019. After several rounds of treatment, long hospital stays, and tedious doctors' appointments Zara was given the all-clear. But in March 2022 the family received the news that Zara had relapsed.

“With the type of leukaemia, she had we were told she needed to have a stem cell transplant which she had in June 2022. This was then followed by treatment. She was in hospital for 22 weeks after her transplant because it was so complicated. Coming from an Asian background it was hard to find a donor match.”

Treatment tore Zara away from the things she enjoyed the most, including school. As Mum told us: “She couldn't complete years two, three, four or five at school due to being in hospital. Zara would cry if she couldn't go to school. She loves being close to her friends and the teachers.”

Zara and her Mum were often away from home and younger brother Sammy. Often, this meant that Sammy had to be looked after by strangers as there was no one else who could. The tight family’s once normal lives shifted to ones shaped by Zara’s cancer: “My husband would come to the hospital with food from home for us to eat. We were in isolation because of COVID and Zara’s low immunity but knowing that she could see her dad every morning, even for a few hours, gave her hope. It was really hard as a family to suddenly not have a normal life.”

Throughout her time in hospital, studious Zara continued her schooling. Now post-treatment, the last year marks the first in three years that Zara was able to attend school in person. Zara will have frequent check-ups for the foreseeable future but is a thriving twelve-year-old who loves maths: “Her teachers call her a little mathematician!”

Shortly before Zara’s relapse, a friend had told her all about her trip to Lapland. “Throughout treatment that want to see snow in Lapland was there,” said Mum. So when a social worker at Young Lives Vs Cancer approached Mum about a wish for Zara, they jumped on the opportunity to have Zara’s wintry wish fulfilled!

During her wish discovery call, Zara spoke all about her interests with a Make-A-Wish volunteer. By the end of the call, it was clear that a trip to Lapland would provide the perfect escape for Zara.

But with the potential for Zara’s health to take a turn for the worst, Mum was anxious in the build-up to the wish: “We learned to live each day as it comes as things change so much. So, in this case, a month before the trip we told them about it. It was bittersweet as I was afraid that Zara might get sick. But the kids were so excited.”

With Zara’s health remaining strong throughout December, Mum, Zara, her brother, and dad Vikas were overjoyed to start their trip to Lapland from their home in Basingstoke. Upon arriving at Rovaniemi airport, Finland, the family was amazed by the snowy landscape- one that Zara had dreamt of whilst in hospital.

After checking into their Lapland-based accommodation, the magic continued to build. Throughout the three-day-trip the family enjoyed husky rides, making snow angels, adventurous explorations on snowmobiles, and of course meeting Santa Claus:

“They’ll talk about the wish in years in years to come. It’s so hard to pick just one moment that stood out! It was probably meeting Santa Claus and the elves. But the husky ride was amazing as well! Everything was so well organised and coordinated!”

After enduring a rough few years, Zara’s wish was well deserved. Finally, the family could enjoy a holiday together. As Mum told us, “Having that experience where they can enjoy themselves and make memories for life is so needed as we don't know what's coming next. Make-A-Wish makes the whole experience beautiful for everyone in the family!”

Positive memory-making experiences are urgently needed for families like Zara’s: “My kids have bad memories, but the good ones we made on this trip are now taking over. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for granting Zara’s wish!”