CMAKING WISHES COME TRUE

WRITER: THERESA CAMPBELL

Numerous charities do amazing work, and one that is dear to my heart is the Make-A-Wish Foundation for providing “wishes” to children with lifethreatening diseases.

Their compassion touched home when my great-nephew, Xander Shaffer, 3, of Dover, Delaware, and his family were treated to a trip to Orlando’s theme parks so Xander could meet the Minions, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Mickey Mouse.

“The Minions spent so much time doting over him, loving on him, and it was so sweet,” says Xander’s mom Ashley. “And he absolutely loves SpongeBob. Once he saw Patrick (SpongeBob’s best friend), he went and gave Patrick the biggest hug and then he finally got to see SpongeBob and he was hugging SpongeBob, kissing him, holding his hand…It was amazing because Xander was so excited. I think he would have taken him home if he could.”

Xander was diagnosed Oct. 13, 2015—two days before his second birthday—with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Noted by Mayo Clinic as a common childhood cancer with less than 200,000 U.S. cases per year, it occurs when a bone marrow cell develops errors in its DNA. Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, bruising, fever, bone pain, bleeding from the gums, and frequent infections.

Luckily for Xander, he receives top-notch care at Philadelphia Children’s Hospital. He is in the final stage of treatments that will continue for three years. He currently has no leukemia in his system—and he hasn’t had any since day 22.

“Now we look for relapse because that is kind of common with leukemia,” Ashley says. “Because it’s a blood cancer, it’s so easy to spiral out of control.”

So Xander undergoes monthly treatments and takes chemotherapy pills daily.

“It makes me want to cry because he has been through so much,” Ashley says, adding the trip to Orlando was a bright spot. “Make-A-Wish is amazing and the things they do—I don’t even know how to thank them.”

The family stayed at Give Kids the World Village, a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, which works with Make-A-Wish to allow children to stay in their own villas with storybook themes. Xander was treated to an early Christmas with a visit from Santa Claus.

Doctors have given Xander a 90 percent prognosis that he will beat his cancer.

“We have been incredibly lucky,” Ashley says.

And this holiday season is extra special for the Shaffers, who have been married 14 years. Ashley and her Air Force husband Matt welcomed a second son into their home, and Xander is proud to tell the world that he’s Wesley’s big brother.