Any wish foundations for delayed adult with cerebral palsey?

[fordham2003]

I have a 45 year old sister with CP until recently I had no idea that she had a dream of going to Disney World. She just had surgery to remove an ovarian tumor 2 days ago, after the surgery she was in so much pain I was trying to help asking her to imagine herself in a happy place where she wouldn't be in pain. She said the happy place would be Disney World.
We went to Disneyland once in the 70's she was about 10 and I was 5. We were only there for a few hours before my mom started to hemorhage and we had to leave, she ended up having a miscarriage. We were very disappointed, but our family was so worried about my mom, and we were just relieved when she was okay.
My sis is in a wheelchair, and relies on others for most of her needs. She is about on a 3rd grade level in reading and writing, and socially about 10-11. She is married to a man who also has CP and they are pretty happy people. As she has started to get older she has had to deal with many pain issues related to CP, and now the possibility of ovarian cancer (my mom also had ovarian cancer).
I love my sister so much, I would love to help make her dream come true. I am a nurse and I have a teenage daughter and son that could help me take care of her if we were able to make the trip, but I am not sure if we could afford it. Do any of you know of foundations that could help with this?
Thanks ahead of time
Pam

 

[Linda Bell]

Hi Pam,

Your sister and my daughter should meet. They are at par. Cindy has MD and 30.

I was approached last year at an MD fundraiser by a very nice lady who let me know about the Fairygodmother Foundation. It is make a wish for terminally ill adults. You and your children would not qualify but your sis and hubby might.

http://www.fairygodmother.org/program/wish_guidelines.php



Linda

 

[dclfun]

I had mentioned the above organization to a family whose young mother and wife had advanced ALS. The organization apparently does not have alot of funds and one must be designated truly terminal with a life expectancy of less than 6 months to qualify..and even then there may not be funds available. It might be best to try and see if a local church or service organization might want to sponsor your sister or if the newspaper could write a story about her dream to go to WDW and perhaps then a local business would help her raise funds. The children's wish organizations have expanded so much- while they originally were only for terminally ill children's wishes ( and most people still believe that all children getting a wish are terminally ill ) they now grant wishes for other reasons...but this is not the case for adults. I guess I should say that you didn't mention if your sister is terminally ill and hopefully she is not, but that doesn't mean her dream shouldn't come true. ---Kathy

 

[fordham2003]

We have not gotten the pathology report back from her ovarian tumor, so it is unknown if she is terminal or not. I was wondering if there was a foundation for people with severe disabilities, that live with dificulties and pain all of their life. Make a wish is so amazing for young children, but it is too bad that there is not more out there for these grown children that have indured for so many years.
Thanks for the idea about a newspaper article, that may help out.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Perhaps you can check out organizations such as Lions and Rotary Clubs and such. I know places like that love to help disabled ppl raise money, so maybe they can help out your sister.

I hope she gets her dream trip!!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Other posters already gave the suggestions I was going to make.
You could also ask United Cerebral Palsy - I know they do not provide any assistance for trips like this, but they may have some ideas for other sources in your state who would.
Besides newspapers, you might also approach TV stations in your area. They like this kind of human interest story (a nice way to counteract some of the bad news out there).

There isn't really much out there for adults. You are not the first person who has written, so I know there is a need for it. Just no one providing for the need.
and lots of pixie dust in your quest.