COBOURG - For 10 days last July, Dave and Barb Smith and their family got away from the everyday strain of caring for a sick son and brother thanks to the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. Seven-year-old Nathan Smith, the youngest of nine in his family, was diagnosed with acute leukemia in April 2005. He had been sick for a while, his mother said and was going downhill rapidly before he was diagnosed soon after the family moved to Cobourg from Montreal.
"There have been so many trips to Sick Kids in Toronto," Mrs. Smith says. "Nathan lost weight and all of his hair was gone. He was too tired from the chemo to go to school but he's such an optimistic kid."
Instead of dreading trips to the hospital where chemotherapy drugs are injected into his spine, Nathan looks forward to seeing the doctors and nurses who care for him and picking a new toy just before the procedure, she says.
In March 2006 the family was told Nathan was well enough to take a trip. He was asked what he would like to do and he said he really wanted to go to Disney World in Florida.
"I would really like to go with my whole family," he told the foundation. "Do you know how many people there are in my family?" The Children's Wish Foundation knew there would be eight children and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and that was fine.
The decision to go to Disney World was an easy one for Nathan to make, he said.
"I could have gone to Sea World with my Dad and Mom to swim with the dolphins, but I chose to go to Disney World because my whole family could go," Nathan said.
"The Children's Wish Foundation coordinated the whole trip," Mrs. Smith said. "We didn't have to do anything but pack and just relax and enjoy it. It was more than just a trip. It was a whole turnaround for all of us. For a whole 10 days we forgot Nathan was sick. Everybody was on cloud nine. We forgot all of the problems and sickness and got back on our feet again."
Nathan knew he was in for a good holiday as soon as he got on the plane, adding the feeling continued throughout the trip.
"When I was going there (on the airplane) I thought I'd get a surprise and I got a bag full of special things," he says of his first flight. "I saw a lot of things that were really fun. I liked going on the rides best. Splash Mountain was my favourite."
The family stayed at the Star Island Resort and was supplied with special guest passes allowing them to go to the front of line-ups for rides. Nathan went on Splash Mountain three times. The family enjoyed three days at Disney World: three days at Epcot Centre and three days at Universal Studios.
On their return, Mrs. Smith, who is an artist, created a painting of a bald five-year-old Nathan praying and looking out at the night sky just as a falling star is making its way to earth. Outlined behind Nathan in the painting is the shadow of a cross. Mrs. Smith gave prints of the powerful image to the Children's Wish Foundation for use in fundraising as a way of saying thank you for the wonderful trip, she said.
"We've had a first hand view of what they do and it was really enjoyable," she said.
In December, several members of the Smith family were invited to fly to the North Pole in search of Santa, another Children's Wish Foundation excursion supported by Air Transat and gas companies, which provided fuel for the flight.
The flight took off from Pearson International Airport loaded with children and their parents who have become part of the Children's Wish family. The airplane flew north for almost an hour with the flight captain reporting sightings of Santa at various points. With a dip of the wings, Mrs. Smith said, the passengers were told Santa had landed on the roof of the plane. In moments he burst out of the cockpit to the cheers of the children. Each child on the airplane received a gift and met Santa before the plane turned south and headed back to Toronto. Santa was having so much fun he decided to stay on the plane all the way to the airport, Mrs. Smith said, with a grin.
Nathan is still taking chemotherapy at home daily and monthly at Sick Kids, but his body has adjusted to the drugs, his mother says and he doesn't have side effects now. He has returned to Burnham Public School where the staff has been "just fantastic", she said.
"Nathan's bones are still fragile and he can't do rough sports," Mrs. Smith said. "We take one day at a time and are really grateful. We can get over this. We've had a lot of people praying for us."
But Nathan says he's feeling better now that he's seven years old. "In a couple of years it will be December and I'll have another birthday," he said. "My Dad said he'll stay home with me on my birthday and I can spend time with my dad and mom when the other kids go to school."
As for being the youngest of nine children, Nathan explains, "I'm really the littlest one of the family, but Taylor my niece, is two. She got born from my sister's tummy and I got born from my Mom's tummy and I can play with her."
For the last 13 years Vicki Davis, of Cobourg, has volunteered with the Children's Wish Foundation and has served as volunteer coordinator of the local chapter since 1999. The chapter runs from Oshawa to Kingston and north to Peterborough.
In the last two years the chapter has worked with 10 children and their families, Ms. Davis says.
"We never know when a wish will come up," she said. "The wish may be anything they can imagine, from a family vacation, to having their room decorated in a certain way. One girl wanted a specific kind of pony because she wanted her sister and brother to have it when she was gone."
Sometimes children who are too ill to travel may ask for a home theatre package or a computer or to meet a celebrity. Anything's possible through the Children's Wish Foundation, Ms. Davis said.
Fundraising is done several times of year and includes a Wish Making Parade where Nathan cut the ribbon to start the walk last year. The parade was sponsored by Bruce McCartney of Investors Group and raised $5,500, more than walks in Hamilton and London, Ms. Davis said.
Children who are diagnosed with a high-risk, life-threatening illness are eligible to be considered for a wish.
"A wish has never been denied," Ms. Davis said of the entire foundation that has chapters across the country.
She added volunteers are needed to help at events. For more information call 905-372-6952.
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