callynhonse: Make A Wish: Brianna

there's something about finals week that makes Katie and I just deeply desire a new Make-A-Wish kid! It always makes me laugh that in the height of our studying and crazy Christmas plans -- we seem to pack our schedules a little tighter by meeting a new MAW family.

&& i wouldn't want it any other way.

most people who know me, have learned that sometimes i worry a little too much & let the stress of daily life get the best of me. Make A Wish is my reality check. it nourishes my soul & replenishes my spirit.

the Make A Wish Foundation truly holds the key to my heart. i've been mesmerized by the joy found in granting children with life threatening illnesses wishes for a little over four years now. it has transformed my life in ways i never thought possible. for me, it's one of those 'once in a lifetime experiences' that i'm lucky enough to experience multiple times a year. the words 'life threatening illness' immediately stop me in my tracks. i take a deep breath & then praise the God of the universe for my health. i pray fervently for those children all across the world who are suffering & relentlessly beg & plead with God for my future children to be healthy.

there is no greater honor than to serve the One who made me by granting wishes to beautiful children that He deeply loves.

our most recent wish child, Brianna, is an angel. i pray the background information of her little life changes yours.

Brianna was diagnosed with ALL (a type of leukemia) on August 13, 2010. she was having pains in her knees for over a week, her parents took her to the emergency room on a thursday night, and on friday morning they realized their 6 year old baby girl with flawless medical history had leukemia. on the 13th, they ran multiple tests and all of her results came back 100% positive for ALL. her diagnosis was to start chemotherapy immediately & i'm sure she went through other treatment i'm not aware of. she was administered a strong dose of chemo for a month, and her blood levels / bone marrow were checked every week.

1st week: 100%

2nd week: 92%

3rd week: 74%

moment of truth. they had one more week of treatment until the doctors would determine her next steps. the nurses & doctors were pretty skeptical about her levels decreasing much more than this. they said kids with 74% on the 3rd week always continue on with more aggressive cancer treatment. the fourth week rolled around and Brianna was feeling exceedingly optimistic about her doctor's appointment. the night before her appointment, she had talked with Jesus. she asked him to make her healthy "today, tomorrow, and everyday for the rest of her life" and she recalls Jesus answering her and saying "He did" -- she tells her parents of this story and while they are amazed by her faith, they're still anxious about the test. her test results came in...

4th week: 0%

the nurses were in shock and truly said she was a miracle. kids never go from 74% to 0% in one week. her child-like faith is a testament of her Daddy's faithfulness [matthew 18].

she was declared cancer free on September 10, 2010. Brianna was not even sick for a full month. [she is still continuing some type of treatment & taking the proper steps to remain healthy]

Katie & I had the joy, privilege, and honor or spending time with Brianna and her parents yesterday. I honestly can't even put in to words how much i love that the Lord has entrusted me with these little one's lives. i never leave a wish interview without my heart being refined.

preface: we met her family at McDonald's, so if you feel like these photos are taken in a bizarre location- then you're right, they are.