Girl’s wish comes true with gift of camper
CAMBRIDGE – Alayna Numbers had asked Make-a-wish to fulfill her dream of visiting the happiest place on earth — Disney World.
But the pandemic got in the way. Instead, Alayna’s family took possession of a 2021 Crossroads Zinger travel trailer from Stoney’s RV on Friday.
“I like it,” 4-year-old Alayna, who was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, exclaimed as she saw the camper and several other gifts, including a popcorn maker, S’mores kit and a small tent.
The first duties for Alayna upon entering the 18-foot camper was to pick her bed and check out the bathroom – top priorities for a child in a trailer that seemed to match the young family perfectly.
“We had just received the trailer and didn’t even have it listed online yet,” said Tim Bongiovanni of Stoney’s RV. “We were contacted by the Make-aWish people and we sent the information to the parents who just loved it.
“The timing worked out perfect,” he added.
Make-a-wish, an international organization, grants wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses. “We meet some wonderful people and to be able to help grant a wish is wonderful,” said Tom and Deb Kenny of Make-aWish of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. “They touch our lives and we get to see happiness when their wish is fulfilled.”
Travel on hold
As COVID-19 numbers surge across the country, travel wishes have been put on hold, said Katie Ferrell, marketing and communication manager for the local branch of Make-a-wish.
Kids waiting on wishes were given the option to wait until it is safe to grant their travel plans or to make another wish, she said.
“Lots of kids are choosing to wait, but a lot of kids are re-imagining their wishes,” Ferrell said.
From playsets to treehouses, shopping sprees, gaming systems, and even a horse, the nonprofit group has been busy granting wishes.
“The kids have been so creative,” she said. “It’s been really nice during these uncertain times that we can deliver a dose of hope when it is needed the most.”
Ferrell said the travel restrictions did leave many kids disappointed, but there has been a silver lining to those revamped wishes. People realized they now had a long-term gift rather than a one-time trip.
During the last fiscal year, which runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 and included six months of the pandemic, the local group granted 531 wishes. The previous fiscal year, they granted nearly 800 wishes, Ferrell said.
‘Max and Ruby’ inspired
At their home near the Stark-tuscarawas County border in Lawrence Township, the Numbers family discussed Alayna’s wish and the complications with the pandemic.
“I told her we could go to Disney anytime when this all clears up,” mom Ashley Numbers said.
They discussed a number of options, but Alayna’s favorite TV shows gave her mom an idea.
After the characters in the children’s animated cartoon “Max and Ruby” went camping, Alayna took to pretending to take her own camping trip.
Her mother wondered if Alayna would want a camper of her own. She said absolutely – a purple camper.
At the age of 3, Alayna was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia – a rare and serious blood disorder.
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, aplastic anemia occurs when bone marrow cannot make enough new blood cells for the body to function normally. Fewer than 20,000 cases are diagnosed per year.
Blood work revealed Alayna had a platelet count of 7,000. The normal range is 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood.
Testing revealed Alayna’s bone marrow was only working at 30% efficiency.
Treatment of the condition included a bone marrow transplant or taking medication.
Alayna’s younger brother, Michael, was a perfect match. Bone marrow makes more than 200 billion new blood cells every day.
In September 2019, he donated bone marrow to his sister.
Ashley Numbers said more than a year after her transplant, Alayna’s immune system is where it should be.