KENNEWICK, Wash.
More than 70% of the wishes granted through the Make A Wish Foundation involve airline travel. One of those wishes came from a local child battling cancer.
"When I found out I had cancer, I realized I could die. I was scared," said 11 year-old Ashlynne Stout from Kennewick. Ashlynne is battling and beating Osteosarcoma.
"Osteosarcoma is a bone tumor. It was in her right distal femur. Not only did she have to go through chemo therapy, but they had to go in and remove the tumor," explained Cherish Stout, Ashlynne's mother.
The Make A Wish Foundation contacted the stout family after Ashlynne's diagnosis. They helped keep her spirits high in an otherwise dark time. "They came in and brought a huge bag of candy and with sour skittles," said Ashlynne.
And now almost a year from receiving her cancer diagnosis, Ashlynne will take the trip of a lifetime. The Make A Wish Foundation is granting her wish to visit Disney World and Sea World in Florida. Cherish said the trip gave her daughter something to get excited about while going through painful treatments.
"When she was really struggling and was sick in the hospital, going through all her chemo treatments, it gave her some excitement to look forward to," said Cherish.
And now giving a little girl who is getting stronger every day a renewed sense of life.
"I feel like, now that I've beet it, I can do anything," said Ashlynne.
People can help the Make A Wish Foundation and kids like Ashlynne Thursday by donating your unused air miles.The foundation needs more than 2.5 billion air miles to grant wishes each year for kids facing life-changing illnesses.
Every mile donated will go toward sending a local Make A Wish child on their dream vacation.
The Wishes in Flight telethon starts at 5 a.m. on NBC Right Now and continues through our 6 p.m. newscast.
