One day, 8-year-old Alexis Lanning was leaving the store with her family, never mentioning pain or discomfort, when all of a sudden, Alexis’ left leg broke under her own weight. She was rushed to the hospital and tests begun. And in the case of this beautiful young girl from Xenia, it was confirmed she had cancer in the bone of her left leg.
After months of treatment and physical therapy her doctor determined it was now safe for Alexis to have her Special Wish come true, so A Special Wish Foundation-Dayton began the process of sending Alexis and her family to Walt Disney World. “It meant the world to Alexis to be able to go on this trip with her family,” said Tabitha Ross, Alexis’ stepmother. “When she found out she was going to Disney she was so incredibly excited. She kept bouncing up and down thrilled to have this opportunity!”
Alexis along with her father Nathan, step-mother Tabitha, sister Elizabeth, and stepsister Kyra, all set out on an adventure of a lifetime. The family was able to enjoy a VIP trip to Animal Kingdom, went on a helicopter ride, and happily met many Disney princesses!
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Tabitha continued, “We enjoyed the entire trip! The trip to SeaWorld was a family favorite, and visiting the killer whale exhibit was by far the biggest hit! We were able to visit the beach, spend time in the sun, and look for sea shells. It was such a nice time.”
Nathan, Alexis’ father said of the trip, “From sun up to sun down this was an amazing experience. The staff and volunteers at Give Kids the World were simply remarkable. We couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated group of people.
And as for what A Special Wish Foundation — Dayton does for the community, it’s almost too difficult to put into words. They are amazing and do something truly special for children and their families.” Tabitha went on to say, “Without ASW’s role in the community we would have never had the opportunity to give Alexis this chance. And it was a chance our entire family will never forget.”
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“Throughout Alexis’ illness, we all learned what a strong girl she really is,” said Tabitha. “Though it was a slow start in the beginning, Alexis is finally pushing herself to work on her physical therapy and she continues to improve.”
Alexis is on the mend and continues working through the residual pain from her illness.
Physical therapy remains challenging, but every day she continues to improve. She has met the three-month mark of being cancer free and will continue to be monitored over the next year.
Stories like Alexis’ are all too familiar with families in the Dayton and surrounding regions. We hope you will consider making a donation to A Special Wish Foundation — Dayton. When a donation is made, the money stays within the community and ASW is able to take the funds raised and make very Special Wishes come true to deserving children suffering from a life-threatening illness.
A Special Wish Foundation-Dayton Chapter is the only wish granting organization located in the Dayton region. For more information on how you can be part of granting a local child’s wish, go online to www.aspecialwishdayton.org.
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