After two years of cancer treatments, McKenna May had two dreams answered. The 4-year-old completed her last treatment for leukemia and she was granted a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World.
But as of last week, her dream trip was dashed.
McKenna, of Haskins, will not be going to Disney with Make-A-Wish because her father doesn’t believe the wish granting organization should spend money on children who are “cured.”
And since Make-A-Wish requires both parents to sign off on wishes, McKenna lost that opportunity to visit Disney.
But McKenna’s mom and grandma are now trying to get the little girl to Florida by a different route. They have placed collection jars at businesses throughout the county for donations to send McKenna to Disney. As of Monday, the family was still far from its $3,500 goal.
Her father, William May of Toledo, said using Make-A-Wish money for a child who is “free and clear” of illness is an improper use of donations made to the organization.
“I think it should go to kids who only have six months to live,” he said.
But Susan McConnell, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish for Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, said that McKenna clearly qualifies for a wish since she has gone through so much in her two-year struggle to beat leukemia.
Geez, this article bugs me. 15 spinal taps, chemo, hospitals…and all before getting to Kindergarten. I'm sorry but if it were my kid, I'd sell anything and beg, borrow, steal to go on that trip. Clearly, this guy is heartless. He's angry because he wasn't more involved and then does this…hmm, kinda makes sense why he wasn't asked to be more involved. As for the mom, it states she did donation jars. Odd. It works but not much. I can think of 100 other ways to raise money. In the end, it just feels this got the media attention based off the war between parents. My question to the mom is … were those jars the *only* thing you could think of to raise the funds? Really? In the end, it feels like neither is really thinking of the girl and focused on making this wish come true.
Well, the mom now has a donation acct. Her story is viral. She will raise enough for more than a luxury vacation. Maybe now fly. And, what will she do with the rest of the funds? Will those go to Make A Wish?