An online campaign to send a terminally ill eight-year-old B.C. boy on a Disney cruise with his family is gaining momentum.
His family has been told it will likely be the last vacation for Caleb McLean of Langley, whose cancer has returned, two years after he was first operated on.
Father Travis McLean said attempts to remove one of two resurgent tumors have only been partially successful, and doctors have told them Caleb only has months to live.
91ƵI don91Ƶt believe them,91Ƶ McLean said, struggling to keep his composure.
91ƵI think my son is a fighter. He91Ƶs going to defeat the odds.91Ƶ
When a visitor from Make-A-Wish BC and Yukon, a charity that grants wishes to seriously ill kids, asked Caleb what he would like, he said he wanted to go on the 91ƵDisney boat91Ƶ with his mother, father and all five siblings.
That was more than the foundation could cover, and the family was told the trip would only be possible with Caleb, both his parents, and just one of his five siblings.
91ƵIt91Ƶs unfortunate,91Ƶ Travis said.
91ƵI have nothing against Make-A-Wish. I can kind of see where they91Ƶre coming from. You don91Ƶt realize how many kids have cancer [and would qualify to have their wish granted by the foundation] until you91Ƶve been to an oncology ward.91Ƶ
Caleb91Ƶs aunt Danielle Glynn responded by setting up an online gofundme campaign called to raise the estimated $45,000 it would cost to sent Caleb, his parents and all five siblings on his dream vacation.
91ƵHe91Ƶs a big heart in a little body,91Ƶ a tearful Glynn said of her nephew. 91ƵHe lights up the room with his smile.91Ƶ
In the first three days, more than 190 people have donated about $23,000 to the campaign and the pace of contributions has picked up as word spreads, Glynn said.
Like her brother, Glynn said she understands the foundation has to stay within a budget, and she has nothing bad to say about it.
But asking a family to choose which of five children will accompany their brother on his last vacation 91Ƶjust sucks,91Ƶ Glynn said.
91ƵHow do you pick which sibling?91Ƶ
A spokesperson for Make-A-Wish BC and Yukon, Stuart Chase, said they are discussing an 91Ƶalternate91Ƶ arrangement with the family that would be within the foundation91Ƶs budget.
91ƵThat91Ƶs the reality we work with every day.91Ƶ said Chase, the marketing and communications director for the charity.
91ƵWe are totally donation-based, not government funded.91Ƶ
Chase had nothing but positive things to say about the family GoFundMe initiative for Caleb.
91ƵIt91Ƶs really awesome that they91Ƶre going to bat for him,91Ƶ Chase said.
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roxanne.hooper@langleyadvancetimes.com
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