LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — A Lee's Summit child who beat leukemia is telling her story ahead of the Kansas and Missouri Make-A-Wish chapter's big Giving Tuesday donation drive.
She and her mother, Brandy Rouse-Justus, wanted to share the impact those donations really have.
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“I remember the doctors coming into the room and asking us to step out, and that's never a good sign," Rouse-Justus said. "Honestly, I checked out. Everything went numb for me."
Ryan was only four when she was diagnosed with leukemia.
"All I saw was this tiny little body sitting in this ginormous hospital bed and I knew that our life had changed forever,” Rouse-Justus said.
It was hard on a young girl, whose treatment lasted 888 days.
“It was not fun," Ryan said. “I wanted to go home so bad."
Years later, Ryan's here to tell her own story.
Specifically, there moment that changed everything, after everything changed for her.
“It felt amazing to be a wish kid,” Ryan said.
Sometimes wishes do come true, like a trip to Disney World.
“I really, really wanted to see the castle so bad,” she said.
And the best part?
“Oh everything,” Ryan said through laughter. “It was just so awesome that we were getting out of the house, getting away from this."
Ryan wants to tell you this because it made a difference. Her mom says it helped immensely.
“It was life-changing for us. It took us out of the doom and gloom of hospital stays and really gave us hope and laughter and peace,” she said.
Make-A-Wish says there are 200 kids in the Kansas City area waiting on donations to fund their wish.
Through Giving Tuesday, every donation will be matched up to $25,000.
You can find out how to give by clicking this is link.
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