Meet Delaney
In Her Words - Letter From A Dream Kid:
Meet Delaney
A Winnipeg sports super-fan!
Dear Friend of The Dream Factory,
I was a reasonably healthy kid who enjoyed the things most kids do – riding my bike, playing hide and seek and of course seeing my friends and family. I have always had a degree of scoliosis, but it never held me back from being active – I played volleyball, soccer (making it to city championship games twice with my team!), curling, horseback riding – and anything else that I wanted to try.
That changed when I turned 14. I learned that I had Gorlin Syndrome, which causes tumours to grow in my jaw. I also had a sudden, unexpected deterioration of my scoliosis and surgery was determined to be the best option. Even with the best pre-assessments, the surgeons were very surprised at how “sick” my spine was. During that surgery all spinal cord “impulses” were lost and I became paralyzed.
I had a very long period of recovery and spent 270 days at Children’s Hospital (HSC) in Winnipeg, including a week in the ICU and a month in acute care experiencing significant amounts of pain that was very difficult to control. I had to relearn how to do the most basic things - even sitting up was a challenge. That’s when I first met The Dream Factory.
When I first met The Dream Factory, I couldn’t believe that they were giving me the opportunity to choose almost anything I wanted to do. Anything I could dream of. As you can imagine, it took me some time to decide on what I wanted to do, and in the end, I chose a “VIP Winnipeg Sports Fan Experience”. This included me meeting the local sports teams, getting a tour of the facilities and watching a game.
I’ve always been a huge sports fan - and being able to see what goes on behind the scenes of my favourite teams was definitely my #1 choice.
“When I first met The Dream Factory, I couldn’t believe that they were giving me the opportunity to choose almost anything I wanted to do. Anything I could dream of. ”
Last summer I was fortunate enough to meet the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. I toured the stadium, watched a practice, met the team and coaches after the practice (the best part!) and even got to watch a game. It was very cool seeing my name up on the scoreboard as we arrived.
I also got to meet the Winnipeg Goldeyes. I saw all of the behind-the-scene action, watched a practice before a game, got to meet the team and Coach Rick before the game, and even went out on the field during the umpire’s meeting. It was a one of a kind experience!
Just before Christmas, I was very excited to see the Winnipeg Jets. I was able to bring a friend and we went to watch the game (which they won!). During the intermission, I was surprised to meet Mark Chipman, Assistant Coach Todd Woodcroft, and Eddie Olczyk. Afterwards, my friend and I were able to meet Josh Morrissey and Patrick Laine down in the players’ area. I’ll always remember that.
I just want to express my gratitude to the Dream Factory and everyone who supports them. My dream would have never happened without them, and I am forever grateful for this wonderful experience
Help make more dreams like delaney’s come true
It’s because of support from donors like you that we were able to bring Delaney’s Dream to life. In addition to Delaney, 34 other dreams came true last year for kids in Manitoba fighting some very tough battles. Please consider lending your support, and help make more dreams come true! Thank you for being a dream maker!