The Dreamer - Fall 2021
Your Compassion Made This Happen!
You’re the kind of person who makes dreams come true for kids. That alone makes you an amazing person. But these aren’t just any kids you’re helping. The kids you’re helping are dealing with life-threatening illnesses. And they’re doing it with amazing courage, laughter, and resilience.
The kids you’re helping are the ones who need to dream more than anyone.
And that makes you my kind of person—caring, compassionate, and thoughtful. This is why we’re sharing this with you now. We want to give you an opportunity to help these children and their families in a new way. A way that makes their lives a little easier while they’re waiting for their dreams to come true.
Just take a look at what your generosity has the power to do:
• For $25, you can provide snacks for a family at a sporting event—when they decide it is safe for their child to go;
• For $50, you can bring joy by decorating a Dream Party—an event that brings together Dream Kids and their families.
• For $100, you can provide a family with quality time together over a delicious meal, while taking away the burden of meal preparation.
• For an extremely generous gift of $500, you can help a family with the unexpected costs of having a sick kid—like time off work, hospital parking, meal expenses, hotel stays, and more.
It’s things like these that are the most touching—for Dream Kids and their parents.
That’s because your donation—in any amount you choose—is a reminder. It’s a reminder for these kids and their parents that they have a whole community of support around them. In the big moments and the small.
By giving so generously, you’ve made these children and their parents so happy. You’ve touched their lives. You’ve given them hope, and it will be with them forever.
Which brings us to our second reason for sharing this with you—to send you this issue of The Dreamer. It’s filled with stories of your generosity at work to help kids with life-threatening illnesses dream big.
You’ll read about Malachi, just 6 years old, born with a rare congenital disorder. Now his dream has come true, just like his mom’s did when she was a Dream Kid. Their story is incredible. It’ll touch your heart.
You’ll read about Kayne. He’s a happy, fun-loving kid with a rare genetic disorder. For so long he dreamed of his very own backyard playset. Now—thanks to your incredible generosity and the help of a team of volunteers from Princess Auto—his dream has come true. You’ve got to see those pictures.
You’ll also read about the Dream Ride that took place on July 24. What a special event! A group of dedicated cyclists rode their bikes to raise funds for The Dream Factory and to make dreams come true for kids like Aria and Brie. Wait until you see what these little girls have been through.
Your support has helped - and will continue to help - Dream Kids and their parents forget about doctors, hospitals, and medicine for a while. You’ve given them the space to laugh, have fun, and focus on being a family. Thank you for bringing joy into the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses.
You really are a special person.
Kayne sees his Dream Come True!
And Your Generosity Built It!
Kayne is a happy, fun-loving kid–with Chronic Granulomatous Disease, a rare genetic disorder. “He started showing the signs at about one year old,” Kayne’s mom says. Kayne was growing pale. His blood hemoglobin (red blood cell) levels dropped. And he got pneumonia.
When Kayne was 2, he developed a cyst on his leg. And for the next two years, he was in and out of the hospital—often because his temperature would shoot up unexpectedly.
Pictured: Kayne during one of his many treatments.
Because of his illness, Kayne was never able to play like the other kids. So, his dream was to have a backyard playset with a tunnel slide.
And that’s what he got—thanks to you and your incredible generosity.
We are also so grateful to a team of volunteers from Princess Auto, who worked from morning to night to get the playset set up for the big reveal. “The look on Kayne’s face made it all worthwhile,” says Jen at Princess Auto.
Kayne’s mom agrees. With a big smile on her face, she says, “Kayne told me, ‘This is so fun! I love you, mommy. You’re the best!’”
Yes, that really does make it all worthwhile, and it’s your support that makes it possible. Thank you!
Pictured: Kayne on his new playset.
Pictured: Malachi entering his new ‘Bat Cave’.
Pictured: Brie (at right) and her sister, Aria. Two sweet little girls with serious diseases—and the courage to dream.
A Bat Cave For Malachi
How Your Generosity Fueled a Generation of Dreams
Not only was little Malachi born premature, he was also born with a serious congenital disorder. A large part of his diaphragm was missing, which meant his stomach and intestines pushed into his chest. This made it difficult for his heart and lungs to work properly.
Malachi’s 6 now. And despite everything, he’s a happy, energetic, and curious little boy—even happier now that you helped make his dream come true.
No one knows that feeling better than Malachi’s mom, Eva. You see, Eva was also a Dream Kid. And when she was a teenager, she got to see her own dream come true.
Pictured: Malachi and his mother, Eva, hanging out in ‘The Bat' Cave’.
“It really does change your life,” she says. For this family, your generosity has fueled a generation of dreams. That’s incredibly special.
Malachi’s life has been full of hospitals, doctors, and surgeries— just like his mom’s used to be. When he had major surgery to repair his diaphragm, he was so tiny. 4 months later, he wasn’t much bigger… but he had to have another surgery to fix the damage to his heart. At one point, he was on oxygen for an entire year. It’s been so hard on him and his mom.
“I don’t even have to drive on to a hospital lot, and Malachi will start to cry,” Eva says. “But he fights so hard and is always so strong.”
With everything he’s been through, Malachi wanted a bedroom makeover more than anything. He wanted a sanctuary filled with superheroes —a place where he would always feel safe.
Now he has it, thanks to you. Eva remembers her own childhood with a serious illness, and she knows the joy Malachi feels now that he has his own special Bat Cave.
This is the good you do for kids with life-threatening illnesses like Malachi. Your kindness makes them feel safe. Your kindness changes their lives. Your kindness makes their dreams come true.
Dream Ride Success!
How You Stepped Up So Kids Like Aria and Brie Can Dream
July 24 was a special day. That’s because over 30 amazing people like you chose to spend their day biking in support of kids with life-threatening illnesses. We are so grateful!
During this year’s Dream Ride, cyclists could choose one of three routes: a 14 km family ride through Wasagaming, (near Riding Mountain National Park) a 43-50 km ride through Wasagaming, or a route of their choosing.
The cyclists were encouraged to post pictures of their ride on social media, so that other supporters could follow along virtually. It was a super fun experience for everyone!
This year’s Dream Ride was held in support of sisters Aria and Brie. The wonderful cyclists who took part in The Dream Ride helped raise much-needed funds so that these two little girls could see their dreams come true. And it’s so important that they do—you won’t believe what these girls have been through already in their young lives.
Pictured: Aria and Brie with Dream Ride organizers Gary and Marsha.
Aria is 2 now, but at 18 months, her left eye started to move inwards. After visits with numerous specialists, Aria was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. It’s getting progressively worse.
She used to be able to stand, walk, and crawl. But now, she has no balance. She doesn’t even try to walk anymore. Most of the time, she’s unable to move at all.
Doctors have told Aria’s parents that they only have two years left until her disease takes her away from them.
Brie, her sister, is 4. A few months ago, she developed a lump on her left cheek—just below her ear. She was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma—a rare form of cancer that only affects approximately 3 children out of a million. She’s already had a port implanted to receive medicine, and she’ll need ongoing treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Soon, she’ll need to have surgery to remove and reconstruct her jawbone.
Two sisters with terrible illnesses. Two sisters with BIG dreams. While they haven’t decided what their dreams are yet, they’re getting closer to deciding every day. Thanks to those who participated in the Dream Ride, we’ll be ready when they do.
Will You Go Beyond Dreams for Sick Kids?
When a child dreams, you are there. Time and time again, your compassion makes it possible for dreams to come true. That is such a wonderful, caring thing for you to do.
What if you could be there for a child struggling with a life-threatening illness in the small moments, too? In the routine, every day doctor’s visits, family dinners, and hotel stays? What if your compassion could meet the families of sick kids where they are right now?
When you support The Dream Factory’s Beyond Dreams program, you make the lives of a family with a sick child a little easier. You could help cover the cost of an unexpected hotel stay, or plane ticket. You could take away the burden of meal preparation for a family who already has to prepare for so much. You could even provide snacks at a sporting event—a fun family outing that helps them forget about the hospital for a few hours.
These are the little things that make a real difference for sick kids and their parents. And you have the power to provide them. Will you go beyond dreams
today for a family in need? Here’s how your generosity will give joy and excitement to a child battling a life-threatening illness and their family:
You can find out more about the Beyond Dreams program by clicking here: www.thedreamfactory.ca/beyonddreams. Thank you for being a true friend to Dream Kids and their families here in Manitoba!