Newton girl and her family will visit Hawaii, thanks to Make-A-Wish

By Stephanie Hebert

December 5, 2007 | NEWTON -- There is a 7-year old-girl whose wish is going to come true this winter: she and most of her family are going to Hawaii for a week.

Newton resident Sarah P. has a disease called osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), which is a genetic lack of type 1 collagen, her mother, Anne, said.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted Sarah's wish to take her and most of her family to Hawaii for a full week. Sarah says she wants to dance with Hawaiian dancers, swim with the dolphins, build a sand castle, go up in a helicopter and see a volcano, and go in a submarine while she is in Hawaii.

"She's so tickled to have something to look forward to for her birthday," Anne said.

This has been a hard road for Sarah's family. Sarah was diagnosed when she was just 7 months old, Anne said. Unfortunately doctors were initially concerned for Sarah's safety and Child Protective Services (CPS) were called and her family was investigated, said her dad.

"Often time's medical services fail to diagnose an OI child and the families are persecuted unfairly," he said.

Sarah has to go to Salt Lake City every four months for a treatment called pamidronate that helps to make her bones stronger, said her mother. Sarah has had over 35 major fractures in her seven years.

Shanna and Charity, Sarah's sisters who are going on the trip to Hawaii as well, are hoping to learn to ski and Andrew, Sarah's brother, is hoping for the helicopter ride over the volcano as well.

"The whole family has gone through the bad so the whole family deserves the good," said their dad.

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, see http://www.makeawishutah.org.

NW
RB