Wish Kids
Clay, 9 | Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a cancer of the blood that starts in the bone marrow and spreads to the bloodstream. Approximately 500 children are diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in the United States each year. Clay is an outstanding, straight-A-student, and has two hobbies: collecting baseball cards and hot wheels cars. He has nearly 700 cards. The ones he prizes the most are players are from the Atlanta Braves. Clay wished he could see those players in real life; not just their faces and statistics on his baseball cards. Children’s Wish Foundation International made the players in Clay’s card collection come alive when it arranged for Clay to meet the Atlanta Braves. The Foundation reserved a lovely downtown hotel suite for Clay and his family and sent a limousine to pick them up for the ride to the baseball stadium. Clay arrived to waiting television cameras and reporters wanting to meet the young boy who was to experience the dream of a lifetime. Clay became the star of the show as the Braves organization gave him a guided tour of the stadium facility, a souvenier cap, gloves, a bat and baseballs. They invited him to batting practice and to meet some of the players, whom he had admired from afar for so long. Prior to ariving in Atlanta for his wish, Clay was admitted to the hospital because of a serious reaction to one of his cancer drugs. Although Clay was in the hospital and in jeopardy of having to reschedule his wish, Clay inspired his family with his smile, his never-endng belief in tomorrow and that wishes do come true. "No child should have to live life from a hospital bed. Thanks to the generous support of donors, beautiful children have been able to spend their precious time living out their fondest dream."


