For Richard and Julie Flynn, a normal childhood was not an option for their 14-year-old daughter Jennifer, but because of the Starlight Foundations they are able to have a brief but well-deserved escape.

“She has a very rare chromosome disorder,” said Mrs. Flynn. “She is marked one of 40 kids in the world with her disability.”

Jennifer was diagnosed at birth with Trisomy 12p with characteristics of Pallister-Killian syndrome. This disease is a rare chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of four copies instead of the normal two.

According to Mrs. Flynn, Jennifer has developmental delays, is nonverbal, asthmatic, incontinent, has a poor immune system and is not aware of where she is.

“For many years we’ve applied for a dream through the Starlight Foundation and they finally granted one for us because she is cognitively 4 years of age and up, which is their criteria,” said Mrs. Flynn.

Starlight wishes are a once-in-a-lifetime experience for children who are between the ages of 4 and 18 and seriously ill.

“Everything that you can shut your eyes and dream about in a summer to do with your children, there is no way in heck my daughter could do,” said Mrs. Flynn.

If the temperature is higher or lower than what she can handle Jennifer cannot go outside. She has no depth perception and cannot handle high stimulation.

“She couldn’t even handle going to Buskers festival because it’s way too much stimulation,” said Mrs. Flynn. “They have managed to get a cottage for us up in the Muskoka’s with some water, just a low tranquil one week’s vacation for her.”

There is no timeline on how long Jennifer will live. Julie’s husband Richard stays at home to care for their daughter while Mrs. Flynn works full-time.

Looking after Jennifer “is night and day,” she said. “She doesn’t recognize night and day, sleep patterns and so forth so we’re lucky if we’re getting a combined three to four hours sleep a night. It’s very hard.”

For more than 25 years Starlight Children’s Foundation has dedicated their services to improving the quality of like for children with chronic and lifethreatening illnesses and life-altering injuries. They provide entertainment, education and family activates that help families cope with the isolation of an illness, the pain and the fear. The programs Starlight offers are also designed to help families to find relief from constant worry and isolation.

According to Mrs. Flynn, caring for Jennifer is financially taxing for the family and without this wish they could never hope to be able to afford something like this.

“Many thanks to the Starlight Foundation for making this dream come true because there is no way we could even pull such a thing,” she said.

Since 1989 the Starlight Foundation has granted 2,481 wishes. Starlight is unique in their mission to provide multiple options of outpatient, hospitalbased and Web programs that provide ongoing support throughout the course of medical treatment.

Mrs. Flynn stated that if there are kids out there with dreams and have disabilities to just go out and try to have those dreams become real, ‘It doesn’t have to be all a living nightmare; there is peace somewhere.’