SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Often times, you hear the success stories of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. But you rarely hear the long term effects these wishes leave.
Seven years ago, 12-year-old girl Jasmine Freed had a very rare disease, and just wanted to be a nurse and work with newborn babies. Her wish became a reality through the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
"I just kept thinking I could never have given her this, I could have taken her to Disneyland, or took her lots of places, but I couldn't, I couldn't give her babies to hold and that's all she wanted," her mom said just after Jasmine's wish was granted.
And through this experience of being a baby nurse for a day, Jasmine's dreams began taking off.
Though Jasmine had dealt with nurses for years, it was never a fun experience. She had been in and out of the hopsital for five years with a rare skin and muscle disease.
"There were times when I would see her crawl up the stairs because she couldn't walk up the stairs anymore, and think oh man we just can't do this anymore," said her mom.
And though she wasn't fully cured, her disease went into remission for a short time. A time that Jasmine got a chance to study a medical career, instead of being studied.
"I got to see so many things. I got to see an end of a c-section, and the babies and it was really cool. Lots of moms heard about me and wanted me to come in and take pictures with their babies," Jasmine said.
She says it's the memories of that day that got her through some of her darkest moments. And that one day, changed her life.
Now, Jasmine works as a volunteer for Make-a-Wish to make other children's dreams come true.
She is now in full remission but says she no longer wants to be a nurse, but an adoption agent.
To visit the
Make-a-Wish Foundation website click here.
