PO‘IPU — There is just one more day before Christmas and Stella Burgess’s to-do list is burgeoning. Among the items was a luncheon for Conner Crawford, who just finished his chemotherapy regimen that lasted more than three years. “Conner was
PO‘IPU — There is just one more day before Christmas and Stella Burgess’s to-do list is burgeoning.
Among the items was a luncheon for Conner Crawford, who just finished his chemotherapy regimen that lasted more than three years.
“Conner was diagnosed when he was just a year-and-a-half (old),” said his mother Pua Crawford who accepted a $27,000 check from Doug Sears, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa Monday.
Following his diagnosis, Conner underwent chemotherapy for more than three years, and following that, the doctors said he seems to be fine, Pua said.
Pua was representing the Make A Wish Foundation, home of the nation’s largest wish-granting organization.
Sears told Pua that Hyatt is one of the Make A Wish corporate sponsors.
Burgess has said that it is not unusual for Make A Wish recipients to spend time at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i, and at one point, she was taking care of at least a guest a month under the Make A Wish program.
Make A Wish has been giving hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions since 1980 when it granted one boy’s wish to be a police officer, states the Make A Wish Web site.
Since then, Make A Wish has grown into an organization that grants a child’s wish in the United States every 40 minutes.
Pua said Conner is Kaua‘i’s Make A Wish child and his wish is to visit Legoland, something that could become a reality now that he has finished his chemotherapy.
Recently, the Hyatt created a Make A Wish day that generated a portion of the funds contributed Wednesday.
That event featured a craft fair complemented by a large silent auction featuring numerous items contributed by the resort as well as generous community partners.
People wishing to help Make A Wish still have time, as Macy’s at Kukui Grove is still accepting letters to Santa under the Macy’s corporate Believe campaign that contributes a dollar to the Make A Wish Foundation for each letter, up to a million dollars.
According to the Make A Wish Web site, Macy’s has collected 645,176 letters to Santa to date with the countdown to Christmas entering its final stages.
That countdown hangs heavy over Burgess’s head as following her luncheon date with the Make A Wish family, there are still presents to be delivered for the Child & Family Services, and a quantity of gift cards to be dropped off to the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center for kupuna who are raising keiki, Burgess said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or via e-mail at dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
