We are proud of the joy, hope and smiles we've provided over the years. Here are a few of our brave heroes.
Chartway Promise Foundation
Anna wished to be a zookeeper for the cheetahs. Her parents expressed that she could share endless facts about cheetahs, and she had a stuffed cheetah she carried with her throughout her cancer diagnosis and treatment. Anna's wish came true through our partnership with Make a Wish - Greater Virginia. Anna loved every minute of her trip to San Diego Zoo Safari Park and even got to spend the night in park with the cheetahs close by. It was an experience she will never forget thanks to your generosity and support.
Aria, 5, loves Paw Patrol, Minions, and puppies; is the giver of the best hugs; and her smile can light up a room. Earlier this summer, she went to Disney and made the most out of her week in the Florida sunshine. “It was hot,” her mother said. “But she had a blast!”
“Aria loved getting to be around kids who are similar to her,” her mother told us. “I had an emotional moment when I saw all of these children who had been through such traumatic experiences. Some of those families won’t have happy endings – but at least they’ll have these memories because of these great organizations that give these families a little bit of hope.”
She went on to say, “It was a bittersweet experience for us, understanding why we received this Dream and why any of these families receive a Dream. It’s a blessing to be able to have the opportunity but the underlying reason why we get to experience it is heartbreaking. However, seeing Aria get to be a child for the first time in her life was very refreshing and a memory that will last forever for us.”
We are thankful for our partnership with #ChartwayPromiseFoundation for helping to fund this Dream for Aria and her parents. It’s memories like these that give families hope!
At five years old, Audrey was diagnosed with Leukemia. Almost a year into her treatment, Audrey really missed being able to play outside and enjoy time with her friends. With our partner, Roc Solid Foundation, we surprised Audrey and her sister with a playground in their backyard. The power of play goes a long way in providing hope for children fighting serious illness.
Caelum has always loved baseball, but because of his illness, he was unsure of how much he would get to play. However, with a lot of grit and determination, Caelum is not only catcher on his rec league, but was also chosen to play on a local travel team as well! "He’s always in need of equipment,” said his mother, “and it’s expensive!” So when it came time to choose his Dream, Caelum decided he wanted a sports-themed shopping spree so he could get all new equipment for the upcoming season.
Caelum was presented with his Dream in partnership with Toby’s Dream Foundation. Caelum said. “I’ve never had something this special just for me.” We are so happy that Caelum is ready to hit the diamond with his new equipment.
Meet Cameron and Foster. These two met at CHKD when in treatment for cancer and were instant best friends. These boys, full of energy, kept each other going during chemo and all the treatments for their illnesses. In August, Chartway Promise Foundation and Toby’s Dream Foundation partnered together to surprise Cam and Foster with their dream trip to Disney World. The best part? They get to go together! All the memories of hospital stays, and needles will now be replaced with laughter, love, and fun. Your support allowed this dream to come true. Hope is a powerful medicine. Click here to see Cam and Foster's dream become a reality.
At only 20 weeks, Cayden's family discovered he had congenital heart disease. His family was about to move to Hampton Roads for his father’s next duty station so it was a very uneasy time. Cayden was born at UVA Medical Hospital and at only four days old, he had the first of his 3 open heart surgeries. While there have been many challenges for Cayden in his 7 short years, his parents are in awe everyday of how much he has grown and despite his limitations, all that he’s accomplished. Cayden and his dad play golf together and just recently won a father-son golf tournament.
Cayden's wish to explore Legoland in Florida became a reality during a wish reveal at the Chartway-sponsored men's basketball game held at Old Dominion University. Cayden shared that "it was the best day ever," after receiving his wish. Click here to watch Cayden's wish become a reality.
Chloe is fourteen years old and loves to go on adventures. Chloe is battling cancer and looks for every opportunity to get out of the house and take her mind off of treatments. Thanks to Hooked on Hope and Chartway Promise Foundation, Chloe was able to get out on the water and catch some fish that she cooked up for her family dinner. The best part was “having time to chill, relax and not think about school or medical treatments.” Thank you for making Chloe’s dream come true and allowing her to be a carefree teenager.
Corrine is a bright young lady who wanted to visit TheWizarding World of Harry Potter for her dream. She has loved Harry Potter since she was a kid and always wanted to experience the (literal) magic for herself. Corrine was referred to Toby's Dream before Covid, but after two years of waiting, she was finally on her way to Florida. Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was first on their list. She got her robe - Team Hufflepuff! - and interactive wand and had so much fun going around and casating spells. They thoroughly enjoyed Hagrid's Motor Bike and the brand new Velocicoaster and were so appreciative of the Gold Pass that allowed them to skip ahead to the head of the line. After two and a half years of chemo this trip was the perfect way to get her life back together, shared Corrine's mom. Thank you for making Corrine's dream come true.
Julian, is an incredible kid with a bright spirit. Ten years ago, his life changed when he was diagnosed with Glycogen Storage Disease Type 3A at 18 months. He has been through so much since that day, five surgeries, countless nights in the hospital, so many medications, his family can’t even count them anymore. But through it all, he's been a trooper. Julian shared that "being sick is really hard. Not just the time I have to be in the hospital, but all the time that I can’t be a normal kid."
When Julian met with Make a Wish, he asked for a trip to Disney. He wanted to go someplace that I could forget about doctor’s appointments, pain and limitation for just a little while. Thanks to the partnership with Make a Wish and the Chartway Promise Foundation, Julian's wish to go to Disney was granted. See Julian's wish come to life here.
Julie was four when she got diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. As you can imagine, it was scary, very scary for her and her family. But, with the support and love that they had as a family, they definitely got through it with that. The Chartway Promise Foundation and Make-A-Wish granted her wish for a Disney trip to see Cinderella. Her favorite part was staying in a house with around Christmas time, and they had presents under the tree every night for us. Her family got to do all of the parks and spend time as a family not worrying about what was going on behind the scenes. Julie said, “It was awesome. It was the best trip of my life. I think it's what our family needed to get through the chemo and all of the hospital trips and all of that.” It brought our family closer together. Watch Julie’s full story here.
Just a few months ago, Karlysle and his family were living their lives as a normal military family. Then they got the devastating news that, Karlysle was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. During his treatment, all Karlysle wanted to do is go to school or play with his friends, he didn't like being sick.
When it came time to choose his Dream, Karlysle decided he wanted to go to Disney to experience the magic of being of kid again. Karlysle was presented his Dream in partnership with Toby's Dream Foundation during the ODU vs. Virginia Tech football game. He and his family were invited out on the field to announce his dream come true. Karlysle was filled with joy when he heard his dream would soon become a reality. Click here to see Karlysle's dream come to life.
Levi has always loved football but because of his illness, he is now an amputee. Throughout his journey, Levi has been very optimistic and just wants to get back to being a regular 17 year old. So when it came time to choose his Dream, Levi's decided he wanted virtual reality googles and an omni-directional treadmill to feel the sensation of running again.
Levi was presented his Dream in partnership with Toby's Dream Foundation during the ODU vs. Wakeforest football game. He and his family were invited out on the field to announce his dream come true surround by thousands in the stands. Levi said, "I never expected this, this is amazing. I'm really happy, my parents are happy that's always good, its a good day." Click here to see Levi's dream come true.
Michael, age 5, is a friendly little guy who loves dinosaurs and video games, but most of all, swimming. “Michael has been a water baby since birth! He has always loved baths, sprinklers, water tables, pools, the beach - you name it,” his mother said. She added, “When Michael was asked what his dream was, he knew he wanted to swim! Michael’s wish was granted with a five-year membership to the local recreation center. When asked what this Dream meant to Michael and his family, his mother said, “We love seeing him explore and find something new with each visit. Watching him enjoy a normal childhood with his siblings is something we will cherish for our entire lifetime. Thank you for making this dream come true!
Oliver was diagnosed with lymphoma in Aug. 2021 but was able to escape the stresses of treatment with a day on the water, which ended up being a fun experience for the entire family. "For those eight hours, or whatever it was, that we were on the water, it was just a beautiful day and just a chance for us to kind of get away from what has become our reality," Robert noted. "It could be the mom, could be the dad, could be the siblings," Mike said of those who might get the most out of the experience. "Sometimes it's even the volunteers that are on the boats or on the events with us." Despite having no fishing experience, Oliver proved to be a natural on the water. "To my surprise, he continued to reel in fish the entire day," Robert exclaimed. "That in itself, I was kind of blown away by that." "It was really fun," added Oliver. "I had a great time, had fun catching all the blue fish. It was a pretty fun time just chillaxing." "Catching fish is a bonus," Mike noted. "When we see these moms or dads and the siblings catching these big fish that are even bigger than them, it's pretty amazing."
Hooked on Hope and the Chartway Promise Foundation gives those in need a chance to calm their seas amid life's rough waters. The Boyds and Robeys hope that others will sail away from their own troubles, even if only for a little while. "You're not alone in this," pointed out Gina. "When it happens to you, you feel isolated, you feel like nobody understands, but then you build a community with other people."
Syrus, age 16, is a soft-spoken young man who had a big dream. ‘I’ve always wanted a dog, specifically, a Siberian Husky. There is something about their personalities – they’re so smart and goofy,’ he said. ‘In elementary school, Syrus brought home a book on Siberian Huskies – it’s all he ever talked about,’ his mother said. Having gone through so much, Syrus knew that having a canine companion would bring him the emotional support he needed.
With the help of our partner, Toby’s Dream Foundation, Syrus got to pick out his pup, spending time getting to know each one and settled on a sweet little girl…but then another little girl caught his eye on the other side of the room. ‘I really liked the first dog I picked,’ he said, ‘but when I saw Luna, I don’t know how to describe it – I just loved her.’ ‘She was just so peaceful and quiet – just like Syrus,’ his mother said. ‘Luna is SWEET, such a lady! And has brought so much joy into our home. You can see the labor of love that was put into this Dream. Thank you!"