Beyond The Wish - Dylan
Meet Dylan, the little boy who found a new lease of life on the ski slopes.
Dylan's wish to go to the snow with his family has had a lasting positive effect on him.
Beyond The Wish is our series of inspirational reads exploring the impact of wishes long after they have been delivered.
Mindset shifts in the snow
For a few years following his leukaemia diagnosis, Dylan struggled to see himself as anything other than a sick child.
But his 2023 wish to go on a family holiday to the snow shifted that mindset.
“I think he now sees himself as a skier,” said Nicole, Dylan’s mum.
“His concept of himself has changed.
“He sees himself doing something strong, active and healthy. I think that memory is stronger now than the experiences of having leukemia and going to hospital.”
The wish inspired Dylan’s family to return to the snow in 2024: a new tradition they plan to a part of their lives going forward.
Dylan an 'absolute trooper' through treatment
The first signs that Dylan was unwell showed when he just 17 months old.
He went back and forth to the GP over a month until at one appointment the doctor advised he should be taken straight to the hospital.
The diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia came as a complete shock for parents Nicole and Andy.
Andy said Dylan was “an absolute trooper” during the treatment phase, which lasted just under three years.
Make-A-Wish came into Dylan’s life when he was still unwell. But just as he had settled on his wish, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Dylan’s wish was put on hold.
Delay a blessing in disguise
Dylan was adamant that he wanted to go skiing for his wish.
But being forced to hit pause may have been a blessing in disguise, according to Nicole.
“Dylan made the wish when he was four, but the Wish Experience didn’t actually occur until he was seven,” Nicole said.
“So by then, skiing was actually a better fit because he could go to ski school and things like that. So, it worked out fine.”
It was the first time I've seen him that happy about a physical activity
Andy Dylan's dad
Transformation before dad's eyes
One of Nicole’s favourite memories of the wish was when her children Dylan and Luci arrived at Mt Hotham and saw snow for the very first time.
“As soon as they saw the snow they burst out of the car,” Nicole recalled.
“They had snowball fights and then there were all these other just incredible parts of the trip, like a husky dog sled ride.”
Andy said he saw his son transform before his eyes from a ski novice to someone who showed no fear on the slopes.
“Dylan decided he wanted to go fast,” Andy said. “To see the absolute joy on his face and how brave and adventurous he was, was just great.
“It was the first time I've seen him that happy about a physical activity.”
Wish 'validating' for family
Dylan’s wish had come at the right time for his family.
After Nicole had given up work to be beside Dylan during his medical journey, the family could not afford a holiday.
“You have bad luck in life, but we had good luck in the form of Make-A-Wish,” Nicole said,
“Make-A-Wish gave us a holiday experience we could never afford.
“In a way Make-A-Wish was validating because it sort of reminded us that maybe we do deserve nice things.
“The wish was a really beautiful family experience. And you're like, ‘oh, I can't believe life has brought me here’. I was so happy; it felt like such a magic moment.”
Andy said that while other charities helped during Dylan’s medical journey, what Make-A-Wish offered was what they needed most.
“What Make-A-Wish is doing is addressing something, a need that’s much higher up than other needs,” Andy said.
“And that is that a person needs to have a great time and realise they're special.”
You have bad luck in life, but we had good luck in the form of Make-A-Wish. Make-A-Wish gave us a holiday experience we could never afford.
Nicole, Dylan's mum
Dylan grows in confidence
Andy said the wish gave Dylan confidence and self-belief.
Now almost two years since the wish, Dylan is continuing to be more active than he ever was.
“He’s more confident in himself, particularly with physical things,” Andy said.
“We've really enjoyed rollerblading and ice skating since then.
“They are similar kinds of things to skiing, similar kinds of movements, and I think Dylan feels quite confident with those things now.”
Andy said the wish had also opened up new possibilities for his family.
“It’s expanded all of our horizons,” he said.
“We began thinking about different kinds of adventures we could go on. And that we could maybe push ourselves beyond the easy options.”
