A wish for Michaela

Photo by Karen Donato
OFF TO DISNEY — Michaela Calaman, dressed as a princess is the recipient of a trip to Disneyworld with her mother, Keely Howell of Amity, right and her grandparents Phil and Julie Ritchie of Smyrna.
By Karen Donato
Special to the Pioneer Times
The gym at Mill Pond School in Hodgdon was filled with princesses and pirates as students gathered for a Maine Make-A-Wish party for one of their own. Nine-year-old, Michaela Calaman, daughter of Keely Howell of Amity and Kris Calaman of Houlton was the honored guest for the Disneyworld send-off party.
    Michaela was born with Krabbe’s leukodystrophy, a rare degenerative disorder that affects the myelin sheath of the nervous system.
    Howell and Calaman have already lost an 8-year-old son, Michael to this same disease in 2009. Howell was pregnant with Michaela at the time of her son’s diagnosis in 2000, so before Michaela was born she (Michaela) underwent a stem cell transplant.
    Howell said, “Because of Michael’s diagnosis, I was able to start treatment for Michaela early, therefore extending her life and somewhat lessening the degree of the condition.”
    Michaela is confined to a motorized wheelchair, but attends school every day. She uses a special device to communicate with her classmates and teachers at school. Howell said that the staff at Mill Pond have been very supportive of her daughter and appreciates their caring ways.
    As she grew, Michaela developed scoliosis and in January with the curvature of her spine at 77 percent she had two titanium rods inserted in her back to straighten it. The surgery was very successful and she is nearly at 100 percent now.
    Local wish grantors, Marilyn Carey and Karen King organized the Hodgdon event with Loreen Wiley, principal at Mill Pond School. The multi-purpose room was transformed into Cinderella’s castle by several Make-A-Wish volunteers and with props made by Carlene Bartlett and Barbara Ek depicting the castle and the horse-drawn coach.
Photo by Karen Donato
GRANTING A WISH — Mill Pond School in Hodgdon was the setting for a Make-A-Wish send off party for nine-year old Michaela Calaman of Amity last Friday. Participating in the event were Hodgdon High School students, Nick Lunn, left, Emily Transue, center and Josh Hudson far right. Wish grantors, Karen King, second from left and Marilyn Carey, second from right organized the event.
    Carey said, “The cooperation and support provided by Principal Wiley and the teachers was outstanding.”
    MSAD70 Superintendent Robert McDaniel also attended, sporting a pirate eye patch, just like the students.
    “I am happy to be a part of this very important occasion,” he said.
    Michaela loves the Disney princesses, which was quite evident when I visited her home and saw her bedroom. Her walls are decorated with Cinderella and other princesses. Her mom said that she watches many of the princess videos and talking about the princesses always brings a smile to her face. She loves dressing up in gowns, crowns and jewelry.
    Students from kindergarten through grade five filed into the multi-purpose room carrying cards they had made for Michaela, depositing them in a special basket for her to enjoy at home. As Michaela entered the magical room, two pirates — Hodgdon High School students Nick Lunn and Josh Hudson — unfurled a royal carpet for her ride to the entrance of the castle. Once there, Prince ‘Goba’, Michaela’s grandfather, Phil Ritchie presented her with glass slippers, with musical accompaniment by trumpeters, Lunn, Hudson and Judi Howard.
     Emily Transue, another high school student dressed up as Tinker Bell’s older sister and delivered a variety of special gifts to Michaela, including a special crown and scepter. to take on her trip to Disneyworld in Orlando.
    Carey shared with the youngsters details of Michaela’s trip, including the promise of having ice cream at least once for breakfast while she is there.
    At the conclusion of the program, guests were treated to royal cupcakes made by the students at Region 2 School of Applied Technology in Houlton and served by Cathy and Leanne Bither.
    Michaela will also be accompanied on the trip by her grandparents, Phil and Julie Ritchie of Smyrna, who are Michaela’s biggest fans.
    Julie, meets the bus every day at home to watch Michaela until Howell gets home from her job as activities assistant at Gardiner Health Care in Houlton.
    Michaela and her family will leave June 1st for their flight from Bangor, returning on the 7th. While in Florida they will be guests of the “Give Kids the World Village” in Kissimmee, a Make-A-Wish partner. This is a non-profit resort for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. They provide accommodations, meals and donated admission tickets to local attractions.
    “Today has been totally awesome,” said Howell. “The wish grantors have made a little girl’s dream come true. The minute she saw her special Cinderella dress this morning she was ready to go!”
    This event left quite an impression on many of the students attending, as one little one looked up at me and said as I took photos as a Make-A- Wish volunteer and wearing a special wish T-shirt, “I want to do just what you do, when I grow up.” The high school students who participated were quick to offer their help at any upcoming wish parties.
    The Maine Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children, who are two and one-half years old to 18 years of age, who have life-threatening medical conditions and never been granted a wish before.