$80,000 raised!

From Olivia's Family: "How do we say thank you for a trip of a lifetime? We'll try. We had the most amazing time this summer in late July on Olivia's dream vacation to Disney, Sea World and Universal. From our accommodations at Give Kids the World to our daily park adventures, everything exceeded our expectations. We made it to seven parks in 6 days {95 rides total!) and although we were exhausted, we have memories and photos that will last us a lifetime. We took nothing for granted and tried to do it all from full days at the parks to swim parties at night. Give Kids the World was amazing. They really thought of everything to make sure we felt spoiled. Our kids came home every day to gifts and we ate fabulous meals and ice cream all week long. It was such a personalized experience for all of us. What an amazing place! We hope to return to Give Kids the World to pay it forward and volunteer for new families who stay in the future. Your generosity is overwhelming, and we can't thank you enough!

Type One Diabetes is tough on Olivia and our family. This trip has made us even more grateful for awareness of the disease and the recognition from others that we do hard things every day to keep Olivia healthy. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts."

From Addilyn's Family: "It was the morning of her dreams, as Addilyn Engstrom excitedly waited in the Lenexa City Hall green room. She was poised beyond her seven years of age and looked glamorous, thanks to hair styling and make-up. Surrounded by posters announcing her star performance and a beautiful bouquet of flowers, she felt ready for her big debut. Addilyn was introduced and accompanied by the talented Joy Zimmerman. When she saw the crowd of farmers market visitors, she thought to herself "wow, this is like a real musician. I feel so special."

She bravely and beautifully sang Never Enough from The Greatest Showman. Neither the wind nor her nerves held her back, and she did an amazing job! Addilyn recalls the feelings she had immediately after her performance when the crowd clapped and cheered. "My heart was super pound-y, full of excitement and joy, and I was really proud of myself."

Audience members lined up immediately following her song for an autograph signing, and Addilyn proudly inked her name in cursive with a sharpie while strangers complimented abundantly. Addilyn's dream was to be made-up like a celebrity and perform in front of a real audience, and thanks to Craig and The Dream Factory of KC, she was able to do just that.

Addilyn lives with the chronic illness of type 1 diabetes. She was diagnosed in 2020, and it has changed a lot of norms and routines in her daily life. Being granted this dream was so special for her - a bright memory to carry with her for a lifetime! Addilyn plans to continue singing, performing, and living out her dreams to the fullest. Diabetes is a big part of her, but it will never take away her shine! A sincere thank you for all that made her dream come true."

From Cierra's Family: "Cierra was born with a congenital heart defect and had her 1st heart surgery at 2 months old. Cierra had developmental and physical delays that followed her always. During a routine cardiology appointment, she was diagnosed with Scoliosis and her curvature required surgery to correct. At 13, Cierra walked in for surgery and came out paralyzed from the chest down. Cierra learned in Dec 2021 she will need another heart surgery and that spurred her to complete her application. Cierra has had her share of obstacles and curveballs, but she has kept her beautiful spirit and love of life through everything.

Cierra’s dream was to attend a KC Chiefs game and KU basketball game. Cierra was surprised by the Dream Factory while watching a KU Basketball game at Johnny’s Tavern with family. With only a few weeks until her 19th birthday and the NFL playoffs in motion, Cierra was not able to see a Chiefs game but she did get a private tour of GEHA Stadium with many highlights including a chance to meet Harrison Butker and get an autographed football along with a Chiefs Jersey! Cierra also toured QB1’s private suite and took a selfie with his picture in the background. Cierra was invited to a KU Shoot and personally met the entire KU Basketball team and coaches who one by one stopped by to wish her a happy birthday. Cierra’s dream finale was to attend a KU Basketball game at Allen Field-house!

Cierra was in awe of all the wonderful gifts, the tour of GEHA stadium and totally speechless when she met Harrison Butker. Meeting the KU basketball team and coaches also made her speechless and she was able to take a picture with both her favorite KU players… #30 and #33. Cierra is a big believer in the good of others and is very humbled that her dream was achievable thanks to the “village” of volunteers!"

Annika Wheeler
Johnson County Community College, Education Major

"To me, the Dream Factory is not just about granting the wishes of thousands of chronically ill children, its the joy and hope given through the granting of the wish and becoming a part of the Dream Factory family that makes it so special. I know this to be true because when I had my wish granted to meet “Winter”, the dolphin in Clearwater, Florida, I felt true joy, perhaps for the first time in my life. In his true-life movie, Winter had overcome a lot of obstacles just like me. On the trip, I found myself in a place where having a disability was not embarrassing, in fact, it was celebrated! Seeing other families coping with issues like ours reminded me that I’m not alone and that lots of kids struggle with issues that aren’t “normal”, and yet we all have this joy and hope to get us through tougher days."

Jackson Oberndorfer
Oklahoma Christian University, Mechanical Engineering Major

"Dream Factory made me feel like I was the most important person in the world, instead of always feeling embarrassed that I was different. It gave me a sense of joy that cannot be lost, and that is amazing because kids with diseases like me have a lot that is lost. My Dream trip shaped my childhood that had previously been hampered by hardships."

Kaleb King
Maple Woods Community College, Accounting Major

"The Dream Factory has been a part of my life as well as my family's life for 16 years. The Dream Factory and their charitable giving nature influenced me to participate in charitable causes as well. It has also taught me that with care and compassion we can inspire kids to be the best version of themselves, and this is a principle I now use in my own life. I have Cerebral Palsy and through hard work and determination I have been able to succeed in not only school, but in life as well."

Kaylee West
Pittsburg State University, Elementary and Special Education Major

"In 2015, I was granted a dream to take my family and I to Disney World. At the time of my dream, I was really struggling with my type one diabetes. I was in the transition to high school and really struggled with being different from my friends. The Dream Factory gave me an opportunity to change my outlook on life. It truly made me feel like the most special person in the world. I can thank the Dream Factory for allowing me to get to this place in life, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities they have given me."

Samantha Binning
University of Missouri- Columbia, Journalism

"I’ve been bound to a wheelchair because of my brittle bone disease, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, my whole life. Intentionally or not, many disabled kids are isolated among their peers and miss out on the joy and thrill of childhood. For this reason, the Dream Factory holds a special place in my heart. The Dream Factory makes inclusion not only a priority, but their standard. They don’t force disabled kids to adapt to them, they adapt themselves for disabled kids."