I was about 10 years old when I was told by the doctors there would be no more dance practices or long weekends filled with soccer. I never really understood. I would constantly asking, why me? Why was I diagnosed with Marfan’s Syndrome.

The one thing I did know was my life was going to be changed forever. As time went on, trips to the hospital became more and more frequent. This took away from my childhood. Experiences that most kids have growing up slowly were taken  from me; I felt like I was becoming less of a kid and more of a test subject with all the tests and different doctors looking at, poking and proding me, and trying to tell me it was going to be okay.

Truth be told, it was a long time before I ever believed it was going to be okay or anywhere near okay. I mean how could I? Over the past few months I went from living life carefree to being told “no sports, exercise, or running.” It was like my whole word came to stop.

I don’t remember exactly what doctor appointment number it was because there were way too many to keep count, but I do remember my cardiologist coming to me and my parents and talking to us about the Make A Wish program. My doctor said I fit the profile perfectly and explained how great of program they hosted. After conversations with doctors, Make A Wish representatives and family, I decided to go forth and have my wish granted.

I wanted to go visit Australia. I saw this as a great opportunity and made this my wish. The next steps included meeting my wish granters and getting to know them. They were going to make my wish possible.

The process was draining with countless forms of paperwork, different liabilities, booking flights and making reservations. Even getting there was draining: my flight was scheduled to leave at 10 p.m., but was way delayed until 1 a.m. because of “technical difficulties.“ Then again, I went from super excited to mentally and emotionally drained.

Everyone I talked to always said how magical the wish will be and how great of an experience it is. Well, so far nothing had been great. There was no magic and it didn’t look like it was coming any time soon. I just sat their in airport with nothing to do.

But then after a long flight we landed down in Australia and it was everything and more I imagined it would be. The trip itself was amazing. The three experiences that I picked to do while I was there were to swim in the great barrier reef, ride an ATV in the Daintree rainforest, and see the Australian Opera House that is famous around the world.  The time I spent with my family and going to seeing all these amazing places were great. It was indeed what I wished for, but what came out of this trip was way more valuable to me than the memoires of swimming the Reef, riding those ATVs or seeing the Opera House.

On my trip, I didn’t have to worry about being different or feeling out of place, I was able to be myself and live my life carefree again for the first time in a long time. That feeling of belonging in this world, one that I had lost for a while after being diagnosed was reborn in Australia.

I took home this newfound passion for life; I didn’t want to lose that feeling again. I was determined to live my life to fullest and  and not be down about my medical diagnosis, as it is something that was completely out of my control.  There was no more time to feel sorry for myself; it was time for me to conquer my Marfan’s Syndrome.

Once I got back from my trip I was thrown back into more doctor offices and on to surgical tables to put rods in my back to help with my mobility. I did not back down from these challenges; I almost welcomed them in a way. After my surgery, I worked everyday on my rehab and fought through the pain to get back to where I was. There was no way I was going to let Marfan’s win.

Why would I? I was surrounded by people who loved me and only wanted the best for me. I couldn’t let them down and I wasn’t going to let myself down either.