Father pulls Make-a-Wish trip...she's healthy

[WOT?*]

What do you think. I think he's an ass.


Father dashes Make-A-Wish dream for daughter


Whitney Hughes and daughter McKenna May (Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)The mother and grandmother of 4-year-old McKenna May, who survived leukemia, are collecting money to get the little Ohio girl to Disney World after her father nixed a Make-A-Wish trip to the theme park.

McKenna's father, William May of Toledo, said using Make-A-Wish money for a child who is "free and clear" of illness is an improper use of donations made to the organization. "I think it should go to kids who only have six months to live," he told the Sentinel-Tribune of Bowling Green, Ohio.

The charity requires that parents have to sign off for a child to accept a trip.

After going through two years of cancer treatment that included spinal taps, chemotherapy and hospitalizations because of reactions to the treatments, McKenna's mother, Whitney Hughes, and grandmother, Lori Helppie, feel she deserves the trip.

[Related: John Cena grants record 300th Make-A-Wish request]

So they've pulled their family's request with Make-A-Wish and are placing collection jars around the community to raise the needed $3,500 to fund the trip on their own.

The important thing is to get her there," Helppie told the newspaper. "She loves Mickey Mouse. She loves Cinderella." "She's really excited," Hughes said. "It's all she's talked about for the last three months."

Helppie and Hughes are outraged at May's refusal and claim McKenna's father is just trying to get back at them over visitation privileges. May was just granted visitation earlier this year, according to the Sentinel-Tribune.

The father, however, blames McKenna's mother and grandmother for keeping him from seeing his daughter. "I wasn't allowed to be involved," May said. "It ticked me off."

Susan McConnell, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish for Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, said that McKenna clearly qualifies for a wish since she has gone through so much in her two-year struggle to beat leukemia, the newspaper reported.

McConnell said it is unfortunate that the family yanked their request for a wish since the father wouldn't sign off. "She's been through a lot," she said of McKenna. "What I really feel bad about is she is stuck in the middle."

[karmasabiotch]

I bet someone will pick up on this and pay for the trip. Is the Dad estranged from the family? It sounds like a power struggle that has little to do with the little girl. How sad.

[Deleted]

A pretty shitty powerplay on the dad's part

[zozo]

I'm sure there is more to the story about why this man wasn't granted visitation until recently if this type of behaviour is any indication. How sad that this little girl has been placed in the middle of it all.

[mrsjuleshs]

That is the ultimate use of a kid to get back at the parent. I hope she can get her trip.

[Deleted]

Gee, I wonder why they didn't let him visit his sick daughter. Asshole. She's been through 2 years of tough treatments. She absolutely deserves the trip even if she's not going to die any day. What a horrendous thing to say about your child

[Deleted]

I think it's odd of the organization to require both parents sign off, especially in a case like this when one parent is clearly estranged from the family.

So in this case, I think the MAWF are the ones who are the dicks, not that dad doesn't take the prize of course.

[wildorchid363]

First reaction was Dad is being a heartless dick...and also clearly doesn't realize that doing this won't help his relationship with his daughter in the future.


The father, however, blames McKenna's mother and grandmother for keeping him from seeing his daughter. "I wasn't allowed to be involved," May said. "It ticked me off."

BUT if what he is saying is true then that is also really shitty on the Mom/Grandma because he should have been allowed around her while she was sick
*does not justify this reaction at all though

[sparkles17]

Jul 18, 2012 15:22:13 GMT -5 @wildorchid363 said:

First reaction was Dad is being a heartless dick...and also clearly doesn't realize that doing this won't help his relationship with his daughter in the future.


The father, however, blames McKenna's mother and grandmother for keeping him from seeing his daughter. "I wasn't allowed to be involved," May said. "It ticked me off."

BUT if what he is saying is true then that is also really shitty on the Mom/Grandma because he should have been allowed around her while she was sick
*does not justify this reaction at all though

I'm guess that there is a WHOLE lot more to this stuff. I'd even go so far as to say that I'm sure there was a very valid reason he wasn't allowed around based on his total douchery in this article.

[Deleted]

Yeah, anyone who refuses to sign off on a trip to Disney for his kid (probably because Mom and Grandma would go and he didn't want THEM to have fun) because she isn't dying probably wasn't a great dad at any point.

[janegold]

I think Make a Wish trips and gifts should be reserved for dying children. Isn't that the point of the organization?

[bab]

Make a Wish is not only for children who are dying. You can be eligible if you have been diagnosed with a life threatening medical condition. Although this little girl was in recovery from her illness, she is still technically eligible for Make a Wish.
The father sounds like a mega dick.

[janegold]

Jul 18, 2012 16:06:16 GMT -5 bab said:

Make a Wish is not only for children who are dying. You can be eligible if you have been diagnosed with a life threatening medical condition. Although this little girl was in recovery from her illness, she is still technically eligible for Make a Wish.
The father sounds like a mega dick.

Oh, in that case I change my answer to: Dad = douche.

[gretchenindisguise]

One of my old teachers has a son with leukemia. He's still taking medication, but is considered in recovery.

MAWF sent the whole family (mom, dad and three sons) on a fantastical trip to Spain and Mediterranean cruise.

Make a Wish Foundation is great. This dad is a douche. Rule #1 in divorced parenting: don't take things away from your kid to get back at your ex.