Wishes For Children Foundation

... For Katie

We met Katie just before her 12 birthday where she jabbered on about her school and friends and horses and dreams of going to Disneyland, or having a sleep over with her best friend (2 things she had never been able to do, due to the embarrassment of frequent diaper changes because of her challenge). She has 1 leg several inches shorter than the other, and has fancy shoes that even her up. She doesn't let these things stop her from playing, but just playing with these types of challenges is a challenge itself.

Wishes For Children granted Katie's wish to go to Disneyland and have her best friend come too, and they all stayed in the Disneyland Hotel, had breakfast with Goofy, and the monorail brought Katie and her mom back to the hotel whenever they needed. What a great surprise for this beautiful girl’s 12th birthday.

Katie is a super spunky 12 year who just happens to have Myelomeningocele. Also known as open spinal bifida, myelomeningocele is the most severe form — and the form people usually mean when they use the term "spinal bifida."

In myelomeningocele, the baby's spinal canal remains open along several vertebrae in the lower or middle back. Because of this opening, both the membranes and the spinal cord protrude at birth, forming a sac on the baby's back. In some cases, skin covers the sac. Usually, however, tissues and nerves are exposed, making the baby prone to life-threatening infections.

Neurological impairment — often including loss of movement (paralysis) — is common. So are bowel and bladder problems, seizures and other medical complications.