Alma Center (WQOW) - Many of you have heard of the Make-A-Wish foundation. It is
a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children who suffer from
life-threatening medical conditions.
Recently, an Alma Center
boy had his wish come true.
Nine year old Jaden Rowekamp loves
to snowboard. His older brother Justin got him hooked on the sport when Jaden
was only four and they soon became regulars on the slopes. But then something
happened that almost sidelined Jaden for good.
"Jaden was 5 years old
when he was diagnosed with leukemia. A-L-L, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. He was diagnosed on March, 5th of 2009. And he went through 3 and a quarter years of
treatment," says Kari Matalas, Jaden's mother.
That's when the Make-A-Wish
foundation stepped in, and what better wish to give a young snowboarder than
the chance to hit the slopes of Lake Tahoe
with the greatest snowboarder in the world: his hero Shaun White.
"We got to go
snowboarding, and go shopping, and go on stage with him," says Jaden.
But that wasn't all. It happened to
be Jaden's birthday as well, and he was given a party he will never forget.
"I got two Shaun White
shirts, a hat, and he signed them," says Jaden.
It was a dream come true for a young
man who has been through a lot.
"It meant a lot, well
especially to him. Going through what he
has gone through, I think every child that goes through that deserves something
like that, and it's something that Jaden will never forget," says Kari.
Jaden's last treatment was this past
June, and although he will need monthly checkups for the next few years,
doctors say his outlook is good.
In the mean time, he is going to
continue doing what he loves...snowboarding.
If you'd like more information on Make-A-Wish,
click here.
