Make-A-Wish: Krystin’s gift of giving back

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Once again, the Morning Edition is teaming up with Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington for its Million Mile Challenge — a campaign to raise airline miles to help create life-changing wishes for kids with critical illnesses.

Right now, the organization is working on granting around 55 wishes for kids in Alaska. The organization relies heavily on airline miles to help keep costs down. Many kids and their families have benefited from Make-A-Wish trips, including 19-year-old Krystin Intrchoodech, who recently graduated from high school and shared her experience of giving back to other kids as her wish.

Making a difference in other’s lives

Krystin’s smile and laugh is infectious. She loves stuffed animals; in particular the Build-A-Bears.

During a recent interview, she showed off one that her brother gave her called “Krystin Junior” and another named “Bunny Wish Star”— emphasis on the wish, because Krystin is a Make-A-Wish kid.

Her story starts in 2022. She and her mom Ladda both got COVID-19, but at the time, her mom was getting better, but Krystin was not.

“After the emergency room visit, they said, ‘Well, you know, Krystin’s white blood cells, you know — they look funny, they’re pretty high, so we’re gonna send it to an out-of-state-lab,’” Ladda said.

That was on a Tuesday, and by Friday, the pediatrician called Ladda to break the news.

“‘I’m sorry, but your daughter has Leukemia,’” Ladda recalled.

Within a matter of hours, Krystin was airlifted to Seattle Children’s Hospital. What she and her family thought would be a couple days stay turned into seven months and five rounds of chemotherapy.

“I still had my hair during the first round, and then a little bit more during the second round, and basically all completely fell out,” Krystin said.

“It was really hard because she had pretty long hair and yeah, as a girl, you know, as a woman, it’s ... you know, feels like it makes you who you are,“ Ladda explained.

Krystin was also isolated a lot during her stay because of the pandemic, but what brought her comfort was a welcome package from the hospital and a Build-A-Bear from her family.

“I remembered how much that package had impacted me and I wanted to do that for the other kiddos there, especially because ... I wanted to make them happy,” Krystin said.

Make-A-Wish granted her dream of bringing in a Build-A-Bear workshop to the hospital where hundreds of bears were created and found new homes. It’s an experience and a day that Krystin and her family won’t forget and are grateful to Make-A-Wish for making not only her dream come true, but other kid’s dreams as well.

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