Juli Kolby and her husband are going to wait a couple of years before they let their young daughter chose her wish.
The CAO for the village of Anmore says she wants her three-year-old girl to fully understand the gift she's been given and to get the most of out it.
A few months back, the couple discovered Hannah had been granted a dream experience by the Children's Wish Foundation. Hannah had been nominated by a nurse at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver after she underwent her second open heart surgery this past July.
Wishes are granted to kids 18 and under who have gone through more than their fair share of medical intervention, Kolby said. "Obviously, the nurse thought Hannah was a good candidate," said the Pitt Meadows resident.
Kolby was in her second trimester of pregnancy when she learned her unborn baby had congenital heart defects: an atrial septal defect and pulmonary valve stenosis.
Following Hannah's first open heart surgery at 16 months old, doctors also diagnosed her with an aortic valve stenosis, which was corrected this summer.
Still, it's anticipated Hannah will have to go under the knife again to reopen her pulmonary valve stenosis.
But, despite her heart conditions, Kolby said Hannah is "really, really fortunate" not to have any restrictions to her activities. She's free to play like any healthy child including rougher sports such as ice hockey.
And she's grateful to the folks at the Children's Wish Foundation to reward Hannah and to give her something special to look forward to.
The Children's Wish Foundation is expected to grant up to 1,000 wishes this year across Canada, paid for with donations from individuals, corporations and non-profit groups like the Now That's Ugly Society.
Last year, the Tri-City- based society collected $60,000 for the foundation — equal to six wishes (they can range from meeting a celebrity and being a superhero for a day to swimming with dolphins and surfing in Hawaii).
Hannah Kolby will be a recipient for this year's campaign, which includes an Original Ugly Christmas Sweater Dash and an Original Ugly Christmas Sweater Party (now in its 14th year).
Society spokesperson Jordan Birch said the dash will return to the Tri-Cities. "We wanted to bring it home," he said.
The 5k-trek on Saturday, Dec. 5 starts at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody at 11 a.m. and includes a finisher's festival with holiday music provided by the Vancouver party band Groove 'n Tonic, a beer garden for adults (with Moody Ales, Yellow Dog and Twin Sails suds on tap) and family entertainment until 2 p.m.
Of course, prizes will awarded to participants with the tackiest knitwear.
Meanwhile, the nearby Rocky Point Ice Cream has whipped up a special flavour for the cause: Maple Bacon.
• To register for the third annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Dash ($40 for adults, $10 for kids eight and under), visit nowthatsugly.com. Tickets for the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at the Commodore Ballroom on Dec. 18 are also online via ticketmaster.ca for $30.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
