Camping wishes come true for five young dreamers
Syracuse, NY – Excellus BlueCross BlueShield was proud to participate in a special Make-A-Wish reveal held on Friday, June 25 at Camping World in Syracuse. This event was generously supported by Camping World and Excellus BCBS. The reveal gave five critically ill children 2021 Gulf Stream Enlighten 25BH campers to fulfill their camping dreams.
This event was supported by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Central New York, Southern Tier, and Utica regions, marking the first time these regions have collaborated on a Make-A-Wish event. The company was proud to attend the event and present each child with a special gift to go along with their camper.
“Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is super excited to participate in this Wish reveal. It is incredibly special to be able to participate in a wish that will not only impact one wish child but five wish kids all at one time,” said Lisa A. White, SVP, Chief Compliance and Risk Officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Lisa has been volunteering for Make-A-Wish for the past four years and currently serves as the vice-chair on their Board of Trustees.
“It is so rewarding to be able to give a child dealing with a critical illness the hope and strength to continue the fight by giving them something to look forward to,” she said. “It not only impacts the wish child, but their entire family.”
The Central New York recipients were, Angeliese Parrilla, 16, of Syracuse, Delanie Zimmer, 14, of Liverpool, Callin Mack, 6, of Sterling.
Angeliese was born with congenital heart disease. Throughout her young life she has endured many doctor visits, exams, and procedures, including a heart catheterization in 2018. While treatment for the condition is ongoing, Angeliese is strong and determined to live life as it comes. This quiet girl loves science, nature and animals and one day wants to be a veterinarian. She is looking forward to traveling and exploring in her new camper.
Delanie loves animals, especially her horses Zeus and Cooper. For the most part, she’s a typical teenager who enjoys playing clarinet, learning about earth science in school, and eating her favorite meal – spicy chicken wings and pizza. But as an infant, Delanie was diagnosed with a rare disorder called tuberous sclerosis. The condition caused numerous tumors throughout her body, triggered seizures, and led to heart, skin, brain, eye, and kidney issues. Delanie has to make annual trips to Boston to receive treatment from a specialist, who has fortunately found a combination of medicines to keep her seizures under control. While there’s no cure for her condition, Delanie is active and focused on her passion for horses. She especially enjoys traveling to and competing in horse shows, where her specialty areas are English and Western riding, and Hunter Jumper and Barrel Racing competitions. Delanie wished for a camper to make traveling to the shows easier. She’s looking forward to more road trips and competitions, and being able to hang out with friends afterward!
Callin is a kind, happy boy with a big sense of humor. He enjoys playing with LEGOs and magnet toys, and loves being with his family. In August 2018, Callin went to the eye doctor for a routine checkup. During the appointment, his doctor discovered Callin had no vision in his left eye. Scans were recommended and a diagnosis was delivered: Callin had a rare, benign brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma. Following diagnosis, Callin underwent radiation and multiple procedures, including surgery. The location of the tumor has caused some physical problems, and Callin will have to continue to be monitored by his physicians indefinitely. Despite the challenges, however, this joyful boy is undaunted. Callin asked for a camper so he could go on camping trips with his family. He’s especially looking forward to playing on the beach and making s’mores by the campfire.
“Callin is a remarkable little boy,” said his mom, Brittany. “To think of all the battles he has fought at such a young age and still remain hopeful, thoughtful, and positive is honestly more than we would ever have expected of him. There is nothing that can take his smile and joy for life away.”
