“If you could have any wish in the entire world, what would it be?”

That was the topic of discussion that went around the table as Molly and her family celebrated her upcoming trip to Australia, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Connecticut.

When Molly was diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, she knew that the road to recovery would be a long one. Her condition would bring on hospital visits and medical treatments that would be very difficult for a teenage girl to bear.

“Molly missed her eighth grade graduation, and her entire freshman year of high school,” mom said. “She had hair down to her waist, and she lost it all. For Molly’s sisters to have to see her go through treatment, lose her hair…it has just been a year of a lot of rough times.”

When the opportunity to be granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation was presented to Molly, a new sense of hope came over the entire family. And as for Molly…she knew exactly what to wish for. With a love of Oceanography, Molly wished to go to Australia and see the Great Barrier Reef! And out of all the amazing experiences, the highlight of Molly’s trip was getting to snorkel a section of its 2,900 individual reefs.

“It was box jelly fish season there, so they close all the beaches from October through May,” Molly said. “We had to wear full body wetsuits so that we would be safe!”

Poisonous jellyfish weren’t the only close encounter on the reef. There were sharks as well!

Among other things, Molly and her family were able to hold koalas, feed kangaroos, and visit a rainforest.

“The whole time I kept repeating, “I can’t believe I’m in Australia!” We had a year of really bad memories., and it’s really nice to have them replaced with a lot of really good and exciting memories as a family.”

                                                                                    - Molly’s Mom