Spring Valley High School sends Make-A-Wish kid on Disney Cruise

Make-A-Wish South Carolina granted 209 wishes last year, thanks to community donors and volunteers.

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) — Make-A-Wish South Carolina granted 209 wishes last year, thanks to community donors and volunteers. One of those partners is Spring Valley High School, which has raised money to grant wishes the past five years.

This year, students are sending LJ Thomas and his family on a Disney Cruise.

“He is super excited about going on the cruise,” said Shanardoro Mozie, Thomas’ mother.

“I’m excited about water slides, and food, and the places we’re going like the islands and stuff,” said LJ Thomas, the Make-A-Wish recipient.

In 2015, Thomas was five years old. His family heard the word no family wants to hear; cancer.

“He was diagnosed with stage 3 Wilm’s tumor. And what that is is a childhood kidney cancer,” said Mozie.

“I was scared because I had to get lots of needles and stuff. Needles and treatment,” said Thomas.

A kidney was removed, and Thomas underwent radiation and chemo. Now, a few years later, he’s cancer-free and going on a cruise.

“Makes me happy because I get to go somewhere with my whole family and have fun,” said Thomas.

Students at Spring Valley fundraise every year to grant wishes. Thomas is the fifth Make-A-Wish kid the school has sponsored.

“I think it’s important for high schoolers to get involved, because they need to know that in the real world when you go out in the community, it’s about helping others,” said Olisa Ashford, Director of Student Activities with Spring Valley. “They really get to see how fortunate we are, but then how they can also be a blessing to someone else. And we want them to carry this on as they go out and as they become productive citizens in the community.” 

Thanks to the school’s efforts, they’re able to send Thomas and his seven family members on a Disney Cruise; making Thomas’ wish come true.

“I’m definitely going to keep Make-A-Wish a part of his life, and have him to donate as well, to give back to those children so they can have the same opportunity that he had,” said Mozie.

Thomas and his family leave for Florida this Sunday, and the cruise takes off on Monday.