Andrew Knight, a 9-year-old boy passionate about music, has been granted his wish to spend a week in Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Andrew has had health issues since the age of 2. He was about 3 years old when he started having respiratory problems. Asthma attacks began so often and became so severe, doctors had to do testing. At the age of 4, doctors diagnosed Andrew with IgE disease.
IgE is an auto-immune disorder. Exposure to allergens such as animal dander, dust and mold spores can trigger an allergic reaction that can cause asthma signs and symptoms. These signs and symptoms include bronchial constriction (wheezing), coughing and increased airway obstruction.
Andrew's been hospitalized more than 40 times for breathing problems.
"Last year, some of the treatments they were giving him started to become ineffective," described Andrew's mother, Christina Knight. "The last 12 months, he's been hospitalized eight to nine times."
It was around September that Andrew started applications for Make-A-Wish. Once qualified, Make-A-Wish interviewed Andrew to find out what kind of things he enjoyed. He chose Disney World.
The Knights left for Florida the morning of Saturday, March 6. Together with Andrew's 11-year-old brother, Christopher, mother Christina Knight, and father Rodney Ferguson, they will enjoy a week-long trip at the park.
Requirements for Make-A-Wish; the child must bs between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18, have a life-threatening illness, and meet one of three criteria. The individual must be malignant, degenerative or progressive. Andrew's illness is progressive.
"He had qualified for A Kid Again (formerly known as Adventures for Wish Kids). A friend who also has a child with a lot of medical issues had told us about A Kid Again. We sent in applications and that's when they gave us a referral to Make-A-Wish," his mother said.
Andrew is passionate about music, and listens to hip hop and R&B.
"His second wish was to either have (his own) or go to a recording studio," Christina said. "A friend of mine has a husband who owns a small studio. They invited Andrew to come to the recording studio and he recorded three songs that he wrote."
Andrew and his family have never been to an amusement park.
Make-A-Wish Foundation provides for all the medical treatment and needs that Andrew has due to his illness.
"Kids will have breathing treatments, a nebulizer will be available in Andrew's room. We'll have to take his breathing machine and all his medications," Christina explained.
"We specifically chose this time of year because he has trouble with heat and humidity, and we definitely want it to be a time when it's not too hot."
Make-A-Wish includes meals and the family is given an expense check for food in the park and souvenirs.
"A limo is coming to pick us up in the morning and will take us to the airport. and bring us back. I thought they are wonderful, they think of everything."
Andrew is a third grade student at Bruce Elementary in Eaton.
Due to Andrew's condition, he has been absent from school since the middle of December. He was in the hospital a week in December and two weeks in January.
"Andrew had some new diagnoses, his airways are damaged from all the asthma attacks he's had," Christina said. "It is breaking down the cartilage in the airway. Right now the doctor has taken him out of school to try to get him stronger.
"He's missed a lot of school. We've never taken him out for as long of a time before - it's just always been every two weeks for treatment, and he always has an office visit once or twice a month. Andrew misses a lot of school for those reasons, but this (since December) is the first time we really had to take him out. It may be indefinite, but we just have to wait and see.
"His teacher (Mrs. Martin) is amazing, she's been very helpful. They got him a medical IEP - they have a teacher that comes to the house an hour a day or an hour each day school was missed. Andrew always loved school and has done very well in school, so that was important to him."
"And the principal at Bruce (Kip Powell), he's been amazing too. He's even come to the hospital when they had to squad Andrew out of school one time. They've been really understanding and really helpful."
Christina is just as excited for Andrew to go on this trip as it is for Andrew himself.
"(For Andrew), just to have something for him to be excited about and look forward to. We've spent so much time in the hospital and IV's and injections, just him having to be in the hospital - he misses out on a lot of things, like school functions, and Christmas plays. He had a part in the play that he missed out on because he was in the hospital," Christina said.
"I was really excited when (Make-A-Wish) was approved; he has something to look forward to."
Andrew is looking forward to "everything," but he's really excited for Village Idol, a night where kids can compete like the version of American Idol in the "Give Kids the World" village, part of the Disney World park.
Andrew and his family will return from their week in Disney World Friday, March 12.
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