5-Year-Old Leukemia Patient Gets Pirate Ship, Thanks To Make-A-Wish

The Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit organization, granted the wish of a 5-year-old girl, battling leukemia, of owning her own pirate ship.

Leona Evans, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in July, walked back into her Texas house's backyard Saturday to find a custom playhouse shaped like a pirate ship — something that she always wanted, San Diego Union Tribune reported.

Evans and her family was at the Maritime Museum in San Diego when Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers installed the playhouse in her backyard. After the sweet surprise, Evans put on her favorite pirate princess dress and stepped into the playhouse to begin her fantastical adventure.

“I’m going to steer the wheel to where the gold is, in the jungle,” she said.

Evans developed a fascination with the world of pirates after she and her family visited Disneyland and stayed in the Pirates of the Caribbean suite at Disneyland Hotel, following her diagnosis.

When she got stuck in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride — one of the many attractions of the pirate-themed park — Evans did not get scared. On the contrary, she let her over-imaginative mind go into full drive.

“They fight and jump and get on board,” an excited Evans wondered.

Evans, who was soon asking for toy swords and eye-patches, decided to use her wish to get a pirate ship she will be able to play in. But it could not be just any pirate ship. Evans had exact specifications as to how she wanted her pirate ship to be — it had to have a monkey, sails and a treasure chest. She also wanted a table in the cabin equipped with craft supplies.

Make-A-Wish staff worked hard to get it right. The foundation collaborated with Charmed Playhouses, a Canada-based company to construct a 3,000-pound ship detailed to every last specification provided by Evans, which was installed in her backyard via a crane.

“It’s a place she can pretend and play and live her life outside of what she’s dealing with,” said wish coordinator Kiley El Ward.

Evan’s backyard dreamland would also allow the 5-year-old to socialize with her friends, as the nature of illness prevents her from mingling with them in public places.

“It’s a very clean environment,” said her mother, adding that the anti-cancer drugs have destroyed Evans’ immune system, making her susceptible to germs in public places. “We don’t have to take her to the park and risk getting sick. We can have friends over here, whom we know are healthy. It’s a pirate princess paradise.”

The restrictions imposed upon her due to her illness also prevented her from getting enrolled in kindergarten as was originally planned. Nevertheless, Evans’ prognosis remains positive after receiving six months of a two-and-a-half year course of chemotherapy.

“Through it all she has maintained a bright spirit and a fantastic attitude,” said her grandmother, Kathryn Scroggin. Evans’ mother described her as a “feisty redhead,” who fought fatigue, pain, and nausea that comes with the rigorous treatment, bravely.

Make-A-Wish Foundation is devoted to making the wishes of critically ill children come true.