DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A young girl from Chicago who is battling cancer had a simple wish: she wanted to see the ocean and paddleboard. Her family brought her to Deerfield Beach, where officials and community members worked together to make that dream a reality.
Twelve-year-old Ailani Banuelos is currently fighting Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Ailani was diagnosed with the disease in January of 2016 after doctors discovered a malignant tumor in her left leg which made it nearly impossible to walk, according to her Facebook page.
After undergoing chemotherapy, Ailani was able to begin walking again on her own in April of 2017, only to find the cancer had returned just one month later — this time in her right leg.
Despite undergoing five rounds of chemotherapy, the cancer has since metastasized up to her lungs.
Her family decided to make the trip to South Florida to fulfill her wish to see the ocean. That’s where officials from Deerfield Beach and the Broward Sheriff’s Office joined forces with local businesses to help Ailani have an unforgettable day at the beach.
“We don’t have an ocean in Chicago so anything about the ocean is awesome,” Ailani said.
With the help of a special beach wheelchair, they rolled her into the water, then helped her up on a paddleboard.
“It made it all worthwhile to see her smile, to see her laugh, to see her family, to see her out here just being a kid,” said Thomas Noland with Deerfield Beach Ocean Rescue.
“She’s just been through so much,” her mother Mireya Banuelos said. “I don’t think they fully understand how special this is to us and our daughter. This is a memory we will always have.”
For information on how to help Ailani’s family, visit their Facebook page.
Check out the full video below, courtesy of the city of Deerfield Beach:
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