The Dream Foundation, the only national adult wish-granting organization for individuals and their families suffering life-threatening illness, will fulfill Allison Anderson’s dream to abandon the daily struggles of life with terminal illness and relax by the beach with her family.
Recently diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, a rare genetic predisposition to cancer, Anderson has also had the disease in her thyroids, skin, liver and brain. Her life expectancy is two months or less.
“For our dreamers battling advanced conditions, their lives often revolve around a calendar of treatments and doctors’ appointments, leaving them little to no time to dream,” Dream Foundation Executive Director Kisa Heyer said. “Fulfilling a final dream at the end of their journey gives them the ability to make the most of the time they have left and celebrate a life lived.”
Anderson’s dream will take her and her significant other, mother, sister and brother-in-law to the Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, where they will stay four nights beginning Tuesday. She will be participating in a sunset photo shoot to honor her life and family with Kacie Jean Fowler, founder of the nonprofit Portraits for Causes.
Bacara Resort & Spa — a Dream Foundation In-Kind Partner in Dreams — will donate a four-night stay for Anderson.
“We are honored to open our doors and heart to Anderson and her family,” said Kathleen Cochran, general manager of Bacara Resort & Spa. “Bacara has been a proud partner of Dream Foundation for more than 10 years; we will continue to do all we can to help turn dreams into a reality.”
According to Anderson, her dream came from a simple desire to “read, relax to the sounds of the ocean, watch the sunset and enjoy a short walk on the beach. This will be a much-needed week of rest and relaxation. It’s not just a trip, it’s a little vacation from cancer.”
Last year, the Dream Foundation served 2,344 final dreams nationwide. The organization receives no federal or state funding, relying solely on corporate and individual contributions and grants. Dream Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and has never turned down a qualified dream request.
“Year after year, we continue to see a rise in dream requests, and our goal is to continue to be there for those in need,” Heyer said. “After 20 years, our dream recipients continue to inspire us to do the important work of providing comfort during the end-of-life journey. We hope that sharing the stories of our dreamers can help inspire others to reach out to those in need with open hearts.”
— Dani Cordaro is a publicist representing the Dream Foundation.