McKeesport girl gets Make-A-Wish shopping spree
By Jeff Stitt
jstitt@yourmvi.com
An 11-year-old young lady from McKeesport felt like a celebrity last week when her wish for a shopping spree at The Waterfront was granted by the Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia organization.
Nicole Gardner said her daughter, Khila Stinson, began having seizures when she was just 6 months old. Not long after, Khila was diagnosed with intractable epilepsy.
One third of patients with epilepsy have seizures that do not stop when they take seizure medications, UPMC Comprehensive Epilepsy Centers’ research states. The condition is also known as “intractable,” “uncontrolled” or “drug-resistant” epilepsy. After a person has failed one seizure medication, the chance of becoming seizure-free from trying a second medication is about 10-13%. After failing an additional seizure medication, the person’s chance of becoming seizure-free from additional medication trials drops to less than 4%, according to UPMC Comprehensive Epilepsy Centers’ research.
When Make-A-Wish first asked Khila what her wish was, Nicole said her daughter told them “I just want to be regular. I don’t want to have seizures.”
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when she said that,” Nicole said. “Everyone was so emotional when she said my only wish is to not have seizures.”
Nicole said that as she was pressed to make a tangible wish, Khila told Make-A-Wish she wanted to have “a big awareness party” to spread awareness and help people understand the toll having seizures takes on a child. She also revealed she liked shopping at The Waterfront in Homestead, specifically at the Justice girls clothing store, and wouldn’t mind a shopping spree.
That was a wish the organization could grant.
While the vast majority of Khila’s shopping spree took place online due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, her Make-A-Wish volunteers wanted to provide her with an in-person experience as well.
Khila started her “wish day” by shopping at her favorite store. Justice opened privately for Khila and her family to ensure enough space to social distance and provide a special experience for them, Make-A-Wish spokeswoman Dana Antkowiak said.
Khila and her mom were picked up at their home in McKeesport in a limousine.
“Khila was like floored,” Nicole said. “She had no idea. She just thought she would do the online shopping spree. We never told her about the limo or Justice opening up just for her.”
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