Lyndonville boy, 5, who has battled cancer gets wish with 2 sheep

Photos courtesy of Make-A-Wish of Western New York: Jim Manning-Utter holds one of two sheep his son Odin received from the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

LYNDONVILLE – A young Lyndonville boy who has battled cancer since birth has just had his wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York.

Odin greets one of the two sheep provided by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York. Fire companies from Shelby, East Shelby, Medina, Lyndonville, Ridgeway and Murray will conduct a boot drive throughout Orleans County on Saturday to benefit Make-A-Wish.

Odin, 5, was diagnosed as a baby with a rare and critical form of brain cancer, according to Kate Glaser, senior manager of Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement for Make-A-Wish in Buffalo.

He has been through many rounds of chemotherapy and was declared cancer free, although he still has routine scans to make sure he is still in remission.

Odin’s wish for a sheep farm was granted, and included two sheep (twin sisters) and fencing to go around the perimeter of the property. The family has many more animals, so the fencing will keep Odin’s sheep and the other farm animals protected, Glaser said.

Make-A-Wish also provided vetting for the sheep and other essentials, including a sign that read “Odin’s Acre.”

On Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon, several Orleans County fire companies will do a boot drive to support Make-a-Wish, according to Tim Petry from Shelby Fire Company.

Firefighters from Shelby, East Shelby, Lyndonville, Medina, Ridgeway and Murray will be at key locations to collect contributions from drivers.

East Shelby, Shelby and Murray will be at Routes 63 and 31A in Medina; Medina Fire Company will be at Main and Center streets; and Lyndonville and Ridgeway will be at Routes 63 and 104 in Ridgeway.

The firefighters will present their donation during the Make-A-Wish Radiothon on 97 Rock Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

Odin, 5-year-old son of Jim and Jodi Manning-Utter of Lyndonville, proudly displays a sign for his acre of land where Make-A-Wish built a fence and granted Odin his wish of two sheep.