Make-A-Wish builds playground for Albion girl, 2, fighting cancer
Photos by Tom Rivers: This group includes, from left: Bears Playgrounds supervising foreman James Macwhorter, Tyler Angarano from Bears, Jon Langfitt from Make-A-Wish, Beth Webb, Elaina Webb, Kyle Webb, Lori Lund from Make-A-Wish, and James Dersam from Bears.
Elaina Webb is thrilled to head down the slide with her father, Kyle.
ALBION – A 2-year-old girl fighting cancer in Albion was beaming with joy today as a new playground took shape in her backyard. The Make-A-Wish Foundation worked with Bears Playgrounds in Lima to give Elaina Webb her wish.
“It’s incredible,” said Beth Webb, Elaina’s mother. “It’s great to see her smile.”
Elaina is fighting cancer. On Sunday, her family was asked by the Make-A-Wish Foundation what the organization could do for Elaina.
She is too sick to travel. The family wants to cherish their time together. Beth Webb suggested a playground for Elaina to have fun with her four siblings – 11-month-old twins, Elias and Wyatt, and 10-year-old twins, Colin and Keara.
Make-A-Wish sent an email to Bears Playgrounds in Lima on Sunday. By Monday, the company switched from what it was working on to make a playground for Elaina.
It put together many of the pieces at its shop in Lima. Today a crew of three arrived at 11 a.m. and had the entire playground, made with northern cider white logs, together by 4 p.m.
“This is the fastest wish we’ve granted,” said Jon Langfitt, a wish granter for Make-A-Wish.
Elaina Webb, 2 ½, is shown with her father Kyle Webb and older brother Colin after a new playground was opened at about 4 p.m. today in the family’s backyard on Herrick Street in Albion.
Langfitt praised Bears Playgrounds for making it a reality.
“Our goal is to give them hope and strength,” said Lori Lund, a wish granter for Make-A-Wish. “It helps the family get through an ugly time.”
Kyle and Beth Webb snuggle with their daughter Elaina at “Elaina’s Tree Fort.”
Elaina was a happy-go-lucky kid until getting a head cold last April. She then developed a lump in her sinus cavity that was pushing her left eye shut and also giving her a crooked nose.
Elaina’s parents, Kyle and Beth Webb, took her to the doctor and an MRI on May 11 confirmed Elaina had cancer – acute myeloid leukemia. She would receive three rounds of chemo which shrunk the lump by her nose.
On June 11, she was declared to be in remission, but the cancer was back on Sept. 2. Elaina would have a bone marrow transplant on Nov. 16 and her immune system quickly improved. However, she would have a relapse on Dec. 21, when a biopsy showed cancer was spreading into most of her bones.
She is currently on trial medication that is allowing her to stay home while she continues to receive treatments at Golisano Children’s Hospital, but doctors aren’t optimistic Elaina will get better.
The news has been devastating for the Webb family, who are focused on easing Elaina’s pain and allowing her to have quality time with loved ones.
Mrs. Webb appreciates the playground.
“She will have something fun to do with her siblings,” she said.
Elaina has a bowl a cereal before heading out to try the new playground. Her parents are Kyle and Beth Webb.
Mrs. Webb, 31, is well known in Albion. She taught dance for 10 years at Gotta Dance by Miss Amy. She now works for Woodroe Realty in Medina. She is currently on a sabbatical.
Her husband Kyle, 30, works as a driver for Foodlink, making deliveries in Monroe County. The couple has known each other since they were kids.
The Webbs attended a news conference on Jan. 6 at Golisano Children’s Hospital, encouraging people to donate blood. Beth and Kyle said frequent transfusions have been critical for their daughter.
A benefit concert is being planned for 3 p.m. on Feb. 18 at First Baptist Church in Albion. Gary Simboli, Marcy Downey, the high school select choruses and other performers are scheduled to be part of that event to assist the Webb family.
