Chester Wish Kid’s Australian Adventure

Sixteen-year-old Lana Bargnesi’s wish to go to Australia, granted by Make-A-Wish® Connecticut and adopted by Sennheiser, was a celebration of health.

Lana Bargnesi did not let cancer define her or prevent her from living life to the fullest. She made an extraordinary decision that most people cannot imagine; Lana chose to amputate her leg in order to overcome cancer and prevent a relapse. While it was a gut-wrenching decision, she chose not to live a life dictated by cancer. Bargnesi took fate into her own hands and showed cancer that SHE was in control.
After years of struggle, Lana’s wish to go to Australia allowed her to get a taste of the exciting, beautiful life that lies ahead of her, while relaxing on the beach and exploring. Her face lit up talking about her wish to go to Australia and imagining the priceless adventures awaiting her. Snorkeling around the Great Barrier Reef was the most memorable part of Lana’s Australian adventure! She explored the beautiful blue water and saw schools of fish and corals that she could not imagine back in Chester. She could not hide the enormous smile on her face while she was living her dream with her loved ones. Lana’s adventures continued with outings to see the amazing wildlife in Australia, including sea turtles.
Bargnesi’s wish was everything she imagined it would be. Enduring her hardships molded her into a resilient young woman – one who was able to make that self-empowering, difficult decision. Her mother acknowledges how the impact of Lana’s wish helped her during some of the hardest points in her life, and Lana continues to be involved with Make-A-Wish® Connecticut as an advocate for the transformative power of wishes.
Lana’s wish had an enormous impact on Lana and her family. She and our wish kids teach us every day about resilience, overcoming obstacles and about the transformative power of hope. Unfortunately, Make-A-Wish Connecticut faces a record number of wishes waiting to be granted as a
result of the recent need to postpone all wishes that involve travel due to the public and medical concerns of COVID-19. More than ever before, wishes need the support of individual and corporate donors to grant the wish of every eligible child. Learn more and help at ct.wish.org.

ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH CONNECTICUT

Make-A-Wish® Connecticut creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. They seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and volunteers across the state currently grant nearly 250 wishes a year. Since 1986, Make-A-Wish Connecticut has granted more than 3,300 wishes to local children. For more information about Make-A-Wish Connecticut, visit ct.wish.org.