Our OAAT NORTH chapter encompasses the northern states from Montana to Michigan! This chapter is building a geographic community of families with kids battling life-threatening illnesses and we welcome new youngsters with powerful stories and DREAMS every day. Check out our current and past campaigns below to support their DREAMS!
Herbie is a 6-year-old boy from Bartlett, IL, diagnosed with Medulloblastoma in September 2021.
Before his diagnosis, Herbie was vibrant, full of energy, loved to play soccer, and ran around outside whenever he had the chance. Several months before his diagnosis, he began experiencing occasional headaches, which were essentially his only symptom. Still, his mom had a strong feeling that something was wrong. They had to see multiple doctors before they decided to request an MRI. Their lives changed as quickly as an MRI captured brain images. The doctor urgently instructed them to take Herbie to Lurie Children's Hospital because they had discovered a large brain mass.
He should have been starting his first day of kindergarten but Instead was lying in a hospital bed. He underwent 30 rounds of proton radiation, daily sedation for six weeks, a year of chemotherapy, two surgeries, numerous MRIs, and extensive blood work.
His mom said, “Our lives completely were turned upside down. None of us are the same person, nor will ever be. The child we knew at four years old is no longer the same child. We grieve the child we lost at four but embrace the beautiful new child we have at six years old now. Every day is. Gift, and we know that.”
This dream would mean the world to their family. It's been three years since they had a proper vacation, and Disney World has always been Herbie's dream destination. It's on his vision board.
We aim to raise $5,000 to send Herbie and his family on a unique journey to Disney World and Give Kids the World. This trip will give them the opportunity to create joyful memories in a new environment, away from their current difficulties!
This is Mateo, a brave 3-year-old from Wyoming, Michigan, whose life was changed overnight. What seemed like a simple cold turned into a nightmare when doctors diagnosed him with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Suddenly, Mateo’s world was filled with IV drips, blood infusions, chemotherapy, and endless hospital visits—things no child should ever endure.
Despite the everyday pain, Mateo’s spirit remains strong. Even on his hardest days, he smiles and comforts his family, reminding them about his medications, showing a strength beyond his years. But Mateo is just a little boy who deserves laughter, play, and a life beyond hospital walls.
His family has sacrificed everything to support him, and they deserve a break—a chance to find the peace and happiness they’ve longed for, and for Mateo, this is his chance to feel like any other normal little boy.
We need your help to raise $5,000 to send Mateo and his family on a special trip to Disney World and Give Kids The World, where they can experience life from a different perspective—one filled with happiness every family deserves. Let’s make this DREAM COME TRUE!