Ohio girl finally gets Disney trip despite dad's opposition

Ohio girl finally gets Disney trip despite dad's opposition

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ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -

Four year old McKenna May will eat a lot of ice cream over the next few days. She's staying at Give Kids the World for four days, and in between she'll visit Orlando's theme parks.

May and her family are thrilled to be in Orlando for a once in a life time vacation.  Whitney Hughes is her mom.  "It's really exciting. it's also kind of a shock factor too, can't believe we're actually here."

It's been a long road from Ohio to Orlando.  McKenna had a two year battle with leukemia and beat it.  Her story made national news when the Make a Wish Foundation wanted to send her to Disney World but her dad would not sign off on the trip. He reportedly thought only children with six months to live or less should go on those trips.

Fox 35 News asked McKenna's mom about dad's reluctance to sign the documents.  The couple is divorced.  Hughes said, "You'd have to ask him to get an answer on that.  All I know is that he wasn't in agreement on who is allowed to go and who wasn't."

People across America teamed up to raise money for a trip to Orlando. McKenna's grand mother says the response has been overwhelming.  Lori Helppie tells us, "Two nephews went out and sold popsicles to get her here, two little boys, and I just cried."

Another boy sold candy bars and raised five hundred dollars to help pay for McKenna's vacation.

A woman named Jamie Holmes really stepped up to the plate.  Her Jamie's Dream
Team group grants wishes to sick children.  Jamie is sponsoring McKenna's trip this week.

  McKenna's mom believed her daughter would make it to Orlando for the trip of a lifetime. "I had faith that it would, but I didn't think it would happen this fast."

Give Kids the World helps seven thousand families each year.  They also rely on more than one thousand volunteers every week, so you have a chance to make a difference if you'd like to volunteer.

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