September 20, 2009 - A dream came true today for 14-year old Christopher.  Christopher has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and is undergoing very rigid chemotherapy.  Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois, Christopher wished for a shopping spree at Westfield Hawthorn and a ride in a police car.  Officer Stacy Seversen presented Christopher with a certificate naming him Honorary Police Officer for a Day and provided him with that wished for ride!  How did he like it?  His smile says it all!

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is an organization dedicatd to fulfilling the wishes of children between the ages of 21/2 and 18 years of age with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human spirit with hope, strength and joy.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukmemia is a fast-growing cancer of the white blood cells.  Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that the body uses to fight infections.  In ALL, the bone marrow makes lots of unformed cells, called blasts, that normally would develop into lymphocytes.  However, the blasts are abnormal.  They do not develop and cannot fight infections.  ALL can get worse quickly, so doctors usually begin treatment right away.