PERRY COUNTY YOUTH HAS `WISH' GRANTED; FOUNDATION HELPS CHILD WITH DISEASE

PATTON -- Life is painful for an 8-year-old suffering from the effects of and treatment for leukemia.

But thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the employees of the Cape Girardeau Procter and Gamble plant, life will be a little more enjoyable for Robin Johnson.

Make-A-Wish is a national, non-profit organization that grants wishes of young children with serious illnesses.

Robin's wish was for a stereo and television. On Thursday, Robin's wish came true when a home entertainment center and camcorder arrived at her home.

Robin, who attends Perryville elementary school, lives with her parents, Marsha and Troy Johnson, and her brother, Tim, 11. The family lives along Highway 51, north of Patton.

Robin was diagnosed as having a form of life-threatening leukemia in June 1990. She received her first bone marrow transplant at a Minnesota hospital in February, but it was not successful.

In November, Robin and her mother will return to the hospital where Robin will undergo a second, difficult and unpleasant bone marrow transplant in an attempt to halt the leukemia.

"We're hoping the second transplant will be successful, and we can get back to having a normal family life again," her mother said.

They'll be away from home for at least four months, perhaps longer, which is a long time for a little girl to be separated from family, relatives and school friends. But Make-A-Wish and Procter and Gamble have made it possible for Robin and her mother to stay in touch with video postcards.

The camcorder she received will be used to tape videos at home, and perhaps her school, that will be mailed to Robin while she in the hospital. Her hospital room is equipped with a VCR, so she'll be able to watch the tapes of family members and her friends.

At the same time, Robin's mother will make videotapes of Robin in the hospital with a camcorder from the Ronald McDonald House, where she will stay while her daughter undergoes the leukemia treatment and marrow transplant. The tapes will be mailed back home to Perry County.

"If it weren't for the camcorder, we would miss a lot of things that will be going on back home, such as Christmas," said Marsha Johnson. "Now, we can see and hear from the rest of the family and Robin's friends while we are up there."

Robin's mother said her daughter isn't looking forward to going back to the hospital this winter, but added, "She's a good sport and a very good patient. She tries to do everything they ask her to do. It's not always easy, but she tries.

"She likes her nurses and has some good friends up there."

Robin's mother found out about Make-A-Wish during their stay in the Minnesota hospital. "The social worker asked me if I was aware of it. I wasn't, so she said she would contact the Missouri Make-A-Wish," Johnson said. "When we came home, I told my sister (Sheila Bess) about it."

As it turns out, Bess, who works at the Cape Girardeau Procter and Gamble plant, was already quite familiar with Make-A-Wish.

Each year, the plant conducts a summer safety program to reduce the number of injury accidents.

"We decided to support the Make-A-Wish program using the theme, `Make the right choice, and make a wish come true,'" Bess explained. "For each week there were no injury accidents, the company donated money to the Make-A-Wish foundation in Cape County."

Bess said large thermometers were placed throughout the plant to show how much money was in the fund.

Marsha Edwards is the Cape Girardeau County coordinator for Make-A-Wish. "Obviously, we do not confine our work to Cape Girardeau County," Edwards said. "We work with families throughout this area."

Edwards said her association with Make-A-Wish has been a very rewarding experience.

"To get involved with families and children like Robin, and be able to grant their wishes that makes their lives a little happier, is very rewarding," said Edwards.

Robin's mother says she is thankful there is such an organization as Make-A-Wish. "It's so wonderful that they are able to do this for children," said Johnson. "It's something very special for them, considering all they are going through."

As for Robin, she says the best thing about her wish coming true is that she can watch TV or listen to her music whenever she wants to.

Edwards said anyone who would like more information about Make-A-Wish, or suggest some child who might benefit from Make-A-Wish, may contact her at 335-0802.