Blind child’s wish comes true at Dolphin Research Center

During surgery after being diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor, 3-year-old Isaiyah Gould went blind.

Gould and his family from Chattanooga, Tenn., recently traveled to the Florida Keys, where his wish to meet marine mammals was granted at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key.

But a special twist took place when organizers from Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, which granted the wish, discovered the Dolphin Research Center had a 29-year-old sea lion named Karen, also unable to see.

“This adorable little boy getting to hug our sweet senior sea lion really touched us,” said Mary Stella, director of media and marketing for the DRC.

Further information about Gould’s surgery wasn’t available, but according to the Mayo Clinic website, Wilms' tumor is a rare kidney cancer that primarily affects children. Also, according to the website, the chances of a healthy future are often good for children with Wilms’ tumor.

DRC regularly works with Make-A-Wish and other organizations to arrange visits with their family of dolphins and sea lions. Make-A-Wish Southern Florida grants the requests of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope and strength.

For more information, visit www.dolphins.org. To learn more about Make-A-Wish, visit www.sfla.wish.org.

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 7:27 PM with the headline "Blind child’s wish comes true at Dolphin Research Center."