Osoyoos’s Paul Sekhon, 11, was one of 80 Okanagan residents who got to go to Disneyland on Dec. 10, as part of the Sunshine DreamLift to Disneyland day. He is pictured here in the centre seat with his travelling buddy, Zack Zilkie, 12, from Trail, and his volunteer supervisor, Penticton ambulance attendant Catherine Mclean. Photo submitted - Click on photo for larger image
OSOYOOS TIMES-December 16, 2009
By Laurena Weninger – Osoyoos Times
Dharnpal “Paul” Sekhon is a young man of few words, but his face says it all.
“His face was fixed with a smile the whole time,” said Sally Lindley-Jones, who went with the 11-year-old Osoyoos resident to Disneyland on Dec. 10.
It was the Sunshine DreamLift to Disneyland day, and Lindley-Jones, from the Osoyoos Physiotherapy Clinic, and Sekhon, her young patient, were chosen to take part in the whirlwind trip.
Paul found out about a month-and-a-half ago that he was going on the trip.
“His whole life in the last six weeks has revolved around going to Disneyland,” Lindley-Jones explained, beaming, while she worked on stretching his legs out on the massage table.
Sekhon has cerebral palsy.
“The right side of his body doesn’t work as well as it should,” explained Lindley-Jones, who has done physiotherapy on Paul since he was very young.
She submitted Paul’s name to the Sunshine Foundation, in hopes of his being chosen as one of the 80 children aged seven to 18 years old selected to go on the trip.
The Sunshine DreamLift to Disneyland is an opportunity for children living with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illness to experience the magic of Disney without thoughts of medical appointments, painful treatments or upcoming procedures, states a media release.
The children are accompanied by volunteer buddies, a full medical team and staff members from the Sunshine Foundation – but their parents stay behind.
The one-day trip – the children left from the Kelowna Airport at 5 a.m. and returned at midnight – is funded by an annual Wendy’s DreamLift Day, in which the fast food restaurants in the Interior donate their net proceeds plus all the wages from staff, management and owners.
It was the third time Lindley-Jones went along on the trip and she said it is a worthwhile experience.
“It is the best day… it’s amazing… you see these children with smiles on their faces… the airplane could probably take off on its own without gas,” she said.
Before he left on the trip, Paul couldn’t name very many of the rides at the amusement park.
But every time the word “Disneyland” was spoken, his face broke out into a smile.
One of his plans was to ride a racetrack ride when he got there – and he did, but that’s certainly not all he did.
His favourite ride of all was Thunder Mountain.
“Because it was the fastest,” he said. “I was surprised how fast it was.”
The Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean topped his list of favourites.
He brought home a few souvenirs, including candy for everyone in his class at Osoyoos Elementary School.
In all, five children from the School District 53 area were chosen to go on the trip and Paul was the only one from Osoyoos.
Four children from Oliver also went, including Grade 9 student Isaac Nazaroff, Grade 5 student Anton Bogovic, Grade 11 student Ravi Bahniwal and Grade 12 student Tylor Jackson.
The Sunshine Foundation: Dreams for Kids has organized 46 trips since its inception in 1987.
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