Lymphoma Survivor On a Trip to Paris via San Carlos

As a first stop on her way to Paris, 17-year-old lymphoma survivor Alison will visit the San Carlos headquarters of LUV footwear.

She dreamed of visiting Paris . . . and of shoe shopping.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Greater Bay Area is making it happen, with a visit to LUV footwear part of the dream.

Alison, an Oakland resident, has dreamed of visiting Paris since she was a little girl.

Partly, she wanted to visit famous sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, but she also dreamed of shopping—specifically shoe shopping.

In choosing this wish, Alison wanted to “reach for the stars,” according to her mom, Melissa.

Now in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Alison recently completed a very difficult chemotherapy course that made her feel like last summer and the first half of her senior year in high school were “taken away by cancer.”

An avid shopper, she looks forward to visiting small boutiques as well as eating some of what France is known for: cheese, fresh bread, and pastries.

After all the “emotional stress” of treatment, Alison is “looking forward to something uniquely special. Her wish being granted to go to Paris just makes the losses of the past dim a bit more, and she feels special to be given this unique wish,” says her mom.

As a special send off for her weeklong visit to Paris, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area has teamed up with LUV Footwear to give Alison a preview of what shoe design and creation entails.

Alison, her mother and brother will visit the San Carlos headquarters of LUV Footwear on March 22, where they will meet with CEO Michael Toschi and Director of Design, Caroline Cecil.

In addition to visiting the showroom, Toschi and Cecil will explain how a shoe is made, and give her a presentation on how the LUV Dream Flat collection was conceived and brought through to production. Alison will also be taking a few pairs of Dream Flats with her on her trip to Paris.

About Make-A-Wish® Greater Bay Area:

Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  In 2013 Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area embarks on 29 years of fulfilling magical wishes. 

During its first year of operation, in 1984, the chapter granted 27 wishes.  Now one of the largest chapters nationwide, the Greater Bay Area grants over 300 wishes per year and has granted over 6,000 wishes to date.  T

he chapter covers 17 Northern California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Solano and Sonoma.

The goal of Make-A-Wish is to grant a wish to every eligible child in its territory.  Anyone can suggest a child for a wish. For more information or to refer a child for a wish, please call 415/982-9474 or visit www.SF.Wish.org

About LUV Footwear:

LUV Footwear is a company founded by Michael Toschi with a concept to revolutionize the ballerina flat with both artistic expression as well as anatomical performance. Equipped to deliver an infinite selection of stylish offerings and a comfort experience that is described as weightless support, LUV Footwear creates collectable, limited edition footwear with fun, cute and beautiful personalities.

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