A huge swimming fan, 8-year-old Aileen hit the jackpot when her wish to visit the Atlantis Resort & Casino in the Bahamas was granted. Together with her parents and her big sister Jade, Aileen embarked on her highly anticipated wish trip. When she was diagnosed with lymphoma last summer, Aileen missed out on her favorite activity all season, explains her mom, Minjung. “Then she saw a commercial for the hotel on TV, and became fascinated by the idea of swimming with dolphins.” No wonder Aileen picked Atlantis as her most heartfelt wish!

As it turned out, swimming with a dolphin named Michelle was the highlight of Aileen’s fun-filled trip. “She felt slimy but it was so cool!” Aileen recalls. “Also, I got to feed her, and the fish were kind of slimy, too!” According to Minjung, those were some of Aileen’s happiest moments. “I could see her eyes lightening up, and she was so proud to be able to swim with them by herself.”

Other memorable moments included visits to the hotel’s exotic aquarium, a family snorkeling trip, many afternoons in the hotel’s lazy river pool - “it had rapids!” Aileen recalls-and swimming in and out of the pool’s waterfalls and caves. The family enjoyed delicious meals, including Italian and Chinese food, and an amazing chocolate fountain for dessert. Aileen and her family enjoyed every minute of the trip-from the girls’ first ride in a limousine on the way to the airport to room service breakfasts in front of the swanky flat screen TV.

But even beyond that, the trip was the perfect way for the family to reconnect after a very challenging year. “This vacation let us all spend important time together as a family. It was especially great for Jade and Aileen to make new, happy memories together,” comments Aileen’s mom. “It was like a sign that life is back to normal again.”