By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer

    Hayley Desjardins walked slowly through the door of her classroom, her classmates swirling with excitement around her.
    With a hand covering her mouth and her sister by her side, Hayley walked up to two waiting princesses and smiled as Cinderella welcomed the girls to Hayley’s Make-A-Wish party.
    “We’re very happy you get to have a wish,” Cinderella said to a giggling Hayley as a second princess placed a crown on the7-year-old Saco girl’s head.
    The princesses visited Fairfield School last week along with other Make-A-Wish Foundation volunteers for a pizza party in honor of     Hayley, who has aplastic anemia. She leaves this week for a weeklong trip to Disney World with her family.
    Hayley was diagnosed with the rare bone marrow failure disease in 2008 before undergoing months of hospitalizations and blood and platelet transfusions. Her family founded the Hugs From Hayley race and fun walk to raise money for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. The annual event also features a bone marrow registry drive.
    Hayley, who is now in remission, said she chose to go to Disney World “because I’ve been wanting to go for a really long time.” She and her 5-year-old sister, Maddie, collected spare change to save for the trip before learning the trip would be paid for by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine.
    “We’re going to save more and give all the rest to Ellie,” Maddie said while eating pizza with her sister. Ellie is a 5-year-old friend who has cancer.
    Watching as his daughters ate lunch and chatted with the princesses, Michael Desjardins said his family was looking forward to the trip.
    “We are just ecstatic. Hayley and Maddison have been through so much. It’s such a great reward for them,” he said.
Hayley’s mom, Allison Desjardins, said she was overwhelmed at the generosity of strangers who donated the $6,000 it costs to grant a wish. The money was donated to Stan and Melissa Norton of Wells by visitors to their “Norton Lights” holiday display, which featured lights synchronized to music visitors listened to on their car radios.
    “It just goes to show you there are a lot of good people in this world,” Allison Desjardins said. “It amazes me every day there are people willing to help those who are sick.”
    Michael Desjardins said he is also grateful for the support of the community. The family will continue to organize Hugs From Hayley to give back to the people who have supported them, he said.
    “We can’t personally pay back all the people who have helped, but we can do it by staying active and paying it forward,” he said. “We’re very, very grateful she is doing so well.”
    After flipping through a princess-themed folder with the trip itinerary, Hayley and Maddie talked with the princesses about what they’re most excited to see at Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. They will stay at Give Kids the World, a resort for families being granted wishes.
    “I’m most excited about meeting Ariel (the Little Mermaid),” Maddie said. “And we get ice cream for breakfast.”
Hayley said she is most looking forward to visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom – and ordering sweets from Give Kids the World’s 24-hour room service.
    “My mom said don’t even think about waking up in the middle of the night and asking for a brownie from room service,” Hayley said. “I’m excited to go on the trip.”
    For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine, go to www.mainewish.org and to learn more about the Hugs From Hayley benefit, go to www.hugsfromhayley.com.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.