On June 12th 2007, Angelika Olwert (17) suffering from cystic fibrosis and Łukasz Kłosowski (15) struggling against spinal muscular atrophy – two terminally-ill teens from Poland - finished their magical dream experience to visit Atlantic Canada.
The children’s trip was planned and organized by Coalition for Kids International, a Halifax based non-profit children’s organization, and Fundacja Dziecięca Fantazja (FDF-“Children’s Fantasies Fulfilled”), a Polish charitable foundation that fulfills the fantasies and dreams of terminally-ill children in Poland.
Through the Coalition for Kids program, Angelika and Łukasz, who have never traveled oversees before, spent 8 fantastic days in Atlantic Canada which was a magical, mind-blowing and unforgettable experience for them. “I was most surprised and astonished by the hospitality of Canadians, who every step of the way wanted to make sure that our stay in Canada was extraordinary and remarkable” says Angelika at the end of the trip. “I didn’t know what to expect, I loved everything. Everything was “superb”! I would like to thank everybody who contributed to make my biggest dream come true” adds Łukasz with a big smile on his face. For this bright and always happy teen who since birth has been confined to a wheelchair, everything was “for the first time” – first travel outside of his home town, first flight, first stay in hotels, first time at a beach, first school experiences…
During their stay in Halifax, Angelika and Łukasz had four Canadian peers, who made sure their trip was very special and with whom they could exchange experiences about life, school and plans. Olivia, Jen, Kris and Jeff met with the terminally-ill kids during the evenings or during various outings, acting as guides and showing them the Canadian life-style.
MONDAY
Angelika and Łukasz had begun their trip in Warsaw on Saturday, June 2nd, after arriving from their home towns. From Warsaw, together with their mums, a nurse and a Foundation representative they flew to London and the next day they stepped on board Flight 111 of ZOOM Airlines which took them to Halifax. Angelika and Łukasz arrived at Halifax International Airport on June 4th 2007 at 4:10pm, exactly on time. The flight crew of ZOOM was fantastic and they made the trip very special for the kids. They got a lot of gifts and couldn’t believe their luck when they were invited to visit the cockpit and greet the captain!
Upon arrival the kids were welcomed by the wonderful volunteers of Halifax International Airport and then taken in the luxury coach of Ambassatours to the Delta Barrington Hotel in Halifax where they were to be their guests. It was raining heavily, but nothing could spoil the wonderful mood they were in.
Both kids were very excited and didn’t feel tired. They were greeted by Lauren Murphy, Delta’s account concierge, and her staff, with flowers, balloons and gifts and after checking in, Angelica and Łukasz were too excited to rest in the hotel room and so everybody went for dinner to a local nearby restaurant.
TUESDAY
The next day Angelika and Łukasz got up early and got ready to start sight-seeing. We were very worried about the weather because it looked as if it would rain, but again we were lucky… The sun came out just as the kids and their mums were hopping onto the Harbour Hopper. It was a wonderful experience – they enjoyed the tour around the historic sites and places of interest in Halifax but the kids especially loved the moment when the Hopper hopped into the water - there was a lot of laughter and a bit of fright! Before lunch everyone took a stroll along the harbor front and then visited the Halifax Shopping Center.
In the afternoon Angelika and Łukasz were driven to Peggy’s Cove – the only place in the world which looks magical in any kind weather. That day, the waves were enormous and the wind was blowing and because of the weather, this visit was definitely unforgettable! After taking dozens of photos, the kids visited the shop at Peggy’s Cove and were given many souvenirs and gifts.
WEDNESDAY
In the morning, Angelika and Łukasz visited the Queen Elizabeth High School and were able to take part in a few classes – biology, science and drama. They loved this experience as it was completely different from anything they knew and could imagine. Angelika got to dissect a frog and a worm – biology is her favorite subject and so she did it with a real passion. Łukasz was watching everything carefully and asking a lot of questions, he also loves biology, but everything here was so different from what he had experienced so far.
In science class Angelika was surprised that everybody was allowed to use a calculator – it is forbidden at school in Poland! They both loved the drama class – the teacher was very special and made them feel like the rest of the students from the school, despite the language barrier.
During lunch break Angelika and Łukasz were introduced to the student committee members who were very interested to talk about the differences between Polish and Canadian schools, classes and programs. The kids also had their fist experience with the media – they were not only stars at school but also on TV! Later in the afternoon the kids were invited to dinner at the “Polish house” of Mr. and Mrs. Marek and Alina Klimek and they enjoyed a nice and relaxing afternoon.
THURSDAY
Thursday, June 7th was full of surprises for both Angelika and Łukasz. The first half of the day they spent separately. Angelika had a complete make-over, thanks to Key Lime Pie - hair styling, fantastic make-up, a manicure and pedicure – she loved every minute of it, and wasn’t tired even after 5 hours! After it was all over Angelika looked prettier than ever and she loved her look…
At the same time, Łukasz was picked up in a police car and taken to the police station where he sat on a Harley Davidson motorbike and met the police dogs! The police car then took him to a fire station where he got to sit in a fire-truck. No young man could ever be happier.
After a quick lunch the kids and their guardians made their way to Pictou, to stay at the family cottage of Mr. Bruce Thompson, the president of Impact Communications. The cottage was situated on a beautiful beach right on the ocean. So there was the ocean that Angelika and Łukasz were looking for! And there was the sandy beach, long and clean; there was the horizon, the sunset and sunrise; there was the natural beauty and peace of mind…. What’s more, the hosts (the whole Thompson family) cooked a lovely dinner and made a campfire at the beach with music, lots of laughter, stories and jokes. And yet again – language was not a barrier for anyone!
FRIDAY
An early morning wake-up call for Angelika. Together with her mum, they were taken by Bruce to Pictou Island in a private fishing boat. They visited the island, admired its sandy beaches, its views and trails and Angelika also had the most exciting time of her life – a crazy ride in a all-terrain vehicle! It was so much fun that they nearly missed the ferry to PEI.
In the meantime, Łukasz was taking a long walk along the beach, listening to the waves and sounds of the ocean. When he boarded the ferry the captain let him steer it across to PEI!
The weather on Friday was fantastic – not one cloud in the sky – so after lunch they had a lot of time for sight-seeing in Charlottetown where they were to stay the night as guests of the Delta Prince Edward Hotel. Later in the day, there was yet another surprise for Angelika and Łukasz, they both got a turn to sit on a Harley Davidson motorbike and Angelika even took a ride around Charlottetown with one of the bikers! And Łukasz, who loves all animals, got to ride in a horse drawn carriage around the town.
SATURDAY
Another early morning start for the kids. They went to Cavendish and Avonlea to visit the Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish National Historic Site. “Anne of Green Gables” was Łukasz’s favourite book – the story of the red-haired brave girl who always wanted to change the world for the better - and he very much wanted to visit the land of “Anne”. And Angelika, who traveled with Łukasz to visit the museum, said “I want to go there because I want share this moment with Łukasz, I know how important this visit is for him”.
There was something so very special about this place that nobody wanted to go back, and then, the impossible happened – Łukasz was allowed to lay down on Anne’s bed in her house, something that had never been allowed before. “That was an amazing feeling, being there, right inside my favourite book, I got my share of Anne’s story” – said Łukasz with tears of happiness in his eyes.
After this incredible morning they went for lunch and then started off back to Halifax. The trip across the Confederation Bridge (who allowed both of our cars go through for free) was also unforgettable. Within a couple of hours they made their way straight to the wonderful home of Mr. and Mrs. Alan and Nancy Williams who were hosting a real Canadian BBQ for the kids.
They loved everything – the food, the drinks, the setting, the people and their hospitality, the weather (which believe it or not was wonderful and hot enough even for a swim in the pool!). The atmosphere was relaxed and happy - the kids got to soak-up the Canadian way of life on a sunny Saturday afternoon! Angelika’s and Łukasz’s new friends were there with them – Olivia, Jen, Kris and Jeff – they had a great time and an opportunity to exchange their experiences, talk about the trip and also have some fun together!
For the next three nights the kids and their guardians would be the guests of the Delta Halifax Hotel. They had wonderful rooms with a harbour view and everybody was looked after so well.
SUNDAY
As the weather changed dramatically the kids had a lay in and a lazy Sunday morning. They started to feel tired after the excitement and adventures of the past few days. Everybody was waiting for the rain to stop so that they could go on a boat trip to see the whales. But, unfortunately, the boat trip was cancelled due to the fog and rain.
So instead the kids were invited to the Old Triangle for brunch with live music and dancing! That was a real Nova Scotia experience with wonderful people and Lukasz’s mum danced for the first time in 20 years. Afterwards, Angelika went bowling with her new Canadian friends and Łukasz, after taking a rest in his hotel room, went for a walk along the harbour front together with his mum and his nurse.
MONDAY
Yet again, an early morning start for the kids! They were taken for a tour of the South Shore in a luxurious coach by Ambassatours. The trip was fantastic and so was the tour guide - Tom – there will be a lot of lovely memories for the kids from their visit to beautiful Lunenburg and Mahone Bay.
In the afternoon we organized a “Meet the Kids” reception at the Delta Halifax. Everybody who contributed towards making Angelika’s and Łukasz’s fantasy come true was invited and both kids were really excited about meeting all these wonderful people.
They patiently, and with lots of smiles, answered everyone’s questions and thanked them all for making their trip magical and unforgettable. Łukasz was all the time repeating “I’ve felt like I’m in a fairy tale. Everything was super, thank you so much for making my dreams come true” and Angelika was re-living every day of the trip again and again as she was talking about all the things that she had experienced during their journey.
TUESDAY
In the morning, Angelika and Łukasz met their friends at the QEH where they went to attend the drama class for the last time and to say good-bye. That was a difficult moment for everybody…
The rest of the day was filled with a little shopping, lunch and preparation for the long journey back home. In the afternoon the traveling party was taken to the airport by an Ambassatours coach and there was one last surprise waiting for the kids – a private tour of the airport. Before the flight the kids were able to relax in the VIP lounge which was a lovely way to end their visit to Nova Scotia.
During the last day of their trip, both Angelika and Łukasz were becoming quieter and quieter. They were obviously sad that the dream of their lives was about to end. But they also knew that they would keep and cherish their memories, memories of all the places they had seen, memories of all the wonderful people they had met, people who made their trip so very special every step of the way.
Łukasz is going to write a book about his dream experience so that his memories will never die.
Angelika is going to make a special photo album, which will be her photographic memory of the trip.
