A 7-year-old West Valley City girl already has plans for Halloween. 

Kara Oliver is going to Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida in October thanks to Chartway Credit Union and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah. 

Kara, who is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer, had her desire granted during a “wish reveal” held in March at the Chartway Credit Union branch in South Salt Lake, which was festooned with balloons and an excited Kara darting around the lobby.  

“It’s super exciting,” said Kara’s mom Heather Oliver. “I’m so happy for Kara.” They will be accompanied on the all-expense-paid trip by Kara’s brother and father Jose. 

Heather Oliver said her little girl’s arduous journey began in October with the discovery of a tumor in her chest. Doctors diagnosed it as Ewing sarcoma, a type of cancer in the bones and soft tissue around the bones. In Kara’s case, it was in her ribs. The tumor was pushing against her heart and lungs making surgery to remove it too risky because it would involve removing three of Kara’s ribs, not a good plan for a growing child. “We’ll re-evaluate when she’s older to see if that tumor is going to affect anything else or if we’re good to just leave it,” her mom said. “We’re so lucky it (the cancer) didn’t spread to her lungs and her heart.” 

The good news is the tumor has shrunk 90% thanks to treatments so far. “Now it’s just a race to the finish to kill the cancer cells,” Heather Oliver said. 

“The wish is amazing from the very announcement of it,” said Christine Wilson, president of Chartway Promise Foundation, the credit union’s charitable arm that provides “medically fragile children and their families memorable experiences that bring joy, hope and smiles.”

The foundation got word of Kara’s situation and desire through its partnership with Make-A-Wish in Utah. The credit union contributed the funds and Make-A-Wish did the rest.

Chartway Promise Foundation has donated $15 million over the past 13 years to Make-A-Wish organizations in the three states in which the credit union operates: Utah, Texas and Virginia. That has funded 400 wishes over that time, 40 of which will be granted this year, including Kara’s. 

For Kara, Disney World is icing on the cake. Her greatest excitement about the October trip to the Sunshine State is taking in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. She is a big fan of the world’s most famous boy wizard. 

Heather Oliver said her daughter is about two-thirds of the way through chemotherapy and radiation treatment. “It starts to drag,” she said. “Now we have something to look forward to.” 

“I want to go now,” Kara exclaimed. λ