Nov 18, 2008 5:54 pm US/Mountain
Make-A-Wish Recipient Gives Wish Away To Charity
DENVER (CBS4) ―
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado has granted 3,000 wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, but this month the charity will mark a first in its 25 year history -- a local teenager will use his wish to help cure his disease.
Seventeen-year-old Jason Lansdown could have asked for a fabulous trip, a shopping spree, or to meet his favorite sports star. Instead, the young man who's struggled through a year of cancer, chemotherapy and painful surgery made a very unselfish choice and gave the money to the Limb Preservation Foundation.
About a year ago Lansdown had a complicated operation to save his leg. He had a tumor and cancer in the bone. A surgeon removed his knee and part of his tibia, and then rebuilt the leg with a metal implant that allows bone and soft tissue to grow into it.
"It's amazing thinking back and seeing how far I've come," Lansdown said.
A year later he walks with just a slight limp.
"He's just a great young man who wants to do something wonderful," Joan Mazak with the Make-a-Wish Foundation said.
After Make-A-Wish of Colorado offered Lansdown the chance to do something for himself, he remembered his inspiration -- Chris Robinson. Robinson fought the same cancer, but died.
"Basically his last wish was to be the last person to die from osteosarcoma and that's my wish. I want to help him to achieve that goal," Lansdown said.
So he will take the money, the average cost of a wish, and give it to the Limb Preservation Foundation.
"They were instrumental in saving my leg and saving my life."
Now Lansdown will help fund research to save others -- to make a wish come true for a friend and for the future.
It was the first time the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado has granted a wish to help another charity.
Lansdown is hosting a get-together Monday night at Kent Denver School to solicit more donations. His goal is to raise about $20,000 for the Limb Preservation Foundation.
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