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28 kids with cancer on a trip to Orlando, Florida
Time off from the treatments, from the pain, and from the troubling question: “Why me?”
10 days meant to blur the fear
and to demonstrate mainly to the healthy what courage is, what strong will is, and what faith is
[Printing] Hi, I am Noya from Yokne’am,
almost 17 years old. When I was 12 years old a tumor was found in my right hand…
It was just before my Bat-Mitzva, I looked at the mirror and saw a growth coming
out of my hand, We went to see the family doctor, and we
were told that we must hurry to the hospital
[Noya Abuchatzira – 17 years old] We headed first to Rothschild Hospital…
and… sorry it is a bit difficult for me… It is like a black mist which covers you
suddenly in the midst of life and you have no idea how to handle such
a situation [Sigalit Abuchatzira]
It “killed” us, it simply “killed” us [Ben Gurion Airport, August 10, 2010]
Welcome (Hebrew) Welcome kids (Arabic)
We’re very happy to have you here in Orlando
ORLANDO – A TRAVEL DIARY Director – Roy Katz
Cinematographer – Ilan Hirschfeld Editor – Dror Topper
Three, Two, One
I really feel that she is like my sister my little sister
Finally I’ve got a sister and not just brothers
And if you both were not sick, would you still be best friends?
We would not know each other. We would not know each other so I really do not know
But could you develop such a friendship with someone that does not have cancer?
Honestly, I do not know, I do not know It is tough to explain, since…
I think that we have more in common
and much stronger relations comparing to what I’ve got with other girlfriends
The first thing that hooked us together was the disease
The first thing we talked about was the disease
Then we moved on to what we’ve got in common, jokes, and other things
There are advantages… Are you joking?
Of course there are advantages Just imagine that you would not know me
That is why I said… We’ve got the best rewards anyone can have
*You could say the opposite, what does it mean “what do you want”?
I was joking
Advantages: first and foremost you know how to appreciate life
More importantly, also that you met me… Shaked Bernstein – 16 years old
Second, you pay half price when traveling on the bus
Shaked Bernstein – 16 years old
right, I have a handicapped certificate so I get half price on a bus
What? I don’t get the discount! Why? ‘cause you… you’ll receive the handicap
tag for your car… Yes, I have a handicap tag. You show it
like this and get the discount
To wake up into a new day
To the sunrise Petting rays of sunshine
Sending us warmth and love And sometimes it is difficult
And sometimes there is no energy There was something intimidating in the
first interaction with them A fear which is tough to explain
Maybe it is because my grandma died from cancer when I was 9 years old
The main challenge was how to ask the tough questions
The escorting adults didn’t want me to deal with sensitive issues
After all, the main reason for the trip was to make the kids forget their battle for a while
Marcel, medicine, ok?
Even Monique, the doctor who escorted the kids,
was quite uncomfortable when we raised tough questions about Jack’s situation
only 13 years old How difficult is the situation is?
This is not a simple situation, Jack was sick. He started being sick 3
years ago in fact I went through 4 transplants
The cancer is in the head And it is moving down to the spinal column
I am asking you all, I do not want kids getting insulted
and I do not want to argue
There are head injuries, head tumors, and tumors here and tumors there
and we will not get too much into anatomy when the doctor decides that one of the
kids cannot go on a specific ride then this is final
Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Look, look, take a photo of this one
There are moments; when I left the bus I told one of the escorts
that it brings me back. Today my son is 15 years old - may he
always be healthy - and all is ok brings me back…
This is much nicer, I swear to you Shall we go again?
It is extremely difficult; it is tough to portray the feelings,
the feelings that you face at that moment
Gili Balila – volunteer in the LEV organization; his son recovered from cancer
The date, the day, and the time when my wife and I were told that
our son has cancer, I remember clearly. It was a very dark day
I usually describe it as a very bad movie in the midst of life.
Look, when we received the bad news it was 8am or 8:30am or 9am
In Rambam Hospital and we were told that our son is sick
We did not know how to take it. You have no idea how to…
Today if a child of a young couple has pneumonia
the parents find themselves in severe stress
so imagine the word “cancer” When you hear this word you feel trepidation
you have no idea from where you came
and to where you go. It is simply the end of the world
Look! We traded roles… So what did you tell your son?
I told him that That he has, he has, he has…
bad cells in his body I did not call the disease in its name
Up until I consulted with others and until I was told to tell him what it was
I told him that he’s got bad cells; cells that destroy the body,
that eat the body and we’re taking care of it
and… after a week we told him that he’s got cancer
we prepared him although he was only 7 years old
We’re believers and the children of believers
and we have no one to lean on only, only on our Father
our Father up there in the sky We’re believers and the children of
believers and we have no one to lean on
only, only on our Father our Father up there in the sky
Tell me; what is the most challenging situation you are facing with the disease?
It is not challenging because God is with me
Because God is with me God?
And are you afraid? No
No? No
Of course there is fear. Everyone is afraid to die; there is always fear of death
But at a certain point you understand that…
Yet the fear of death usually comes to people who are in their seventies…
With us it is a little bit earlier because we faced something different
But it is not so much the fear of death in our case…
It is knowing, especially at a young age, that we did not experience enough
So why die, you know? That is my feeling Are you sometimes angry; kind of - why
should I deserve this? Always, I always think about it
Why me? Aren’t there other people in the world? I out of all of them should have to
deal with this? So how do you explain it?
Who knows? Maybe I am too special… Do you, as a result, believe more or less
in God? I don’t know
I believe more Really?
I say, if he brought it on me then it means that he wanted to tell me something
It means that maybe I did something wrong
or maybe I need to get closer, to believe more
or maybe… or maybe the opposite in fact…
This is for sick kids, or kids with limitations A day of fun
Give Kids The World Village
Now, water cannot touch this area This is ok as long as it is sealed
I had stomachaches for 3 weeks and my grandma thought that I was faking
to avoid school So one day during the Hanukkah winter
holiday, why would I have stomachaches during a
holiday? So she said: “I do not understand! How
come he’s got stomachaches during a holiday?”
So we went to the clinic and… they told us to hurry up to the
hospital Tell me, a nine year-old kid who discovers
that he’s got cancer… It is extremely scary
it is an experience which changes your life
you simply become… so different in 4 months
Were you afraid? Yes, I was afraid
Every child who arrives in here fills out a card of his or her wish
with the Star Fairy, and she prepares a star for the child
and then you place the wishing star on the ceiling
I volunteered in Ahava (LOVE organization) near Haifa, Israel
[Noam Argov – envisioned the trip, operated, led, and guided the group]
And this is where I thought, for first time, how wonderful it would be if we brought
such kids to the US I thought, ‘wow we have to bring these
kids to Disney’ I called him immediately and told him:
“Dad, I would like to bring a group of kids to the US… to Disney”
She called and said that we must do something,
[Uri Argov – funded the trip] that we must
somehow do more, to participate more, to make an extra effort
Singing: Please keep all these good things my good Lord
Life in the US was not always easy It was not a walk in the park; you know
It was not like we came and immediately started making money
we had terrible years and… when you’re stuck in misery, and
when life is tough you start making promises,
you say, “If I will just have a bit more, I will share with others”
and this is something we never forgot Singing: “The heart is filled with many
thanks And says what a wonderful world”
So how much can you give? Or maybe I’ll ask it in a different way:
How rich are you? I suppose… listen, on paper I’ve got many
assets since the company is worth more than a bit
Annual turnover of… Around a billion dollars;
About 3 million dollars a day But…
And you did not start like that? No…
I arrived in the US with… Twenty thousand? Nineteen thousand
When I finished my service in the army, I decided that I had to learn to fly
I went through all the different flying courses and received all possible certificates
and I came here, we came here, a 30 year-old pilot…
Do you know Li’oz? Li’oz, do you know him?
Are you somehow connected to this? Can you guess who this is?
A guy Yes, but how is he connected to the program?
Why did he come here? I have no idea; I did not hear about him. yet…
You did you not hear about him?
Yet… Do you want to tell him who you are?
mmm… I am not sure… I am one of those people that brought you guys here
Really? How?
We arranged the flights and this hotel, entrance fees,
It was not that difficult
OK; so thank you very much!
You are welcome
I am very happy with this trip and… with him…
How do you feel today? Today I feel great
Excellent, excellent
Will you come to visit again? Yes
You must Must
Deal? Yes
Excellent, now run to the pool, do not waste time…