Reece Goo
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Kailua keiki Reece Goo seems like a typical 12-year-old. He’s in sixth grade, he’s interested in science and he likes to play tennis.
But Goo is no average 12-year-old. Last year, he battled germinoma something kids his age should not even have to know the name of.
“I had cancer in my pituitary gland,” Goo explains. “But luckily, I only had to do two rounds of chemo,” he adds with surprising optimism. “That was the hardest part. It wiped me out.”
Goo has been in remission for nearly a year.
While he was going through treatment, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, sent him to Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld with his mom, dad and older brother. He got to go on rides, visit his favorite movie characters and stay at the Give Kids The World Village.
“The village is only for kids with life-threatening illnesses. At the village, each kid wrote their names on a star,” he explains, adding that the stars were then placed on the ceiling at the resort. “There were too many stars,” he says sadly. “They had to make a whole new constellation.”
In order to help other kids, Goo is conducting a letter-writing campaign for Macy’s annual Believe campaign. For each letter to Santa Claus received, Macy’s donates $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. To participate, all you have to do is write a letter to Santa, telling him what you want for Christmas.
“After Make-A-Wish granted my wish, I felt like I should give back to them by doing this,” Goo says. His goal is to collect 5,000 letters. All money raised here will stay in-state and go toward granting the wishes of local keiki. The campaign runs from now until Dec. 24. To support Goo’s campaign, mail your letter to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hawaii, Attn: Reece Goo, P.O. Box 1877, Honolulu, HI 96805. Or, you can join Goo and other Make-A-Wish kids on Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Macy’s Ala Moana for a national Believe day celebration. And all letters received on Believe day at any location will benefit Goo’s campaign. Plus, at Believe day, “there is a special surprise, but it’s a secret,” he adds.
Goo says that he has already submitted his letter to Santa. When asked about what he wrote in his letter, Goo smiles and says: “For me to collect 5,000 letters for Make-A-Wish so that other children can have their wishes granted.”
For more information, visit makeawishhawaii.org or Goo’s Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Reeces-letter-writing-Campaign/304732696218403.
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