PORT ANGELES — Kendra Sullivan’s weekend of fame — granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation — was full of paparazzi and star treatment.
“It was so much fun,” said the Port Angeles 10-year-old Sunday as she waited for the doors to Mike’s Bikes in Sequim to open during the last installment of her wish — a brand-new trike.
The first gift the foundation gave Kendra was a new laptop computer on Friday, followed that weekend by a visit to a hair salon and a whirlwind tour of Seattle and a shopping spree.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, said Jeannette Tarcha, director of communications for the Northwest region, based in Seattle.
Kendra was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension in 2006 after suffering from sleep apnea.
Pulmonary hypertension is characterized by high blood pressure. It can cause shortness of breath and narrowing of the arteries and blood clots. The cause is unknown, according to www.webmd.com.
Kendra uses a medicine pump at all times, which should help her live for a decade or more, her mother, Pam Sullivan, said.
“And with medicine improving all the time, you never know,” Pam said.
Salon pampering
After receiving her laptop, Kendra and her family headed over to the MariDavid Salon, where she and her sister, Skyler, had their hair done.
“There were so many people there, I couldn’t even get a picture,” said the children’s grandmother, Donna Grall.
“They were taking pictures and asking for her autograph. She really loved the attention.”
Kendra got star treatment at the salon, family members said.
“I have to say I did tear up a little bit at the salon. It was really touching to see the way they really outdid themselves,” said Paul Ainsworth, Kendra’s future stepfather.
After salon-style pampering, the family piled into a limousine to travel wherever Kendra wanted to go.
“The limo and getting my hair done were the best parts,” Kendra said.
Her tour of Seattle included a ride on the Argosy Tours’ large duck-like vehicles that travel on both land and water — and Kendra even got to drive it once it was on Lake Union.
“She really loved that, but it was making me a little dizzy,” her mother said.
“She liked to go around and around. I was a little glad when the real driver took back over.”
On the air
She also was offered a chance to talk on KIRO radio live on the air.
“At first, she wasn’t sure that she wanted to do it,” Pam said.
“In fact, all the way until we got to the station, she was saying she didn’t want to say anything, but then as soon as she saw the studio and the microphone, they couldn’t keep her quiet.”
Much to Kendra’s delight, she also recorded a radio advertisement for High School Musical movies, of which she is a dedicated fan, having six or seven posters in her room and many more pictures that she decorated herself.
The next day, Kendra was given $100 to spend at the mall in Lynnwood.
Although Kendra designs fashions, she spent most of her money on candy, her mother said.
“I’m dealing that out slowly,” Pam said. “It was her wish day, so I didn’t want to say no.”
She also had the chance to create her own stuffed animal at Build-A Bear at the mall.
The combination toy store and workshop encourages children to create their own stuffed animals.
Kendra made a black dog that she named Blackzie. It came with a medical kit and a wheelchair.
“Since she uses a wheelchair sometimes,” Pam said. “They gave her one for the dog, too.”
Each family member also decorated a heart to put in the dog, which now has seven hearts.
On Sunday, Kendra received her new trike, courtesy of Mike’s Bikes in Sequim.
“She hasn’t been able to use a regular bike because she couldn’t do the balancing and needed to stop too often, but this one she can go and stop as often as she needs,” Pam said.
“Plus it is blue, her very favorite color.”
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
