Girl granted her final wish

Ten-year-old with cancer meets teen idol

craig L. Moran/ViewMirna Godinez of Centennial Hills diplays a picture of her daughter Wendy Campos, who died May 24 after doctors found a tumor on her brain stem. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada helped Wendy meet "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens. craig L. Moran/ViewMirna Godinez talks about her daughter Wendy Campos, who was declared cancer free in early March, only to relapse on March 13. Mirna Godinez is surrounded by her three children, from left, Gabriela Solorio, 2, Lindsay Solorio, 1, and Daisy Campos, 9. Godinez is expecting a son, whom Wendy wanted to name Fernando.Craig L. Moran/View special to view"High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens, right, sits with 10-year-old Wendy Campos on May 13. Wendy was able to meet Hudgens through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Advertisement

Ten-year-old Wendy Campos was your everyday average girl who enjoyed playing, shopping and watching movies such as the popular High School Musical series; that was, until April 30, 2008, when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

"One day, she began complaining of these blinding headaches," her mother, Mirna Godinez, said. "Less than a week later, she was having surgery to remove a tumor."

Godinez said the diagnosis came out of nowhere, and while the family prayed, Wendy went through months of radiation and chemotherapy.

She was declared cancer free in early March, only to relapse on March 13.

"The original tumor was gone," Godinez said. "Killed by the treatments and the surgery. But another tumor had formed on her brain stem. And we were told there was nothing they could do."

Wendy, who had been referred to the local chapter of Make-A-Wish, the organization that works to grant wishes for children battling potentially terminal illnesses, last August, suddenly became a priority for having a wish granted.

Wendy's wish was to meet teen idol and "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens.

Karen Iglesias, president of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada, said that Wendy's wish originally was planned to be carried out later on this year, and wish granters weren't even 100 percent certain they could make it happen.

"We were trying to work around Vanessa's schedule in an attempt to plan a visit, but she was filming and it was tough," Iglesias said.

Then the foundation received a call from Wendy's doctor, who told granters that the little girl didn't have much time left.

"We knew now that she had probably only weeks to live," Iglesias said. "Which boosted her case to be a rush wish. She was deteriorating more every day, and our fear was that she would leave us before we could get something worked out with Vanessa's people."

According to Iglesias, when Hudgens got the call about meeting Wendy, she shut down filming on a project she was working on in New York and rushed to the sick girl's side.

"She dropped everything and came to Nevada," Iglesias said. "Celebrity wishes can be tricky because some celebrities are great, others aren't so great. But Vanessa, she really went above and beyond."

Wendy got her wish on the evening of May 13 when Hudgens arrived at the home she shared with her mother and three sisters.

By that time, Wendy was unable to walk or speak but still made facial expressions to communicate. But according to Godinez, her elation at her idol's visit was more than apparent.

"She got this great, surprised look on her face," Godinez said. "It really was a dream come true for her."

Godinez said that Hudgens spent more than an hour with the girl, singing to her, holding her and stroking her face.

"She was really incredible," Godinez said. "I will be forever grateful for the experience she gave my daughter."

Wendy died May 24, surrounded by those who loved her most.

Godinez said that while it is still hard to cope with the loss of her first-born child, she finds the memory of Wendy meeting Hudgens comforting.

"I can still see the look on her face when she saw Vanessa," she said. "It was her final wish. And to see it come true ... words can't describe the comfort that brings me. That we could do that for her."

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada grants approximately 150 wishes per year, an average of three per week, to children fighting life-threatening medical conditions.

The charity operates on 100 percent donations from the community.

"Sometimes the wish brings much needed respite to families dealing with terrible illness," Iglesias said. "On many occasions, these wishes will lift the spirit of the child who will go on to make a wonderful recovery and live a happy life. On other occasions, it can be one of the last happy experiences that the family will enjoy together. That was the case with Wendy."

For more information, visit www.snv.wish.org.

Godinez said that she misses her daughter every single day, but that she feels her presence around the house often.

"I know I will see her again someday, I know it," she said.

Godinez, who was 81/2 months pregnant in mid-July, said that she was expecting a little boy, and that Wendy had been so excited to see him born.

"She wanted to name him Fernando because she believed it meant faith," she said. "That's what I plan to call him. Because I want to be able to tell him his sister named him."

Contact North Las Vegas and Downtown View reporter Amanda Llewellyn at allewellyn@viewnews.com or 380-4535.