Make-a-Wish Foundation at the Arecibo Observatory
June 20, 2012
On June 20th, 2012, Victoria Fehr, a 17 year old girl from Indiana, visited the Arecibo Observatory as part of her Make-a-Wish Foundation request. At the age of 2, Victoria was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, which mostly affects the lungs, but also damages the pancreas, liver and intestines. This disease causes a thick, sticky mucus in these organs, which immediately makes it difficult to breathe. Average life expectancy of people who suffer from this disease is 37 to 38 years. Three years ago Victoria also discovered that she suffered from Crohn’s disease. Later she was diagnosed with "Sweet Syndrome" a skin disease that causes fever and red markings similar to a mosquito bite. Victoria’s mother reached out to Make-a-Wish to express Victoria’s wish to visit Puerto Rico and the Arecibo Observatory. Her time in the Observatory was a magical experience. Mr. Andrew Ortiz alongside members from the Angel Ramos Foundation Visitor’s Center Staff gave her a VIP tour of all the facilities. This experience brought a lot of you to this young girl’s otherwise difficult life.
