Even amid the usual airport hubbub, there’s something about this motley crew of travelers that catches your eye. A vibrant jumble of children and adults, this team of travelers sticks together like family – a family of 135 people, that is. As the younger members of the group make their way down the aisle of the JetBlue airplane and sink contentedly into their seats, you might presume that these are the happiest kids on earth. Yet the joy on their sun-kissed faces belies the painful reality these children must deal with every day: each of these children is battling cancer. Thanks to the Ohr Meir Foundation, and the selflessness of 85 volunteers, these fifty children from across the United States and Canada were whisked away from their daily regimen of chemotherapy treatments and hospital stays for a four-day trip that only dreams are made of.

From the moment their plane touched down in Orlando on the bright Sunday morning of December 4th, the children learned quickly to expect the unexpected. As soon as they disembarked, each child received his or her own video camera to capture and relive every magical moment. No time was wasted waiting around for their luggage; ready volunteers carted away the suitcases while the children were immediately spirited away for an adventure at Sea World.

And that was only the beginning.

Every minute of the trip continued to be a whirlwind of fun and surprise. Each day was jam-packed with thrilling escapades: shopping sprees at Toys R Us, personal meet-and-greets with Disney characters, nightly concerts, and elaborate banquets. The children received free entry to all of the amusement parks and attractions, including Sea World, Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Islands of Adventure, and Universal Studios. Even their time at the hotel was blur of delight; in the Ohr Meir-designated wing of the hotel, each child’s bed was festooned with Disney linen (theirs to keep!), and a 24-hour tearoom included coffee makers, popcorn poppers, and hot pretzels.

Mealtime only added to the merriment: Each day, three full meals were prepared by the Ohr Meir staff, with options to please even the most finicky of eaters. Hot breakfast, including scrambled eggs, home fries, pancakes, blintzes, and bagels, was served as professional face-painters and a balloonist charmed the crowd. Monday’s dinner was followed by a concert with DJ Yitzy Wadiche, and even Mickey and Minnie joined in the festive dancing. Tuesday’s dinner was a gala banquet, where the children were presented with a 20 minute, fully edited video of the fun they’d had so far, giving them an opportunity to experience the fun anew.

The trip, from start to finish, truly was magical. Lovingly dubbed “The Ohr Meir Crew,” the all-volunteer staff of organizers, counselors, and medical personnel makes certain that every child has his or her needs met. Two oncologists, oncology nurses, and a group of EMTs tend to the children’s medical needs, while a one-to-one ratio of counselor to child assures that each child, despite his or her condition, is swept along with the fun. The children are free to be children again, without the cloud of worry that has become their daily companion. They find true friends in their fellow campers and forge lasting bonds with the entire staff of Ohr Meir, establishing an invaluable support system for the road ahead. They return home refreshed, revitalized to face any future battles, G-d forbid. In a thank-you note to The Ohr Meir Crew, one camper- Rachel Khafizova wrote-, “It felt like we were a family; everybody was there for each other. No one was ever left alone. [You] went above and beyond in every area, especially when we least expected it.”

Even the parents at home can participate in the magic. The Ohr Meir Web site recounts every moment of the trip in real time, using Twitter accounts, uploaded pictures, and daily blog reports to enable parent’s miles away to see for themselves that their children are having the time of their lives. Raizy Blau, whose twelve year old son Eli participated in this year’s trip, wrote “All I can say is that seeing pictures of [my son] beaming after the horrible year he’s been through is the best therapy and most healing medicine for a pained mother’s heart. Words could never express the gratitude and love I feel to and from all of you. It has helped me survive, one day at a time.”

The Ohr Meir Crew views this renewed energy as the greatest gift the trip provides. “When we see the twinkle return to a child’s eye, we know that a reinvigorated spirit is more powerful than any medicine or treatment,” says Ari Friedman, co-founder of The Ohr Meir Foundation. “A bright smile is the greatest reward for our efforts.”

The Ohr Meir Foundation is the brainchild of Ari and Idy Friedman, who lost their ten year-old son Meir after a seven-year battle with leukemia. In his memory, the Friedman family established a foundation to capture Meir’s indomitable spirit and infectious smile. With their annual Orlando trip, they succeed tenfold. Their foundation provides an all-expense-paid adventure to children who need it most, an invaluable reprieve from their dreary day-to-day. The Orlando trip is organized and paid for in its entirety by the Ohr Meir Foundation.

The entire Friedman family works tirelessly all year to ensure that the trip goes off without a hitch. The Ohr Meir Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, has no overhead or administrative costs; every penny raised is spent to benefit the children and their families. Ohr Meir’s staff is comprised entirely of volunteers who generously donate their time and expertise; doctors, nurses, businessmen – people of all ages – don T-shirts and caps to join in the fun, rolling up their sleeves to ensure the trip’s resounding success.

As soon as their plane lands at Newark airport, the Friedmans immediately get to work to coordinate programs Ohr Meir runs throughout the year, and begin to plan for next year’s trip. “It is our fervent wish that our services won’t continue to be needed,” says Idy Friedman, “but as long as they are, we will work as hard as we can to provide a burst of sunshine to the children who need it most.”

For more information on the Ohr Meir Foundation please call 1-877-OHR-MEIR, email [email protected], or visit their website at www.ohrmeir.org.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)