RICHMOND, Va. -- A struggling Chesterfield family will be making a splash in Williamsburg with the help of Great Wolf Lodge, Virginia Credit Union, and CBS 6.
To kick off the CBS 6 Month of Giving, Laura French surprised the Callaway family.
Chloe, 11, was diagnosed with a rare lymphatic condition at the age of eight. Since then, she’s had close to 30 surgical interventions and the family has had to live apart.
“She has been in the hospital 102 days earlier this year. This most recent about two months and she had 14 procedures earlier this year and then she’s had two major surgeries which were an 11-hour and a 13-hour surgery this last day,” Chloe’s father Caison Callaway said.
The journey started three years ago when Chloe began presenting symptoms that seemed like bladder issues. After seeking guidance from multiple urologists, no one could figure it out.
“Finally, we got an MRI ordered from a urologist. When I got the call in 2020, they said we’re very sorry it’s very extensive lymphatic malformation and we can’t help you,” Chloe’s mother Emily Callaway said.
Lymphatic malformation is a relatively uncommon vascular malformation that can occur anywhere on the body, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. More specifically, Chloe’s condition was a rare form which caused her lymphatic channels to leak.
“So lymphatic fluid carries pretty much everything your body needs to function, including your immune system, vitamin D for your bone health,” Emily said.
The last three years have been filled with unknowns, pain, and procedures for Chloe and her family. Her lymphatic anomaly is so rare the only hospital that can help her is five hours away at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“To be honest with you it's probably made our family grow more, because we've learned what it's like to not be around each other. So we've had to learn to grow apart. But obviously, it's changed the complete dynamic of our family. Me being here, my wife being up there with her, the other three kids, we still have to make them feel like we are a family,” said Caison.
French shared Chloe’s story with Great Wolf Lodge and they generously donated a two-night stay in their family suite and six passes to their water park, along with Great Wolf goodies. CBS 6 added a gift card to help with their other weekend expenses.
“Thank you,” said Chloe.
“When we do have time together, it allows us that much more fun, being able to be together we cherish the times that we do have,” said Caison. “So being away in a place that's built for fun is just allowing us to have that much more fun and I love them to death and I just really, really cherish the times that we're together,” he tearfully added.
“That basket is so cool!” said Emily. “This is something definitely to look forward to when we get home.”
“Our community has been amazing. They've picked us up when we're down. Our church has been rallied around us. I couldn't have asked for a better place to live,” Caison said.
The CBS 6 Month of Giving made possible by Virginia Credit Union is underway. Watch for a new surprise every day in December on CBS 6 News. Have an idea about who we should surprise next, click here to email our team.
Do you know about a good news story happening in your community? Click hereto email WTVR.com and the CBS 6 News team.
