With plane tickets to China in hand this week, the Johnstones are excited for what's ahead and overwhelmed with gratitude for the community that made it possible.
Through various fundraisers over the past eight months with Rylan's Fight For Sight, the Sunshine Coast community has donated almost $34,000 to the Johnstone family, all in an effort to send five-year-old Rylan to China for stem cell therapy.
It is hoped the stem cell therapy will help Rylan gain some sight, lessen his autism and improve his mobility.
"There are no words to explain our gratitude," Rylan's mom Alicia said. "This community has given us hope."
Alicia, Rylan and his grandma Alison will travel to China by way of Cathay Pacific Airlines on Sept. 23, and after a few weeks of treatment at Bieke Biotech centre, they will return on Oct. 14.
After searching on-line for an airline that could accommodate Rylan's many needs during his flight, Alison turned to a travel company in Gibsons to make the process easier.
"It was extremely stressful looking on the Internet, but Elite Travel has been really great," she said, noting the company arranged for the airline to have a wheelchair available for Rylan and arranged for puréed food for the little boy during the flight.
The cost of the airfare rang in at just over $4,000.
Alison has already paid 20 per cent of the stem cell treatment cost and will pay the remaining $20,000 when the family arrives.
"Then there will be a little money left over to ship our suitcases and pay for food," she said.
Rylan starts school this September and the family hopes he can get a couple of weeks in before he leaves for the treatment.
"We're going to do a gradual start and just go for however long he can stand at first," Alicia said.
Alison thanks the community for their support and interest in Rylan's story, noting there are 272 followers of Rylan's Fight For Sight on Facebook and her blog has had more than 2,050 hits.
"The support has been overwhelming. We had a dream and this community has helped us realize it," she said.
To keep up to date with what's going on with Rylan, search for Rylan's Fight For Sight on Facebook or visit Alison's blog at www.rylansfightforsight.blogspot.ca.
