In January of 2024, sophomore Pazlee Sheeley was diagnosed with cancer. Since then she has had a long recovery with lots of ups and downs. A recent “up” she shared with the Powell High School (PHS) student council was her Make-A-Wish getting granted.

Despite her struggles, Sheeley has kept her head up since the diagnosis.

“My journey has been long and hard, a lot of downs, but I got through it with the right people by my side helping keep my confidence and my faith in God up,” Sheeley said. “It’s been a big learning experience for me cause cancer completely changes you in many ways, I’m close to going and taking my life back.”

A lot of thought goes into choosing a wish. For most, the choice comes down to personal preferences.

“I had a really, really hard time choosing my wish,” Sheeley said. “Then I thought of an idea of a really good barrel horse named Buster.”

Participating schools in Wyoming fundraise for Make-A-Wish. PHS student council fundraises during Make-A-Wish Week with events such as Minute to Win It and selling t-shirts. Some students had more drive to participate knowing a classmate was in the running to receive a wish.

“I knew there was a possibility that Pazlee could be the one to get chosen for the Make-A-Wish,” senior Cami Gernhart said. “Because of that, it pushed me harder to fundraise, dress up, and support the make a wish.”

Science teacher and student council advisor Kaitlin Loeffen appreciates students participating in fundraisers like Make-a-Wish.

“I am always very impressed with the amount of money students raise with them or without them knowing who it goes to,” Loeffen said. “So I think this year we’ll have even more incentive because we saw that it made a wish come true for a Powell student.”

The PHS student council had the pleasure of decorating Pazlee’s party at the Irma.

“Getting to see Pazlee get her wish granted was amazing. It made me so happy for her,” Gernhart said. “Decorating for her party was fun. It made me feel good to be a part of something so special for someone who I am close with.”

Director of Program Services at Make-A-Wish Wyoming Michele Lloyd, expresses the importance of participating to help with the finance process.

“Our annual budget is $700k Our funding comes from businesses, individuals, events, a few grants, and the Kids for Wish Kids program,” Lloyd said. “We are so grateful to Powell High School for your continued participation in the KFWK program.“

Every wish is different so the process varies between the wish granter and the recipient.

“It’s been really good working with Make-A-Wish They have been really helpful, and I have to give them a really big thanks,” Sheeley said. “They found me a great horse on the first try, and I am very grateful for him. They found me the best boy ever, and I’m so excited to see where I go with Buster.”

While many recipients choose a trip to Disney World or another travel-related wish, Sheeley’s wish was unique and personal.

“Living in Wyoming, you would think that a horse wish would be more common,” Lloyd said. “But in our 39 years of granting wishes at the Wyoming chapter, Pazlee was only the seventh Wish kid to wish for a horse. The last wish for a horse was in 2013.”

This story was originally published on The Prowl on October 31, 2024.