7-year-old’s wish to ride horses in the surf granted after learning she’s cancer-free

BRADENTON, Fla. - A seven-year-old girl from Michigan was granted a special wish. 

Dakota Rose spent the last few months battling a rare cancer. From chemotherapy to hospital stays, it took a toll not just on her, but on her family. 

Now, she has a clean bill of health and got to celebrate in the Tampa Bay area. 

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"I’ve never rode on the water before," Dakota said. 

Her wish to ride horses in the surf was granted by Make-A-Wish South Florida. Her father calls it a dream come true after what she’s been through. 

"Valentine’s Day this year was not the same," Dakota's father Donald Woodman said. 

Doctors diagnosed Dakota with a rare kidney cancer called Wilms tumor. It’s a cancer that mainly affects children, and in order to save her life, she needed emergency surgery and then 10 weeks of chemo. 

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"There’s nothing harder than seeing your daughter who has all this energy go through that," Woodman said. "She played softball during that time, and I told the coaches don’t be surprised if she stopped. She never did. She never gave up."

After learning she was cancer-free, Make-A-Wish flew them from Michigan to Bradenton to enjoy a vacation as a family. They got to bond over something fun, and not a scary diagnosis.

"It’s been really hard on the family too. Harder on by daughter of course," her father said. "Stuff like this gives us our bonding back together. Good for us to see she’s taking chances."

They enjoyed a lot of what the Tampa Bay area has to offer. Dakota went parasailing, on a dolphin tour and to Busch Gardens. The family is grateful for the time together and new memories they are making – putting cancer in the rearview mirror. 

"She’s really excited about it. She does understand what she went through. This is a way for people to give back and help you enjoy life again," Woodward said. 

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The Chief Operating Officer of Make-A-Wish South Florida, Richard Kelly, said it's gratifying to do this for a living and make a difference in a child’s life. 

"Wishes have a lifelong impact on children and families," Kelly said. "It’s a culmination of what she and her family went through."

Dakota also has a fascination with mermaids. She got to swim with one at Florida Beach Horses too. She was grateful to check another thing off her wish list.