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Gandy/Sun Bay South

Bringing the park to her own back yard

A nonprofit dedicated to making seriously ill kids' dreams come true helps a young girl who can't venture far.

By LESLIE PAREDES
Published May 27, 2005

Three-year-old Delaney Potterbaum used to wish she could play more outside, but a life-threatening illness prevented her from going to the park.

That's when the Children's Dream Fund stepped in, turning her barren back yard into the park of her dreams.

The nonprofit group from St. Petersburg grants dreams to seriously ill children across Florida's west coast. Delaney has a benign brain tumor on her optic nerve, which limits her vision and suppresses feelings of hunger.

Delaney wanted a swing set because she has spent a lot of time at home on Bay Avenue or in the hospital for surgeries, chemotherapy and monitoring, said her mother, Kara Potterbaum, 34.

"For Delaney it's not like there's pain, go to the doctor and feel better. For her it's pain, go to the doctor and still be in pain from the treatment," said her father, Brian Potterbaum, 34.

The Dream Fund delivered the swing set last week during a "Celebration of Life" party. She played on the swing set, which included a fort with a play kitchen and table and chairs, while her family rolled the videocamera.

Doctors discovered Delaney's tumor in January. Her parents brought her in because they were concerned that she weighed only 21 pounds and often refused to eat.

"It became this ordeal, one to two hours of sitting with her, trying to get her to eat five chicken nuggets," her father said.

After she was diagnosed, doctors implanted a port in her stomach for feeding. She's undergoing chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, which is too large to be surgically removed.

In April, Delaney's doctor at All Children's Hospital recommended her for the Dream Fund, which helps children ages 3 through 18.

The organization grants wishes as elaborate as weeklong family vacations to Disney World and visits with celebrities, such as Hilary Duff and Vin Diesel, or as simple as a new puppy or a kitten.

"We don't really put a price tag on a dream," said dream coordinator Joanne Lanning. "We are looking to do something that will impact their lives, make them for a second forget their illness."

In Delaney's case, the new Cold Stone Creamery at 3810 W Neptune St. partnered with the Dream Fund by donating half of its revenues from opening day to the fund.

The creamery also plans to invite Delaney and her family for cake and ice cream on her birthdays. Her family hopes Delaney's treatment will allow her the chance to enjoy it.

Leslie Paredes can be reached at 226-3339 or lparedes@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 26, 2005, 08:26:10]