Since she was in the eighth grade, Michelle Ferris of Kalamazoo had been planning to be in London this year for the Olympics. But those plans were sidelined in 2010.
"Summer going into Junior year was when I was actually sixteen so I could actually work and earn money, but I was diagnosed before I could do any of that," said Ferris, 18.
She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer and her trip looked unlikely to happen until the Make-A-Wish Foundation stepped in.
"We came in and said 'you know what, if you want to go to the Olympics, you get through this and we'll get you to the Olympics,'" said Laura Brown, Director of Communications for Make-A-Wish Michigan.
Ferris got her wish and leaves Monday night. The money to send her coming from fundraisers like the Wish-A-Mile bicycle tour.
"It's our signature event for Make-A-Wish Michigan," said Brown. "We have 900 riders this year which is the most we've ever had."
The three-day, 300 mile event began in Traverse City and will end Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, with stops at the end of each day. Day two ended at DeWitt High School.
To get into the tour, riders have to pay an entry fee of $95 and raise at least $900 more. Riders are also able to join teams, like Team Alex, which has over 100 riders participating in honor of Alex Graham, who died almost 14 years ago from cancer.
"They're raising money for a really great cause that helps support people like me," said Ferris.
Make-A-Wish Michigan set a goal to raise $2 million from this year's race and, as of Saturday, have already passed that mark.
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