Published: September 20, 2008 10:00 pm      

Cancer patient gets shopping spree

Austin Bailey rode in a limo from his Oceana home Saturday, and he and his younger cousin Gabby watched “Frosty the Snowman” on the limo’s TV and DVD player.

Bailey’s own Christmas in September would continue at the MacArthur Wal-Mart.

Bailey, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Oceana Middle School, was treated to a $2,000 Wal-Mart shopping spree, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In 2002, Bailey was diagnosed with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). According to information from the National Cancer Institute’s Web site, ALL is a type of cancer in which bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It is the most common type of cancer in children.

Kermit Bailey, Austin’s grandfather, said the boy’s cancer is now in remission, but he must have yearly checkups.

Jeffrey Ott, a volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Charleston office, was charged with granting Aus-tin’s wish, funded by donations. MacArthur Wal-Mart management and employees alike were more than willing to help, even providing a cake on their own.

Austin and seven family members were treated to a limo ride from Oceana to MacArthur and dinner at Shoney’s — Austin’s choice, Ott said.

Two laptop computers — one for him and another for his 13-year-old brother Dakota — were at the top of Austin’s shopping list. An X-Box and hunting clothes were next, but both brothers played a bowling game on a display Nintendo Wii.

“If I have money left over, I want a flat-screen TV,” Aus-tin said.

“This is fun!” he said, swinging his arms at his side as if he were running in a race. “I’m getting all this stuff.”

Austin said he did not expect he would be in a limo for the first time, and he thought Saturday was better than Christmas.

Kermit Bailey, 50 years older than Austin, said he had never ridden in a limo, either. “Smooth,” he said. “I thought, ‘Yeah, I don’t have to drive.’ That was a ride-and-a-half.”

The elder Bailey said he was “delighted” to see Austin happily playing video games while on his shopping spree. Finding out his grandson’s wish was granted was welcome news.

“Mercy, there’s no words,” he remarked. “I wanted to jump for joy. He went totally wild about it. He couldn’t stop talking about it. It didn’t seem possible.”

His grandson’s diagnosis was, at first, unnerving, the elder Bailey said. But he later met and talked with parents of children who also had leukemia when Austin was in treatment at CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital. One particular physician showed compassion and concern for all of his patients, doing everything he could to help the children overcome cancer.

He was particularly moved when Austin bought Dakota a laptop, too.

“He wants to share with his brother and show his concern and compassion,” the elder Bailey said.

Brianna Prillaman, Austin’s 8-year-old cousin and best friend, said she was happy to see Austin’s wish granted.

“I just really want my cousin to have a really good time,” she said.

Ott said Austin’s wish is the sixth he has helped grant — and his work with the foundation is deeply personal. Four years ago, Ott lost his 13-year-old daughter Stephanie to aplastic anemia. Before she died, Stephanie had a shopping spree provided by Make-A-Wish.

“This is exhilarating,” Ott said. “It gets the families away from the everyday grind of doctors’ appointments. It takes your mind off the disease, and you have a day to relax.”

— E-mail: apridemore@

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