SACRAMENTO, Calif. — 7/2/21 Update:
According to St. Francis High School, yesterday, Sammie Decong passed away after a long battle with a rare bone cancer.
The official Facebook page of St. Francis High School wrote these kind words about Sammie, who used her last moments on earth raising money to help other Make-A-Wish kids:
"She embodied what it means to be an SF Troubadour. Her leadership and service shone through even as she bravely battled cancer. As an ambassador for Make-a-Wish, she has made granting the wishes of other sick kids possible."
Before her passing, Sammie had hopes of raising $165,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The amount is currently at $131,597.
If you would like to make a donation in her honor, click here.
Original Story:
While Sammie Decong's life may be coming to an end, the 18-year-old Sacramento native is using what time she has left to help change the lives of others.
Sammie is a Make-A-Wish ambassador. She is raising money to help grant more wishes for kids like her. It is part of her final wish.
"I'm a Make-A-Wish ambassador and I'm a Make-A-Wish kid," Sammie said.
Sammie's Make-A-Wish journey started in 2013 after she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer.
"My wish was to go to Disney World with my family and when it got granted in 2013, it changed my life," Sammie said. "It gave me a lot of meaning and I realized I wanted to go support the other children dealing with these illnesses that they don't deserve so I started volunteering."
For nearly four years, she has helped grant the wishes of other children.
Recently however, Sammie and her family received the news her cancer returned and her diagnosis is now terminal. She plans to use whatever time she has left to help other children's wishes come true.
"I found out I have terminal cancer now and my last request is to grant another wish for a child before I pass away," Sammie said. "It will be my last dying wish. It's the least I can do to give back. That's all I can do. That's all I'm doing in the first place because of how much Make-A-Wish has supported kids like me."
In just one day, donors have helped Sammie raise more than $25,000 for Make-A-Wish.
If you would like to help, visit the Make-A-Wish website.
