Sunshine From Canada Brightens Lives at Disneyland

About 70 Canadian children smiled impatiently as photographers scrambled to take their pictures Wednesday in front of the Disneyland train depot. The children, who had just gotten off a 2 1/2-hour flight, were getting antsy as a park photographer took one more snapshot.

That final click of the camera was like the starting shot of a race. The kids were off, with just six hours to have the time of their lives.

All of the children--ranging from 8 to 17--suffer from severe handicaps or life-threatening illnesses. And for most of them, just flying on a plane or coming to California was a brand-new experience.

Fifty members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, along with four officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who had traveled to Southern California ahead of time, greeted the youngsters as they arrived at John Wayne Airport on Wednesday morning. The children, who were scheduled to return to Canada that night, were paired with an officer for the day.

Nine-year-old Daniel Allard of Vancouver disembarked and shook hands with Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates and an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but he had only one thing on his mind: getting to Disneyland.

“I want to see Space Mountain,” he said anxiously. Asked if there was anything else he wanted to see, he said again, “I want to see Space Mountain.”

The visit was organized by the Sunshine Foundation of Canada, which helps severely handicapped and ill children. Ed Czach, an organizer of the visit, said he helped form the Canadian chapter after his 15-year-old son died of muscular dystrophy in 1985. Since then, the group has visited Walt Disney World in Florida several times, but this was the first visit to Disneyland.

Many of the children suffer from cystic fibrosis and spina bifida, diseases that have confined them to wheelchairs. Others have life-threatening diseases such as cancer and hemophilia.

Jamie Whitman, 15, who is in a wheelchair, said his disability wasn’t going to stop him from going on Splash Mountain and Space Mountain.

The trip, he conceded, was one he never thought he’d be making. “My mom said, ‘You’re going to Disneyland,’ and I said ‘No way.’ I really didn’t think I’d end up making it. My parents kept on saying ‘We’ll go someday.’ ”

Ten-year-old Luke Thomas, who is confined to a wheelchair, rattled off a list of rides he planned to go on, including Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean.

“This is really exciting,” the Vancouver boy said as he snapped pictures with a disposable camera. “I’m really happy.”

Sheriff’s personnel, ranging from deputies and clerical workers, helped the children make their way around the park.

“Even though cops are kind of cynical, what better thing can you do but give them a day at Disneyland?” said Sheriff’s Capt. Tim Simon.