Local sorority partners with Make-A-Wish to help Milan family

NORTH JACKSON, Tenn.– It was a special day for a family from Milan, when Union University’s Chi-Omega sorority partnered with Make-A-Wish to make 10-year-old Jay-da Dedmon’s dream come true.

“She’s going to be going to Discovery Cove in just a couple of weeks, and has the opportunity to swim with dolphins,” said Make-A-Wish volunteer Molly Webster. “She also asked to swim with a friendly shark, only if it’s friendly.”

When asked why her wish was to swim with dolphins, Jay-da’s answer was quite simple.

“I just like dolphins,” she said.

In 2017, the Dedmon family’s life changed when what started as a stomach ache took an unexpected turn.

“I took her to the Jackson-Madison County hospital, they did a contrast C.T. on her and they found a volleyball-sized tumor growing off her right ovary,” said Jay-da’s mother, Tiffany Dedmon.

Jay-da went to Le Bonheur Children’s hospital, where her family learned the tumor was both cancerous and fast growing. It was removed along with her right ovary.

“As of right now, her numbers are staying down, they’re really good and hopefully nothing reoccurs,” Dedmon said.

With tears in her eyes, Tiffany Dedmon explains what this wish reveal means to her family, “just grateful. For real, all the support and everybody that’s come together to help us.”