For the last 38 years, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted wishes to children with life-threatening conditions like 11-year-old Nastia Frye.

Nastia, a fourth-grader at Priceville Elementary, was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, at birth. OI is a genetic disorder characterized by bones that break easily, often from little or no apparent cause. Nastia has broken countless bones during her young life, experiencing over 50 breaks just while being born. She has had rods inserted in all of her leg bones and upper arm bones to help support her body and prevent future breaks.

Bound to a wheelchair until her leg bones become strong enough to support her weight, Nastia travels to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital once every four months for treatments.

“You would never know how much she goes through because she has such a positive attitude about everything,” Nastia’s mom, Tammie Frye, said.

Tammie, a teacher at Priceville Elementary, and her husband Russell, who works as a web developer at Athens State University, adopted Nastia from a Ukrainian orphanage five years ago. They had researched her condition extensively and felt like it was something they could handle.

Nastia, only 6 at the time, flourished in her new home, thanks to the love of her new family and access to the treatment she needed. The family discovered she was eligible for the Make-A-Wish Foundation a few years after bringing her to the states, but they held off waiting until their daughter was old enough to fully understand what she wanted from her wish.

Like 40 percent of Make-A-Wish children, Nastia decided she wanted to go to Walt Disney World after sharing her dreams with Make-A-Wish volunteers Lacy Fitzpatrick and Mark Elrod. The foundation covers 100 percent of the trip, paying for everything from accommodations to travel costs to meals.

“She’s always been a big fan of (Disney) characters and has always loved Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh,” Tammie said. “It was the perfect choice for her.”

While there, the family got to stay at the Give Kids the World Village, an 84-acre storybook-themed resort accessible to children with limitations. Included in the village are a zero-entry pool, a wheelchair-accessible playground and miniature golf.

“Because Nastia is so fragile and has to be so careful, there are a lot of things in-day-to-day life she can’t participate in,” Tammie said. “But this vacation was something created and designed just for her.”

“The Disney parks treat you like royalty. Nastia was treated like a queen,” she added. “They roll out the red carpet for wish kids.”

According to Tammie, the best part of the April trip — which also included a visit to SeaWorld where Nastia got to pet a dolphin and Universal Studios — was celebrating her 11th birthday with Winnie the Pooh at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom.

“They brought her a cupcake with a candle, and she got to give Winnie the Pooh a hug,” Tammie said. “She was beaming.”

“They (the Make-A-Wish Foundation) make a difference in so many kids’ lives,” Tammie said. “We are so thankful for the experience they gave Nastia. She made the most of every moment.”

Tammie said she was so moved by the program, she plans to become a Make-A-Wish volunteer to help other children make their wishes come true.