LAYTON -- An 11-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis hosted a party with about 100 of her friends and relatives Sunday evening at the Classic Fun Center so they could watch her on national television together.
Callie London, of Farmington, became the 2,500th person to have her wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Utah.
Her wish was to appear on the ABC's "Extreme Makeover" show and design a room for a family.
"It's like a ton of wishes all put together," Callie said. "I met all the stars of the show. I met other stars (singers Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow). That's a whole nother wish."
London went to Oklahoma for the filming Jan. 28 through Feb. 4, and the show aired Sunday night. She said she has always liked designing rooms for family members and has been a huge fan of the show.
"It was so fun to do it for another family," said Stacie London, Callie's mother. "They were so excited."
But the family didn't think that such a wish would be possible.
"We kind of tried to talk her out of it," said her father. "It didn't seem possible."
The family was surprised to be contacted by members of the "Extreme Makeover" staff.
Mark London said the family was asked to submit a video of their daughter for the show's staff to evaluate.
Then members of the show's staff talked to the family on the telephone and conducted an interview with Callie before deciding to include her on the show.
Callie's role on the program was to help design an ocean-themed room for 8-year-old Ethan Starkweather, a boy who has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a disorder that leaves him with low muscle tone and keeps him wanting to eat constantly.
Part of the design of the home was to help family members better regulate areas where food is kept in the home.
Callie's parents said their daughter had her own trailer on the set where the home was constructed and show producers would call Callie when it was time for her to be filmed.
"They treated Callie just the same as every other star on the show," Mark London said. "She was there as a guest designer, and they included her ideas just like they did their own plans."
But Callie said more important than being on national television was meeting the people on the show, having the opportunity to design something and helping someone else.
"We had a pretty good time," she said, pointing to her parents.
Callie said she helps people all the time. At Christmastime, her family often shovels snow from the driveways of neighbors, she said.
Mark London said Callie's disease, which requires her to take numerous medications and undergo 30-minute treatments to loosen mucus buildup in her chest twice a day, has taught her to care for others.
He said she has two younger siblings and two younger cousins who have cystic fibrosis.
"She's always taken a mature role, realizing she has to comfort those behind," he said.
The "Extreme Makeover" experience opened a new and unexpected way Callie can both help and be helped, he said.
During the filming of the show, Paul DiMeo, one of the featured designers on the show, told Callie he knew a girl her age who has cystic fibrosis and lives on the East Coast.
Through DiMeo, the two have become pen pals.
Mark London said there is danger in having the girls spend time together because doctors fear they could pass germs back and forth.
But he said the pen-pal arrangement has proved helpful for both girls.
Also since the filming, DiMeo has visited Utah for a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Mark London said the event a month ago raised $100,000 for the foundation.
"Make-A-Wish really does make dreams come true," Stacie London said.
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