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8-Year-Old Violet Spiliotes, Cancer Survivor, Shares Her Message Of Hope: 'Keep Believing'

MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- There was pure happiness in Monroe Township, N.J. Monday morning as Make-A-Wish granted a wish unlike any other.

As CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reported, with a huge smile and infectious excitement, 8-year-old Violet Spiliotes stepped up to the podium in front of the Make-A-Wish castle. Her wish was granted: To the sound honking horns and in a confetti storm, she watched her dream turned reality roll in. She wished for a rainbow sparkly unicorn camper.

"It means I get to go around the world looking for a unicorn," Violet said.

As soon as she got the chance, Murdock asked her why unicorns are so special to her.

"Unicorns are magical, don't overthink it," Violet said.

The most magical years of this little girl's life haven't been easy. At 5, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer, had one kidney removed, and endured chemo and radiation. Her mom, Jaime, said she handled it like a rock star and just celebrated two years cancer free.

"There's no stopping her, she's going to do big things. She already says she wants to be the president," Jaime said. "First we'll find the unicorn, then we'll do that."

The sparkly unicorn camper wasn't Violet's original wish.

"Her first wish was to cure cancer, and when they said they couldn't do that, she said I want a unicorn, and they told her they couldn't do that either. So she said, 'Well, I'll just find my own,'" Jaime said.

"Every day we get to grant a wish is a special one," MIchael Dominick of Make-A-Wish New Jersey.

Dominick shares through the pandemic the organization never stopped granting wishes.

"What about this particular wish granted?" Murdock asked.

"Our take is wow, and boy was this fun," Dominick said.

From this day forward, Violet plans to put some serious mileage on her unicorn camper.

"Everything America touches. Everything I can get from right here," Violet said.

She's not only on a mission to find that magical unicorn, but to spread joy and raise money for nonprofits, including Make-A-Wish.

For anyone young, or not as young going through a tough time, Violet offers this advice:

"Keep believing in unicorns, keep believing you'll finish this. Keep believing," she said.

Because wishes do come true.

"Best day ever!" Violet said.

The Spiliotes family headed out right after the ceremony for their first trip with their rainbow sparkly unicorn camper.

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