SeaWorld hosted several patients from Rady Children’s Hospital on Monday to participate in their Dolphin Interaction Program — better known as "dip." These patients have received treatments for cancer and heart issues, among other things.
The program started in 2007 when SeaWorld dolphin trainer Joy Clausen Soto felt inspired by her own life story.
As a child, she overcame non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at another children’s hospital in Southern California and thought swimming with the dolphins would prove to be a memorable experience for children going through what she went through.
Current top stories on NBC 7 San Diego
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
One of the participants who is 11 now was diagnosed with cancer at age 8. He is still undergoing treatment until 2024.
NBC 7's Nicole Gomez caught up with his mom who says she is inspired by her son every day.
"Today is amazing for him. He’s never swum with the dolphins and he loves water. He actually wants to be a marine biologist when he grows up," said Anne Cravo, mother to Landon, who had a blast swimming with the dolphins on Monday.
"Oh gosh, this kid is amazing. You’re going to make me cry. I draw my strength from him. Everything that kid has been through you would never expect somebody to be so happy. He has a smile on his face. You look at him now and you would never even think he’s still in treatment," Cravo said.
After learning about dolphins and swimming with them all morning, the children and their families got to spend the rest of the day having fun at SeaWorld.
