"Dear Santa, this is my motto and you might use it too. 'You might have a bad day, today, but there's always a bright star to look forward to tomorrow.' Look inside. What's your bright star? Thank you. Happy holidays," said Gabriella a 9 year old with an inoperable brain tumor who has raised nearly $250,000 for the Make A wish Foundation

A 9-year-old cancer patient has raised nearly $250,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help sick kids. One month ago Mark and Ellyn Miller learned their daughter Gabriella had an inoperable brain tumor. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Gabriella gets to travel to Paris. Before going, she asked kids to write letters to Santa. That's because Macy's donates $1 to Make-A-Wish for every letter received.

"It's really buoyed her spirits during this time that otherwise might have felt really lonely and really dark," said Chris Croll, a campaign organizer.

The goal was 10,000 letters. Defying all expectations it quickly escalated to almost 241,000. Despite draining chemo and radiation treatments, Gabrielle made her first public appearance this weekend.

"This is my motto and you might use it too. 'You might have a bad day, today, but there's always a bright star to look forward to tomorrow.' Look inside. What's your bright star? Thank you. Happy holidays," said Gabriella.

While cancer leaves Gabriella physically weak and alters her speech, it hasn't diminished her incredible spirit.