AUSTIN, TX — She calls it her "bucket list Beetle." Fueled with childhood memories of her dad's bright orange Super Beetle Volkswagen, Austin resident Whitney Wickesberg resolved to one day finding a vintage version to restore and call her own — a realized dream that was spurred by a cancer diagnosis.

In a narrative sent to Patch, Wickesberg recalled the distinct smell of her father's ride — let alone the boldness of its paint job. She remembered sneaking to her parents' garage to lie down on the backseat, taking in the car smells while daydreaming of owning one herself one day. "I really fell in love with it," she acknowledged.

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.

But in an early experience of loss, she was heartbroken when her parents sold the object of her affection. She resolved to channel that disappointment into what she described as full-on Volkswagen fandom. "I kind of became obsessed," she admitted before volunteering she had a large poster of a Volkswagen Beetle on the wall of her room and amassed a collection of miniature model cars.

From those early days, owning a Volkswagen Beetle of her own achieved bucket-list status. But while in the throes of her pursuit, she hit a critical road block: At the young age of 27, Wickesberg was diagnosed with lymphoma of the immune system. Early symptoms had been shrugged off as nothing more than a common cold until she noticed a lump in her neck. The diagnosis stalled her dreams for a time, forced to be house-bound for nearly six months as she recuperated from chemotherapy treatment. And yet, she didn't let the confines of her room stifle her dreams. While in recovery, she tracked down her dream Beetle online. Her holy grail: A 1966 Volkswagen model found somewhere in Wisconsin. Family members happily traveled to assess the vehicle on her behalf, after which she purchased the car and had it shipped to Texas.

"It gave me something to look forward to and I could start envisioning my future," she explained.

To be sure, her new baby arrived on schedule and was promptly christened Barkley. But Barkley was in need of some TLC, Wickesberg quickly noticed: The seats would need new upholstery, the engine was faulty and the headlights would need to be replaced.

So Wickesberg rolled up her sleeves, and got to work. She took to YouTube for mechanical primers and secured old Volkswagen service manuals as aids. Her husband — also an avowed Volkswagen nut — offered to help, but Wickesberg said she wanted to learn all on her own. She even secured a hazmat suit from Amazon so she could safely work on the car during her breaks from chemotherapy. Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.