|
,
The Make-a-Wish Foundation® grants wishes
to children
Joey's Story My son was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma in 1999, and spent 6 months in the hospital, including 3 weeks in the ICU. After months of chemotherapy, two surgeries and a lot of TLC, thoughts and prayers, his cancer went into remission, and today he is doing GREAT! In fact, unless you look at the scars on his chest, you'd never know the ordeal he has been through. The Make-a-Wish Foundation® granted him a wish to visit Walt Disney World in February of 2000, and it was everything he dreamed it would be. It gave him something to look forward to other than shots and hospital stays, and we think it helped him continue to fight the illness ravaging his body. A huge thank you to our wish-granters, Terri and Trish, and everyone at the Make-a-Wish Foundation®, as well as the Give Kids the World Village in Orlando, Florida. As a result, I began volunteering with Make-a-Wish® in the summer of 2002. What began as a sort of 'payback' for my son's wish has become an incredibly fulfilling experience, one which I am very thankful to have been able to take part in. I started volunteering as a Wish Granter, and in the time since, have done speaking engagements on behalf of Make-a-Wish, at the University of Arizona, various civic organizations, clubs, schools and companies. My time with Make-a-Wish® has been filled with amazing memories of amazing kids. To be able to bring a little bit of joy to a child and a family at a time when there otherwise isn't much to be happy about, is a special experience. I have worked with extraordinary children and their families, all of whom are strong and optimistic, and none of whom deserve to be going through such a difficult time. Did you know... The biggest misconception about Make-a-Wish® is that it is only for children with terminal illnesses. The REALITY is, that most of the children for whom we grant wishes, make it into adulthood and live long, full lives. These are the requirements for eligibility for a Wish: 1. Children aged 2 1/2 to 18 years of age at the time the wish is made. 2. Confirmation from the child's physician that his/her affliction is LIFE-THREATENING. 3. Child has not had a wish granted by another wish-granting organization. Such considerations as family income, demographics, and location do not affect eligibility for a wish. Diseases such as cancer do not discriminate; I have worked with very well-to-do families, and families below the poverty level. I have traveled as much as 90 miles each way, to meet and visit with a wish child. In some cases, we have even granted wishes to children of non-resident aliens, living and being treated in the USA. Our chapter recently granted its 3000th wish to a child from Tucson. Where does the money come from? Our wishes are granted from the donations we receive, period. There is relatively little overhead involved. Donations, sponsorships and in-kind donations (such as complimentary park tickets, pizzas, and other gifts) account for the sources of funds and materials necessary for wish granting. Who can refer a child? Basically anyone, though the child's physician makes the final decision regarding eligibility. Generally, referrals come from doctors, social workers, family members including parents, friends, and sometimes, even the wish child him/herself. What types of wishes are granted? Almost all of the wishes we grant fall into one of four major categories: I wish to go... (Disney parks, Hawaii, San Diego, New York City, and cruises are very popular; in fact, Disney-related wishes make up more than 30% of the total number of wishes granted. I wish to have... (an above-ground swimming pool, pet, playhouse, computer, and a game room are popular choices) I wish to meet... (a celebrity; singer, rock group, sports star or team, actor or actress, the president... you get the idea... ) I wish to be... (a superhero, zookeeper, dolphin trainer, a princess... this type of wish is usually made by younger children, and this is where the imagination really takes hold... ) Every once in a while, someone breaks the mold and makes a wish that falls outside these categories... selfless wishes such as making a public service announcement, or promoting awareness about a particular illness, show just how amazing these children are. What's the most original wish I ever worked on? In 2003, I helped grant a wish to a Tucson child who loved pickles. Even after a heart and lung transplant, he had a voracious appetite for pickles, and his wish was to visit and work in a pickle factory! We sent him to the B&G pickle factory in Maryland, and the company really rolled out the red carpet - literally! They gave him the VIP treatment, and showed him every facet of pickle-making! After riding in an 18-wheeler and a pickle harvesting vehicle, he and his sister were put on the assembly line, and they managed to jar 4 crates worth of pickles, all of which were sent to the family home in Tucson. After lunch with the factory CEO and his wife, and a snack of a giant jar of pickles, our wish child headed back to his hotel via limousine and police escort. The family also visited Oriole Park at Camden Yards and was allowed onto the field to meet the Orioles, and watched the 4th of July fireworks from a Baltimore Harbor cruise boat. When Make-a-Wish originally contacted B&G, they were amazed that this boy would choose a wish such as this. Neither we nor B&G had ever participated in a wish like it before. As it turned out, it was a huge success! All of the wishes I have worked on have been very memorable, but this one is usually the one I bring up at speaking engagements on behalf of Make-a-Wish, to illustrate the boundless imagination of the mind of a child. What adult would make a wish like that? My wish would probably be to pay off my bills and set up a college fund. Adults are rooted in reality. Children aren't restricted like that. How can you help? There are so many ways to get involved... I'll list the ones I can think of here... Volunteering:
Fundraising:
Other ways...
For More Information: Make-a-Wish Foundation of America® - National Office (based in Phoenix) please use your favorite search engine to track down your area chapter if it isn't listed here.) |
|||||||
