Celebrate the Good: Make-A-Wish Grants 500,000 Wishes and More Despite Challenging Year
In the midst of an unpredictable year that saw nearly everything canceled or postponed, the Make-A-Wish Foundation still delivered on the wishes they received. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children who are diagnosed with critical illness and have been doing so for 40 years. This past September the organization granted its 500,000th wish amidst a year of unprecedented circumstances. Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the foundation has continued to grant wishes, and here we take a look at the 500,000th wish and other wishes that have come true for children that need them most in a year where spreading joy is more important than ever.
With the help of Disney and inspired by a young girl named Karina who is battling lymphoma, Make-A-Wish developed a virtual day camp for children battling critical illnesses. Called “Kamp Karina,” the goal was to offer the children the same experiences and build the same memories that she made at summer camp as a child. At the end of the day, she hoped “to give kids a day to forget they’re sick.” The camp was led by counselors who were all former Make-A-Wish wish recipients. Because the counselors were former wish recipients and Karina organized the camp, those who contributed to the design and operation of the camp knew firsthand what an experience like this can do to offer hope and joy to children fighting a serious illness. Streamed on YouTube, the camp featured a Disney magic show, storytime, and of course, some Disneyesque surprises. Hyun Min Lee from Disney Animation Studio led the kids through a drawing class where they learned how to draw Olaf, the snowman featured in the animated film Frozen. This class even featured Josh Gad, the cheerful voice actor of Olaf. Additionally, with the help of ESPN, the children in attendance were placed in the virtual crowd for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Finally, it would not be Disney without a magical surprise, so the day was rounded out by a Disney Parks fireworks show. Karina developed the entire idea on the simple principle that happiness is the best medicine.
In addition to “Kamp Karina,” Make-A-Wish and Disney have been hard at work to keep up with their wish making and have continued to deliver memorable wishes throughout the pandemic. Most recently, Disney helped Make-A-Wish grant the wish of a 6-year-old girl from Phoenix who wanted to become a princess for a day. Maria has been undergoing treatment for leukemia and had her wish postponed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Make-A-Wish worked to deliver the full wish experience while taking the necessary safety precautions. Make-A-Wish surprised her with a princess wardrobe including five Disney princess dresses. She also received matching princess shoes, jewelry, and of course, the requisite tiaras. Additionally, she got matching dolls and other Disney toys. After dressing up, she even got to meet the Disney princess Belle who read her a story in her first language, Spanish. Finally, to round out the wish come true princess experience, the Foundation arranged for her to have a carriage ride.
When it comes to positive news, Make-A-Wish stories are always heartwarming, and it is wonderful to see that their impactful work is continuing in a year with so many limitations. The Foundation said that it is excited to grant another 500,000 wishes in the coming decades and will continue to offer memorable experiences to children everywhere who face critical illnesses. More than ever, the world needed a little more happiness this year, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation with the help of Disney worked overtime to offer happiness to those who need it most.
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