The goal of Make-A-Wish is to promote these
things…hope, strength, and joy. In fact, the mission statement for Make-A-Wish
is to “grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to
enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.” Two days from now,
we get the opportunity to meet together with other Make-A-Wish families and
supporters for the Walks for Wishes event at John Ball Zoo. Walks for Wishes is
a fundraising event that celebrates wishes that have already been granted and
raising funds for future wishes. We are looking for YOU to come alongside of us
for this event. I’ll tell you how in a minute!
For those of you who do not know, Kai is a “wish kid”.
Before becoming one, Chris and I could not have imagined the positive impact
this organization would have on our family. Sure, part of the impact is pure
fun. Kai has wished for a farm playhouse with a blue slide. Trust me; the blue
slide is a critical component to this whole structure!! We have final design
plans for the playhouse and have met with Mike, the builder from Out on A Limb
Playhouses. While Kai’s will be slightly different, here is the basic idea of
what his playhouse will look like:
We know that, with all he has been through, Kai is
just ready to get out and play! Of course, he is getting a material possession
from his wish. But it is so much more than just getting something. When he gets
to work on the design or help the builder put flags up in the yard to mark
where it will go, he gets to forget about all things medical for a short while.
He gets to think about just being a “normal” 3 year old. The rest of us get to
forget about the stresses of his illness for a short while. It’s good for our
souls to have this shared positive experience. Through Kai’s wish, we have also
had the opportunity to gather and talk with other Wish families and share the
similar struggles and triumphs. Each child’s journey is different, but there is
comradery in speaking to other families who understand our highs and lows. We’ve
also built relationships with the Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers who are so passionately
dedicated to making life more enjoyable for kiddos. All of this is very empowering.
While I write this, I have to admit that before we
became a Wish family I had heard of Make-A-Wish, but I didn’t really know
anything other than the name. Like I said above, the organization grants wishes
for kiddos at least 2.5 years old who have life-threatening illnesses.
Receiving a wish involves 4 steps: “each step
builds on the next to create amazing experiences that delight wish kids and
their families. A wish experience is frequently a source of inspiration for
children undergoing difficult medical treatments.” The first step is the
referral. Children can be referred by medical staff, parents, or themselves (if
they are old enough). Secondly, Make-A-Wish determines medical eligibility by
contacting the treating physician. After that, kiddos get to express their wish
and the team gets to work. Most children make a wish that falls into 1 of 4
categories: I wish to go…, I wish to meet…, I wish to have…, I wish to be. The
last step is creating joy! The Make-A-Wish team works out all of the details
and creates an unforgettable experience and works toward making each wish
perfect! I can tell you from personal experience that this organization and its
staff and volunteers are amazing. I know that they deeply care for Kai and our
family!
Now, about the Walk for Wishes event…
We are looking for friends and family
to participate in this event with us –to show support for Kai, all of the other
kiddos suffering from life-threatening illness, and the organization that works
to help! Although the walk is only a couple of days away, we’d love for you to
sponsor Team Kai. Please know that the funds raised do not go directly toward
Kai’s wish, per se, but toward meeting the financial needs of all wishes. To do
so, head to the Make-A-Wish website (michigan.wish.org) and click on the Walk
for Wishes icon. Once you are there, scroll down to the “Ways to Help” heading
located on the left side of the screen.
There you can make a donation. Click
on “donate to a walk participant”. Once you do that, you will be prompted to do
a name search –just search for my name. Once you click on my name, it will
direct you to my personal donation page. To donate, just click the blue “give
now” button. For those of you wondering,
MAW strives to use the majority of funds raised to do what their name says –make wishes come true. More than 80 cents of each dollar goes directly toward granting wishes!
Thanks for considering and helping to
change lives!
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