For Some Make-A-Wish® Kids, Giving is Better than Receiving

Make-A-Wish^® gives children with life-threatening medical conditions the opportunity to make their one true wish come true. They can wish to go anywhere, to meet anyone, to have anything or to be whoever they choose. But sometimes a wish kid’s desire doesn’t fit into one of those four categories. For some, their one wish is to give back in some way.

Lauren, a 4-year-old with cancer, wished to give back comfort and hope. She did that by giving hospital patients bunny blankets like hers. Lauren’s bunny blanket could make one of her bad days better, and her hope was to share some of that comfort with others.

Jose, an 11-year-old with medulloblastoma, wished to give a playground to his elementary school. When asked why he made the decision to give back, he said, “I thought the kids at school needed the wish more than I did . . . My heart told me to give.”

Natalia, a 10-year-old with a brain tumor, wished to create a soup and have it served to the homeless. One of her favorite things to do was cooking with her mom, especially when she had the chance to cook her mom’s cream of broccoli soup. Because of her treatments, Natalia was frequently cold and said, “Imagine how cold people without homes must be.” That thought inspired Natalia’s wish. After designing a special soup with a master chef, Natalia visited a shelter and shared soup and blankets with more than 150 homeless residents.

These wishes exemplify how the power of a wish extends beyond one person. Because of Lauren, Jose and Natalia’s generosity, hospital patients have comfort and hope, elementary school students have joy, and the homeless experienced some warmth.

To discover more wish stories and their impact, visit www.wish.org.