Make-A-Wish Stories - Fantasy and Theme Park

I wish to go to Wonderland with Alice.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:57:19 GMT

Story Part 1 | Photo Gallery 1 | Story Part 2 | Photo Gallery 2 | Part 3

Part 1: Robin and the volunteers who worked behind-the-scenes for more than a year to grant her wish

Llysa is a born actress. She�s played too many roles to remember.

But she�ll never forget her role as the White Rabbit from Alice�s Adventures in Wonderland. She has an audience of just one � wish kid Robin.

Llysa�s visit is the latest chapter in Robin�s struggle with a brain tumor. Robin�s wish to go to Wonderland with Alice is more than a year in a making � because of people like Llysa � people with time, talent and generosity.

Her wish granters know this is a rare wish, a flight of imagination that demands all the creativity they can offer. It takes months. They plan. They recruit. They turn Robin�s fondest wish into a plan � a plan that involves talented, kind-hearted people in the Seattle community. Actors, designers, groundskeepers, store managers and many more devote themselves to Robin�s wish.

Behind every activity that delights Robin is a kind volunteer � someone with talent, time and willingness to make her life better. They are members of an acting troupe, Space Needle employees, department store employees, catamaran captains, limo drivers and more. They are the real story of Robin�s wish, a tale of countless volunteer hours, endless planning and caring people who said �I can help.�

Part 2: Robin and her adventures through Wonderland

Robin opens her door and finds the White Rabbit on her doorstep. She wasn�t sure her wish to have her favorite fairy tale come to life was possible. But there�s the proof � thanks to stage actress Llysa, who delivers a message: The Queen requests Robin�s presence to play croquet.

They�re off in a limousine. Their first stop � a department store, where personal shoppers outfit Robin in fashions fit for meeting a Queen.

Robin tries eight different dresses to find the right one. Then, she�s on her way to Seattle�s iconic Space Needle � up the rabbit hole to start her adventure. There�s a tea party at a private dinner club. She boards a catamaran bound for an island where her own Wonderland awaits, along with its odd inhabitants and a super-sized croquet field. There, she plays croquet with hedgehogs, solves puzzles and � eventually � wins the queen�s crown. Robin meets the Cheshire Cat, the White Queen, the Tweedles � all the characters that offered her escape during the hardest moments of treatment.

Part 3: How Robin's wish affected her and her family

Robin returns to Seattle on-board a seaplane. Her voyage through Wonderland with Alice is over.

But the impact of her wish lives on. She and her family find a renewed sense of the importance of giving. They see how it helped them. They think of the difficult moments of facing the brain tumor as a family. Robin�s mom, J.T., remembers how every contact with a Make-A-Wish^® volunteer �sparked a ray of sunshine, a sense that something wonderful was in the works for Robin.�

Some days, Robin and her family thought the promise of �the wish seemed too good to be true, and we didn�t want to assume it was really going to happen.� Still, they found joy in the anticipation. During the �down moments,� the promise of the wish buoyed the entire family.

Today, the memory of Robin�s visit to Wonderland lives in their hearts. It�s a wellspring of joy, awe, gratitude. Though the volunteers were strangers before Robin�s wish came true, they�re now part of her family�s story forever. This is the impact of a wish.

I wish to have my room redecorated for the holidays.

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:42:48 GMT

It�s another day closer to Christmas. Allison feels the spirit of the season in every word she hears. Although she can�t see her decorations or express herself with words, there�s no mistaking her joy. And there�s no mistaking the melody of her favorite Christmas carols.

Last year, Make-A-Wish^® volunteers redecorated her room with reindeer, snowmen and polar bears. A group of carolers visited to help grant her wish. They sang all the holiday classics � as they sang �Santa Claus is Coming to Town,� St. Nick arrived to read some of Allison�s favorite stories.

But this Christmas will be the best yet. Allison enjoys her holiday d�cor all season long. She knows Christmas is nearly here � and everyone she cares about � Mom, Dad, Benjamin and Sara � is by her side to celebrate.

I wish to have a pirate ship.

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:26:38 GMT

Six-year-old Evan loves recess and basketball � but most of all, he loves to play pirate games. Dreaming up stories about sailing the high seas, Evan won�t let his wheelchair stand between him and a true pirate adventure.

When Evan imagined having his own wheelchair-accessible pirate ship, the Make-A-Wish^® team got to work designing and building a backyard play ship complete with an authentic captain�s wheel, slide and rock wall. Evan was as excited to watch his ship being built as he was to board it for its maiden voyage.

With his siblings as his trusted shipmates, Evan now spends hours in his pirate ship, navigating the stormy sea and exploring deserted islands. Now he knows he can go anywhere in his wheelchair!

And now that he�s captain of his own ship, Evan�s working hard to study pirate parlance. His favorite phrase so far? �Land ahoy!�

I wish to go see the princesses.

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:57:02 GMT

Surrounded by princesses? It was Reese�s wish for a long, long time.

It�s a memory to replace her past 18 months of chemotherapy.

Her wish let her take her family on a wonderful trip to Florida, where Reese played on a real playground for the first time in her life.

She talks about her favorite merry-go-round ride and, of course, her dinner with the princesses.

One additional aspect from her wish remains: her connection to her older brother, Hayden. The gulf between 3- and 7-years-old was huge to them. Reese�s wish shrank the age gap, waking Hayden�s big brother-instincts during their time with one another. He took her by the hand, guiding his slightly shy sister as they met new friends who also live with life-threatening medical conditions. Together they basked in the wonders of her wish and even boarded an airplane for her first-ever flight.

Today, the bond between them deepens. Their parents see it grow daily, giving them some of the biggest smiles of their lives as they overhear the candid conversations between Reese and Hayden.

This is the endless, unexpected gift that further unites Reese and her family. It gives them the strength and optimism to meet any challenge ahead � and reminds them to savor with renewed gratitude the moments of each day.

I wish to be a model.

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:18:03 GMT

Alex stood facing the cameras. Feet firmly planted, hands in his pockets, excitement in his eyes. Dreaming for so long about this very moment, he smiled as flashing lights captured the day his biggest wish came true.

The 15-year-old had his wish to become a model granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® . Born with cystic fibrosis, Alex said he one day hoped to become a model and spokesman for advertisements in TV commercials. He and his mother left their home in Las Vegas to fly to New York City where the Make-A-Wish^® team was ready to fulfill Alex�s wish.

�It was a really bright spot in a dark world,� said JoAn, Alex�s mother. �It was definitely what we all needed.�

A limousine took Alex and JoAn to the exclusive Hearst Tower, almost completely made of glass with a breath-taking view of Central Park. During the photo shoot, Alex posed alongside Oscar- and Tony-Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden for a public service ad for Foundation sponsor Jewelers for Children. A natural at modeling, Alex blew the photographer away.

Alex and his mom found time for sightseeing during their stay in the Big Apple, stopping at places such as Little Italy, The Apollo, Central Park and St. Patrick�s Cathedral. Alex went shopping, dined in nice restaurants and even joined those in line for a national morning program, waving to the cameras.

Both Alex and his mom expressed sheer gratitude to the Foundation and Jewelers for Children, saying every step of the way they felt like V.I.P.�s. Alex deemed the trip an experience he�d never forget.

�It was way beyond my expectations of what the Make-A-Wish Foundation could do,� said JoAn. �It really made Alex feel like a celebrity.�

I wish to be a fashion designer.

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:40:49 GMT

There�s so much to learn. It�s more than just picking a favorite color, a new fabric, a classic pattern.

The staff at Lilly Pulitzer grants Kylie�s wish to be a fashion designer. They welcome her into their world. She already has the first part right: Show up for work in a limousine.

Now Kylee�s in the distribution center � then on to merchandising, design and product development. She sees designers create the Lilly shift. At every stop, Lilly employees are excited to be part of her wish.

Kylee puts her creativity to work in the print design studio. Designers Stacey, Paige and Abraham make her part of the team. She takes a seat. She thinks. Vibrant colors combine in her mind � and then in her sketchbook.

Creative thinking is hard work. It makes Kylee hungry � she takes a short break and shares PB & J and cupcakes with her mom. Neither thinks of Kylee�s leukemia. This is a day to celebrate � happiness, frosting and fashion.

Now it�s shopping time. Her friends at Lilly bring her items to try. Skirts, dresses, swimsuits. And she gets to take them home � along with a matching dress for mom.

I wish to have a pink playhouse.

Wed, 04 May 2011 02:24:40 GMT

The scent of fresh sawdust hangs in the air. A construction crew is hard at work. They�re here for one 8-year-old girl. She has Wilm�s tumor, rare kidney cancer. Every blow of a hammer � every stroke with a paint brush � is the crew�s chance to change her life � to make her smile again.

The foundation is ready. The frame goes up. Then siding, shingles, an octagon window, a vibrant coat of paint, a purple flower box. Inside, a spiral staircase, a loft, kid-sized furniture.

The clock ticks, every second counts. Just a few miles away, the World Wish Day^® Parade rolls through Harmony, Maine. Caitlin watches her hometown pass from the seat of her horse-drawn carriage. She doesn�t know where the parade ends.

Then Caitlin sees her house � and her wish come true: her playhouse. It�s bright. It�s pink. It�s her quiet place to read. Just like the library she loves at school, but all her own.

Caitlin steps out of the carriage, spellbound by the sight of her wish � the porch, the peace signs, the slide. Make-A-Wish^® volunteers welcome her for a first glimpse inside.

�My playhouse is very awesome,� Caitlin says. �I got more than I wished for.�

The carpenters and the painters hear Caitlin�s words. They see her joy. They�ll never forget it.

I wish to have a princess bedroom.

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:04:47 GMT

On World Wish Day^® 2010, Tallie found out her wish for a �princess� room makeover would come true. Her wish marked the 3,520th wish for the Arizona chapter.

When Tallie arrived at her house a week later, she found her transformed bedroom with a miniature pink vanity filled with princess costume jewelry. A giant gold crown hung over her canopy bed � perfect for a little princess. Behind the bed, a local artist had painted a charming mural of a castle. Tallie�s closet was filled with brightly colored princess gowns, slippers, crowns, dolls and sparkly snow globes.

�Thank you. I love it all!� she exclaimed.

I wish to be a superhero.

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:19:01 GMT

The forces of darkness enveloped the city of Taina, Taiwan. National Chung Kung University Hospital was in the clutches of supervillians of the nastiest stripe. They took one doctor and several nurses as hostages. Was there anyone who could save them from evil?

There was only one who could. His name...

Bin.

Bin's wish day was packed with incredible adventures. He received Flaming Dragon Man's superpower suit and was ready to conquer the nefarious characters.

Bin and his sidekicks outsmarted the supervillains � together, they were able to stop a terrifying monster and a dastardly demon, as well as save the hostages. The world was peaceful once again, thanks to the renowned Flaming Dragon Man!

I wish to go to the Gold Coast theme parks.

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:12:50 GMT

The Gold Coast is Australia�s answer to Southern California � beaches, endless sunshine � and thrilling theme parks. Becky and Chase both wished to visit the region�s most popular ones. They were ecstatic over the incredible rides and the chance to just have fun with their families.

I wish to play football with Mickey Mouse.

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 22:53:09 GMT

Mickey Mouse takes the snap and sets up Kaden, whose strong kick sent the football through the uprights.

How many children can say they�ve thrown a pigskin with Mickey Mouse? Thanks to the Walt Disney Company, one heartfelt wish and the generosity of a local college, 4-year-old Kaden can now lay claim to that honor.

And Kaden isn�t the only one who experienced pure joy when his wish came true. From Kaden�s family, to the Walt Disney World� Resort cast members, to the students and professors at Tyler Junior College who sponsored his wish, the impact of a simple football game reached far and wide.

Mom�s View from the Sidelines

Kaden�s wish to play football with Mickey Mouse was easy for him to decide because he LOVES Mickey Mouse and he LOVES football � so he just combined them and created his perfect wish.

Kaden�s favorite part of his wish was when he ran between Mickey�s legs and scored! His wish was a dream-come-true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation^® thought of everything � down to the last detail. We had the perfect weather for a football game.

When Mickey came out in his football gear, I have never seen Kaden�s eyes light up more in my entire life. It was a day we will never forget. There are not words to even begin to thank the Foundation for what they did for our family.

You are not only granting wishes � you are changing lives.

My favorite part of Kaden�s wish was meeting the college students and their professor who worked so hard to raise the funds so that Kaden could have his wish. They will probably never know how much this meant to our son, and how much it meant to us to know that there are people out there who are willing to give so much and expect nothing in return. Some people may think that the child�s wish is the most important thing � but we learned that just knowing that there were people out there who cared meant the most of all.

-- Amy, Kaden�s mom

In the Professor�s Words: Life Lessons from Granting Wishes

Our business leadership class sponsors a wish every year. We define leadership as making a positive impact on other people�s lives, so the Make-A-Wish^® project fits perfectly with the objectives of the class.

But it�s more than that � once the students meet the children they are sponsoring, they are changed forever.

They completely dedicated themselves, making huge sacrifices of time and energy to reach their goal. It changes their view of the world and of themselves. The impact goes way beyond the campus here at TJC.

-- Don Blaine, Professor of Business Management, Tyler Junior College

The Final Score

And if you were wondering, Kaden�s mom reports that he won the game � but Mickey was a great sport.

Kaden plants a kiss on Mickey Mouse for making his wish come true.

Disney is proud to be a long-time supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® and uses its magic to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Over the past 30 years, Disney has supported the Make-A-Wish^® mission, contributing more than $8 million in cash and in-kind donations each year. With more than 7,000 wishes granted every year � including visits to the Disney Parks, Disney cruises, meeting Disney characters, attending sporting events and visiting TV and movie sets � Disney-themed wishes continue to be the most popular requests by children to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I wish to have a Millennium Falcon play fort.

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:31:34 GMT

When nine-year-old Christian faced leukemia in his hospital bed, he escaped by playing the role of a member of the Rebel Alliance battling the evil Galactic Empire. Christian carefully carried his X-Box to and from his hospital stays, finding escape and distraction in his favorite Star Wars video game.

When it was time for Christian to choose a wish, he decided to bring galactic adventures to life in his own yard: � he wished for a play fort shaped like the Millennium Falcon, the famous freighter piloted by Han Solo and his Wookie first mate, Chewbacca.

Little Mountain Productions, a local set-design and prop-making company, took on the challenge of creating a spot-on replica of the speedy ship that eluded Darth Vader and his minions. On his wish day, dozens of volunteers arrived at Christian�s house to unload the stellar fort from a flat bed into his front yard. Storm Troopers, Wookies and the Imperial Guard all appeared for the big reveal.

The bevy of people and planetary characters initially overwhelmed Christian when he first stepped out of his house. But he was soon lost in space inside his new fort, checking out the rigging and accessories. While his X-Box game can still keep him entertained during hospital visits, Christian now has a reason to fight even harder to get better and come home to board his Millennium Falcon.

I wish to have a pirate-ship playhouse.

Tue, 18 May 2010 17:46:21 GMT

Payton proudly displays the logo that adorns his ship, Payton�s Plunder.

In the imagination of 8-year-old Payton, he�s already braved the high seas and plundered with the likes of Captain Hook. Now thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® and many generous volunteers, Payton�s swashbuckling adventures just came ashore in his own backyard.

Not understanding the magnitude of a wish, Payton first asked for a puzzle. After he grasped the possibilities available to him, he took almost a year to carefully select his most heartfelt wish. His love for pirates finally helped him settle on what he wanted most: a red and black pirate-ship playhouse.

With a shiver-me-timbers expression on his face, Payton watched from his father�s shoulders as construction crews assembled his vessel, dubbed Payton�s Plunder. His sea craft is complete with a crow�s nest, captain�s helm and dock, as well as authentic rigging from the historic Adventuress sailboat. And in case any scallywags ever try to pillage his doubloons, an evacuation slide will take Payton to the safety of a sandbox on land.

A backyard pirate ship is perfect for Payton, who is diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, Shone�s complex and kidney malfunctions. His conditions cause him to tire easily, but now this buccaneer can experience adventures without going far from home.

His mom expressed her gratitude to all the people who came together to help make Payton�s wish come true. �As a parent you always think your child is special,� she told the Kitsap Sun. �But for other people to show a similar love or concern for him is pretty neat. We�ve seen Payton go through so much; so for us, no one is more deserving of this.�

By Katie Hawkes

I wish to have a hot tub.

Wed, 12 May 2010 23:34:34 GMT

What could be better than relaxing in a hot tub? Having a hot tub-themed cake, too.

Eleven-year-old Hayden, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis before he turned one, spends most of his time surrounded by his siblings and his many cousins in a farm community far north of Chicago. He thought long and hard before making his wish for a hot tub where he could �soak his toes.� He just wanted something he could use often � and he was thrilled to realize he could share his wish with his family and friends.

Hayden knew the hot tub would arrive eventually, but had no idea that his wish would come true on World Wish Day^SM, April 29. World Wish Day marked the 30th anniversary of the wish that inspired the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® . It was also the 400th wish granted by Marquis Spas as part of its relationship with the Foundation.

Hayden�s day began like most other days. But after school, Hayden received a surprise ride home in a limousine. There, he was greeted by friends and family surrounding his brand-new hot tub.

"He's always loved hot tubs whenever we've stayed in a hotel or gone to the water parks,� Hayden�s mom said. �And it's very therapeutic for him."

It was exactly what Hayden had imagined � not only was he able to relax in the warm water, but he was able to share his joy with the people in his life who mattered most. It took Hayden less than three minutes to get out of the limousine and into the hot tub, where he was eventually joined by his friends.

"I've got the best seat in the house," Hayden said from his spot in the seven-seat, 350-gallon hot tub donated by Marquis Spas and Hot Tubs Etc. of St. Charles.

I wish to have a bedroom makeover.

Tue, 04 May 2010 22:10:19 GMT

Serena�s newly-furnished room after the makeover.

Twelve-year-old Serena wished for a more �grown-up� look in her bedroom. But she was filled with youthful, pure joy the day her wish was granted.

Serena is diagnosed with a congenital heart disorder that requires her to carry a defibrillator everywhere as a precaution. True to her playful nature, she nicknamed the machine �Fred.� This optimistic and vibrant young lady loves having sleepovers with her friends � but because of her condition, the safest place for her to sleep is at home. Wanting to be better-equipped to host sleepovers at her own place, Serena told the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® that her wish was to have a bedroom makeover.

That�s where Broyhill Furniture, a new sponsor of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, stepped in. Broyhill provided the furniture for Serena�s new room � the first of 50 furniture-related wishes that Broyhill plans to help grant across the country.

Broyhill and the Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged a once-in-a-lifetime shopping experience � giving Serena the opportunity to browse through an 18,000-square-foot display of Broyhill Furniture to select her ideal bedroom set. Serena�s parents, two older brothers, grandparents and friends from school joined her on her shopping trip.

Serena basks in her room by relaxing on her new bunk bed.

On her wish day, Serena celebrated with family, friends and pizza in her front yard while volunteers assembled her new bedroom. The Make-A-Wish^® volunteers and Broyhill employees could hardly keep Serena out of her room all morning while her new living space took shape.

When she was finally able to see the completed makeover, Serena could not contain her squeals of delight. The room had everything she wished for and more: her own television, everything in lilac and teal, bedding with circles and polka dots, a loft bed and matching dresser, desk and bookcase.

Serena was thrilled with her new room and all the late-night adventures she�ll have. �Now I can have sleepovers with my friends and we don�t have to sleep on the couches downstairs,� she said.

I wish to have a playhouse.

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:07:47 GMT

Lily enjoys the roominess of her two-story playhouse.

Eleven-year-old Lily didn�t just declare her wish � she helped grant it.

Lily wished to have a playhouse. When she met architect Wayne Visbeen she arrived with colored pencils and a sketch pad in hand, ready to share her vision. With years of architecture and design experience, Wayne had wonderful ideas of his own for creating Lily�s luxury playhouse.

The two new friends pooled their creativity and got to work creating a spectacular playhouse with all the special touches Lily hoped for, plus the sturdy, luxurious design Wayne is accustomed to creating.

The result was a two-story playhouse, complete with a loft and electricity. The inside is warm, welcoming and full of fun � it even has a bright yellow slide for a playful exit. Lily�s new retreat provides a place for her to call her own � a place away from the doctors and treatments that have been a constant in her life since she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, in 2006.

If Lily gets tired of playing, she can do some work at her desk.

When she looked inside her completed playhouse for the first time, Lily told her mom, �This is more than a playhouse � this is a house.�

She expressed her gratitude to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® for making her wish come true: �My wish experience was fabulous. My house is beautiful. I love having my own place to hang out.�

I wish to design the �Creation� for the World�s Largest Ice Cream Social.

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:27:36 GMT

Kate, 11, was inside a Cold Stone Creamery when it dawned on her: While attending the World�s Largest Ice Cream Social in Sept. 2009, Kate heard about Jack�s wish to create the new ice cream flavor for the social. It was then that she decided that she wanted to be the mastermind behind a Creation.

In February 2010, Kate left her home in Florida to visit the Cold Stone Creamery headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz. A limo picked her up from her hotel on her wish day, and she arrived at headquarters armed with a notebook full of delicious ideas.

But Kate was rendered speechless when she saw what was waiting for her in the reception area: hundreds of Cold Stone employees, lined up to greet their newest Junior Tastemaster. From there it was one remarkable surprise after another, including her own personal assistant and official desk space, complete with a name plaque and pink accessories.�Cold Stone Creamery really stepped up and put together an incredible day,� said Keri Gunter, corporate alliances manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of America.

Working alongside official Cold Stone Creamery Tastemaster Ray Karam, Kate experienced the entire process of creating a new flavor, from conceptualizing to taste-testing. She spent hours with Ray as they fine-tuned the chemistry of her Cold Stone Creation. Kate and Ray whipped up multiple batches of ice cream � six gallons of which were shipped back to Kate�s home in Florida.

After an afternoon of creating flavors, they focused on the feature Creation for the 2010 World�s Largest Ice Cream Social. Using caramel-apple ice cream as a base � a flavor that will only be available during the month of the social � Kate and Ray concocted three delectable Creations. While Kate had lunch with Cold Stone executives, employees prepared her Creations for the big taste test.

Thirty employees sampled their work, picking caramel-apple ice cream with extra apples, graham crackers and chocolate flakes as the winner. Kate notified senior executives before attending a marketing meeting to discuss public-relations initiatives for promoting the new flavor.

In addition to the honor of having her Creation tasted by millions of customers, Kate�s wish is extraordinary because the money raised from the social will help grant wishes for other children. She had just one word to sum up the entire experience: �Awesome!�

I wish to have a voice.

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:00:21 GMT

More than anything, 9-year-old Dalton wanted to have a voice. Born with a neurological disorder, Dalton struggled to communicate as the illness�s side effects � seizures, speech problems and loss of nerve function � took their toll.

Dalton never let his illness stop him from living his life and enjoying the things he loves, like being read to, listening to Shania Twain and playing games with talking devices. However, as Dalton got older, his desire to communicate with his family grew even stronger.

When volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® visited Dalton and his family to discuss his one true wish, he and his family requested a special speech device that will allow him to communicate. When Dalton�s speech device arrived, he and his family were overjoyed. �There are no words to explain what it means,� said Dalton�s mom. �It�s going to change our lives � it has already in the two weeks he�s had it.�

Using a touch screen with pictures and words, Dalton can select what he wants to say and the device then verbalizes it for him � thank you, please and I love you, to name a few. Dalton is working closely with his speech therapist to fully master his new device. His reaction to his wish being granted? His mom could voice that one for him: �It�s a dream come true. Isn�t it, baby?�

I wish to have my own baseball field.

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:39:08 GMT

Brycen winds up for the pitch at his new home field.

Brycen, 4, was born with pulmonary atresia, a rare heart defect. He had his first lifesaving open-heart surgery when he was just two days old. Weeks later, his parents finally took him home.

Later, one of Brycen�s nurses encouraged his parents to contact the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® . Pam and Alan, volunteer wish granters and former wish parents themselves, responded. They visited Brycen several times and asked him, �If you could wish for anything, what would you choose?�

Brycen said, �A baseball field!�

When they asked him why, Brycen said, �Because I need a field that no one can kick me off of.� His older brothers both play on a traveling baseball team, and Brycen and his parents travel with them. Brycen longs to take the field with the big kids, but he is shooed away every time.

His parents began to wonder if having his own field would offer Brycen the only opportunity for baseball he would ever have. He would probably never play competitively like his brothers, because of the condition of his heart and his oxygen supply. After careful consideration, plans were in the works for a baseball field. And Brycen�s wish would soon become a field of dreams for the whole community.

Rallied by their coach, the Canyon View High School baseball team and their families spent many days in the field behind Brycen�s home. They dug trenches for sprinklers and laid sod. Neighbors built a backstop and lights, built the dugouts and placed the foul poles. An authentic baseball field began to take shape.

The day Brycen�s wish was granted, the community gathered again. He knew the day would be special when a big Coca-Cola truck pulled up to their house. It was crammed with all the traditional game day concessions: hot dogs, popcorn and drinks for everyone! Brycen�s wish granters presented him with his own uniform. He was apprehensive to wear it at first because he didn�t want to ruin it sliding into home plate.

The inaugural game against the Canyon View team started with the singing of the national anthem by Jordan, a fellow wish kid from southern Utah. Jordan�s dad hung a banner that said, �Brycen�s Wish � In His Field of Dreams.� And the Canyon View High School band led �Take Me Out to the Ballgame� during the seventh-inning stretch. Tickets, balloons and game announcers made the whole event memorable for everyone who attended.

Brycen did eventually get his uniform dirty. In fact, he said his favorite part of his wish was �when I slid into home and beat Canyon View!�

But that was only the beginning of Brycen�s wish. Every day, Brycen is on the field with his friends and family playing ball. The community has embraced this special place where everyone gathers on a field that they built together for one courageous little boy.

When asked what his wish has meant to Brycen, his mom replied �It�s hard to know since he is so young, but I wish you could see the smile on his face when he is batting, or the joy in his giggle as he slides into home.�

I wish to have a room makeover.

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:48:36 GMT

Celeste lounges on her fuzzy beanbag, just one of the many pink accessories in her newly decorated room.

To her family and friends, 12-year-old Celeste is affectionately known as �Celery.� This young lady from Waxahachie, Texas, is full of zest for life, and thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® she now has a bedroom as bright as her personality. Pink carpet, a pink office chair, and pink walls � not just pink, Watermelon Smoothie, to be exact � greet Celeste every time she walks into her newly redone bedroom.

Celeste was diagnosed with Still�s disease when she was 3 years old. She owes much of her support and strength to her family � particularly a bone marrow transplant from her older brother. �He�s my hero,� Celeste said. �He gave me his bone marrow, so yeah, he�s a hero to me.�

Celeste wished for a room makeover because it was �something that would last for a lifetime.� She was involved with her wish from start to finish, hand-picking the paint color as well as the fuzzy pink rug, white lofted bed, pink bean bag and bedding with hearts and polka dots.

Leslie Pinson, volunteer coordinator for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas, added to the wish experience by turning it into Celeste�s Extreme Makeover: Room Edition. Celeste starred as the Design Team Leader, overseeing renovations with a checklist and a fuzzy pink clipboard. Celeste was surprised by several decorative additions to her room, including picture frames and letters of her name to hang on the wall.

�They gave her her dream,� said Celeste�s mom, Carrie. �I mean, as simple as it is � it�s a room, you know � but to her, it�s everything.� Celeste�s wide smile as she enjoyed her new room spoke volumes, but she summed up her feelings simply. �I love it,� she said.