Make-A-Wish Stories - Fantasy and Theme Park

I wish to have a '60s-themed party with a Sgt. Pepper�s costume.

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:40:19 GMT

Nolan strikes a pose with wish granters Alysha and Scott.
Photos by: Mike McNulty

Nolan, 16, is enthralled with the 1960s era. Like many of his grandparents� generation, he was bitten by the Beatlemania bug.

A huge fan of the Fab Four who lives in southwestern Washington, Nolan wished to have a replica of the costume worn by John Lennon on the cover of the Sgt. Pepper�s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. A congenital heart defect qualified Nolan to receive a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® .

To celebrate Nolan�s debut in the neon-green replica Beatle costume, the Oregon chapter (which serves Clark County, Washington) hosted a '60s-themed party. Nolan invited guests to dress up for his wish celebration at a private room reserved in a popular Portland restaurant.

Nolan made a grand entrance in a chauffeured 1958 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud. About 50 family and friends greeted the VIP at the curb for a celebrity/paparazzi effect, and then they celebrated in the party room, decorated with lava lamps, tie-dye banners, wild colors and peace signs. They enjoyed a live Beatles cover band while snacking on appetizers and dessert.

Nolan spent several hours mingling with his closest pals and supporters, dancing to '60s music and showing off his elaborate costume � all with a huge smile on his face throughout the evening.

�Guess I�m gonna be a star,� said Nolan, quoting the Beatles� hit �Drive My Car,� to one of the local TV stations at his party. �I feel very blessed. This is the best night of my life.�

I wish to have a jungle-themed room makeover.

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:20:25 GMT

At 8 years old, Corbin was �anything but a girly-girl,� according to her dad, Lino. She loved monkeys and other jungle animals and had a vivid imagination. And she hated the color pink.

Corbin and her brother Chandler, 9, were popular students at their elementary school and lived in a cozy home outside of Greensboro, N.C.

Late in 2008, Corbin was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an uncommon form of brain cancer. It wasn�t long before the tumors spread to her spinal cord, requiring a wheelchair to get around. When her mother and doctor referred Corbin to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® , wish-granting volunteers sprang into action. When it was determined that Corbin�s condition would make it difficult to travel, it was decided to give her a wonderland of her favorite animals right at home with a room makeover.

The work was done with the support and assistance of the Powell Company, which designs, imports and distributes youth furniture. Local Powell volunteers immediately helped plan the project with Corbin�s wish granters. Fortunately for the family, Powell�s East Coast distribution facility was located in Greensboro, and the company furnished Corbin�s room and her big brother�s, too.

Cameron Wannamaker, one of Corbin�s wish granters, said it was a tricky business to keep everything a surprise from Corbin while the room makeover was in progress. Wannamaker called on the services of her friend, an interior designer, who managed to come up with some amazing touches � a life-sized cheetah, jungle-themed rugs and more. The North Carolina Zoo donated stuffed animals. Best of all, Corbin�s dad, a tattoo artist, painted a mural covering the room�s walls that featured his daughter�s favorite creatures � monkeys!

At last, Corbin was wheeled into her room. �She couldn�t stop smiling,� Wannamaker said. Later, her dad, overcome with emotion, said he thought it was the first time Corbin smiled in months.

Corbin was so awestruck at the jungle wonderland, she asked on the first night if it was OK for her to actually sleep in the room.

Sadly, three weeks after her wish was granted, Corbin passed away. The many volunteers, friends and family took comfort in the joy they helped bring to a little girl who � if for a brief time � spent her days and nights surrounded by the fantasy land of her dreams.

�It was a real team effort, where everyone poured out their talents and skills to complete the project in a very short time,� said Wannamaker, a long-time volunteer whose father, Dr. Jerry Clark, founded the Central & Western North Carolina chapter in 1985. �As always, I felt proud to be associated with such a wonderful organization.�

I wish to have a swim spa.

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:26:47 GMT

Three-year-old Ryan�s mom, Tiffany, often calls Ryan her fish out of water. The �sweet little boy with a high spirit� spends his summers in a small wading pool in his backyard, and his winters in the bathtub, sometimes even eating his meals there.

�Words can't describe Ryan's love for water and the freedom he gets in the water that he doesn't out of the water,� Tiffany wrote. �He would spend all day in the water if we would let him.�

When he was 6 months old, Ryan began experiencing seizures. Doctors diagnosed him with lissencephaly, a brain formation disorder that prevents him from being able to walk, crawl or speak. The condition has caused medical complications that require Ryan to keep a strict diet and face tests and surgery.

Ryan�s grandmother cares for him while his mother puts herself through college. His grandfather is overseas, working as a contractor in Iraq. But despite all their challenges, Ryan�s family has always found hope in the power of water.

�When Ryan is having one of his long and hard spasms, we can run water in the bathtub and he seems to come out of the spasm and is happy splashing in the tub instead of crying in pain,� Tiffany wrote in a letter to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, adding:

�Ryan can't crawl or walk, but he sure can roll around fast when he hears the water. Even if the water is not running and Ryan decides that he needs to play in the water, he will roll back to the bathroom and knock on the tub while yelling, �Aw, aw, aw� louder and louder until he is in the water.�

Ryan loves to float and splash around in his new swim spa.

Ryan�s physical therapist, Jennifer, credits the progress she�s seen in Ryan to his time in the pool and the spa.

�Ryan experiences freedom in the water. He is able to move his arms and legs in ways that aren�t possible on land,� Jennifer said. �Seeing him move in the water gives his family just a glimpse of what life would be like if he could move and run like other children.�

Even though Ryan could not speak his heartfelt wish aloud, there was no doubt that he would wish for a place where he could swim year-round � an indoor swim spa. So the Make-A-Wish Foundation teamed up with Midwest Pools Inc. to grant a wish that would truly change Ryan�s life.

Just before Thanksgiving, Midwest Pools employees built a custom spa frame inside the family�s newly heated garage. They added special touches, including steps, a unique cover, decorative tile and a second motor for the spa jets. Then, a giant truck arrived in the driveway to unload the spa, complete with seats at just the right depth for Ryan. Dave Meyers Custom Cabinets donated a counter where Ryan could sit outside the pool and cupboards to store his pool toys.

�I was speechless,� said Deb, Ryan�s grandmother, �It was a dream come true. We couldn�t ask for anything more.�

At first, Ryan didn�t understand that the pool was his. But after climbing in and splashing around, a joyful smile beamed upon his face.

�He was amazed by the steam and kept running his hands through it,� Deb said. �Seeing him try to swim was so cute. He always tried to swim in the tub, but now he has room to splash and kick.�

And Ryan�s wish offers him strength as well as joy. �I believe that some of the motor gains I have seen Ryan make this year are related to the opportunities to be in the water�[Having a] pool at home is an excellent opportunity for him.� Jennifer said.

According to Tiffany, Ryan�s wish is a gift that �will keep on giving, every day.�

I wish to have a play structure in my backyard.

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:56:30 GMT

Gavino climbed and raced around his new playset all afternoon.

For most 4-year-olds, backyards are a playland of adventure and fun, a place where they can race around, explore and happily burn off some of their seemingly unending supply of energy each day.

Gavino is one of those kids � he loves to romp around in the backyard of his family�s home in Oregon every chance he gets. But Gavino was having some of his backyard joy taken away, not by a skinned knee or a rainy day, but by leukemia.

His journey to a wish started when the family was headed to the beach one day. A strange rash on his body led Gavino and his parents to the emergency room and then quickly to the local children�s hospital. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and soon began chemotherapy treatments.

During his treatments, volunteer wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation visited Gavino and his family. While a trip to a theme park was tempting, Gavino wanted something closer to home.

�Gavino said, �I want a park in the backyard,�� his mother told the News-Register newspaper. �It was hard trying not to tell him that he was getting one.�

Wish day finally arrived during a summer hot spell. Volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Oregon chapter, UnitedHealthcare and others joined in a day-long effort to erect his new backyard oasis. Complete with a tube slide, climbing wall, swings, rope climbs, a telescope and rope pulley with a bucket in blue (his favorite color), the play structure was ready to keep Gavino busy all day.

The volunteers, family and friends gathered for the official unveiling of the structure, decorated with several blue ribbons, and a pizza party. With a yard full of people watching, Gavino was hesitant to try out his new hangout. But it didn�t take long before he was climbing up and down the ropes and happily barreling down the slide with his father.

Volunteers said that once he started playing, Gavino didn�t stop, grinning brightly as he dumped gravel in and out the bucket and raced down the slide time after time. Gavino had a fantastic place to play, and he also found out wishes can come true, even in your own backyard.

The UnitedHealth Group Wishes program has been established to enable the company to grant wishes like Gavino�s through the Make-A-Wish Foundation�s chapters in the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico. UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves approximately 70 million individuals nationwide.

I wish to go to the Walt Disney World Resort.

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:46:49 GMT

Everyone who knows 4-year-old Caroline calls her �Super C.� That�s because she seemed to defy all the medical odds with a smile. When she got a chance to make her heartfelt wish come true, Caroline decided to go where everyone smiles as much as she does � Walt Disney World� Resort.

Caroline and her family spent all day exploring at Disney�s Magic Kingdom� Park.

Born prematurely, Caroline faced medical challenges from day one. When she was 3, doctors diagnosed her with a unique form of leukodystrophy, a neurodegenerative disorder causing seizures.

According to Caroline�s mom, Abigail, the opportunity to have a wish came at the perfect time. �[Having a wish] meant that our whole family got to be part of something so amazing,� she said. �It meant a carefree week together that I don�t think we�ve ever had.�

Wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation� of North Dakota were thrilled to make Super C�s wish come true. With their help, Caroline, her parents, her two older brothers and her younger sister were all on a plane bound for Orlando. The Foundation even arranged for Caroline�s nurse, Mindy, to come along.

Caroline laughed and squealed in the special water-safe wheel chair that allowed her to go swimming.

Caroline felt right at home at Give Kids the World Village, where her family stayed in a villa arranged especially for them. They all enjoyed heaping ice cream sundaes at the village�s free ice cream palace, and Caroline was thrilled to discover that the village pool offered a special wheel chair that she could �swim� in, allowing her the rare chance to play in the pool with her brothers and sisters.

As Caroline�s mom, Abigail, wrote in her blog, �[Caroline] rolled all around the splash park in it, getting her toes sprayed with water and giggling with the pure joy of a child that was meant to be in water�She is nothing but smiles from morning to night!�

The next day, Caroline and her family were off to Disney�s Magic Kingdom� where they made a beeline for the famous teacups ride. �I cannot even tell you how much Caroline loved the teacups!� Abigail wrote. �She kept saying again, again!�

Caroline and her happy group laughed their way through many of the other classic Disney rides. For lunch they gobbled foot-long hotdogs and french fries, which Caroline shared with a duck that wandered up close to her; ducks have always been one of Caroline�s

At SeaWorld, a dolphin jumped out of the water in front of Caroline, allowing her to feed and pet it.

favorite animals.

And no visit to the Walt Disney World Resort would be complete without pictures with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and the rest of the Toontown gang. When Donald Duck learned that Caroline was a huge fan of ducks, he signed her �I Love Ducks� bag.

The rest of Caroline�s wish week was jam packed with adventures. She visited Disney�s Animal Kingdom� Park, and enjoyed VIP treatment at SeaWorld, where � much to her delight �a dolphin jumped out of the water to greet her and let her pet it. More splashing was in store for her at the beach, where she and her mom wrote the words �Make-A-Wish� in the sand. Caroline even celebrated �Christmas� (a weekly affaire at Give Kids the World Village) and sat on Santa�s lap.

When Caroline and her family finally returned home, they brought priceless family memories with them. And as for the little girl who was known for bringing smiles to everyone around her, her mom Abigail said, �I haven�t seen her smile that much for that long in a very long time, if ever.�

By Kathryn Roethel

I wish to have a backyard pool with a slide.

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:19:50 GMT

Nicolette was the first to jump into her brand new pool.

For 12-year-old Nicolette, there�s nothing quite like a North Dakota summer. In those golden, carefree months between school years, she and her friends love to be outside, stay up late, and � above all � go swimming. But in April, just before Nicolette's favorite season, doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumor.

Doctors performed two surgeries and then set a six-week regimen of chemotherapy and radiation to treat Nicolette. Her community showered her and her family with support, and her dad�s coworkers even donated their sick leave so he could be home to take care of her. She longed to be outside playing with her friends, but instead, she had to spend what should have been carefree summer days focusing on getting well. When volunteer wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation� of North Dakota asked Nicolette about her one true wish, she seized the chance to take back her summer.

Nicolette wished to have a backyard pool with a slide. Wish granters dove into action, rallying more than a dozen community businesses and organizations to help make Nicolette�s wish come true before the weather turned cold. Donations of tools, cement, fencing and other building supplies came rolling in. An army of volunteers assembled the pool, built a fence and even constructed a deck to hold the waterslide.

�The outpouring of generosity has been overwhelming,� Nicolette�s mom, Diane, said.

Dozens of friends and family came to celebrate Nicolette�s wish.

When the pool was complete, friends and community members helped Nicolette celebrate her wish with a pool party. She and her friends splashed and swam for hours, breaking occasionally for pizza and ice cream cake.

The day was a full of great memories � not only for Nicolette, but for her friends, family and the volunteers who made her wish come true.

�My daughter swam for hours with her friends,� Diane said, �and the joy on her face from all the people in the community who worked together to make that a special day for her was priceless.�

By Kathryn Roethel

I wish to have a playhouse with flowerboxes.

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:54:30 GMT

In her new pink hardhat, Taylor helped crews build the playhouse of her dreams.

Little girls often dream of the perfect house, constructed to their exact specifications. For 5-year-old Taylor, she wished for a house with pink trim and flowerboxes so that she and her guests could enjoy her favorite blooms during tea parties.

Taylor�s wish came true, right down to those beautiful flowerboxes, when volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation�s Georgia and Alabama chapter devoted hours of labor and some gestures of love to create Taylor�s new playhouse.

At 4� years old, Taylor was diagnosed with Wilms� tumor, a cancer affecting her kidneys. Doctors removed the ailing kidney and prescribed chemotherapy treatments that often left Taylor wishing she were in a fun, safe place far away from the hospital.

When Taylor told wish granters about the little playhouse she�d been dreaming of, they quickly went to work. No detail was too small � from the tiny kitchen and tea party table to gingerbread trim and white picket fence.

While the volunteers worked away, Taylor watched her dream house take shape in the family backyard. With a pink construction helmet perched on her head, she oversaw crews as they hammered, nailed and sawed.

Taylor�s wish granters got every detail just right. She enjoyed a cozy tea party by the fireplace.

Then came the big day � the ribbon cutting and housewarming party. Taylor, unaware of the surprises that awaited her, went to run errands with her mom. When they returned, a crowd of friends, family and even a local TV news crew was there to greet her.

Taylor smiled brightly as she cut the pink ribbon on the front porch and ran toward her own little front door. Inside she discovered several surprises: a real chandelier, play kitchen appliances, rugs, beanbags and even a fireplace.

According to Taylor�s mom, her daughter�s wish came true �at an awesome time, since it was near the end of her chemotherapy treatments. It gave us that sense that everything was going to be okay. Make-A-Wish went above and beyond.�

Taylor is now recovering from cancer, and she often serves as a wish ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. And in her beautiful new house, she now hosts the best tea parties on the block.

By Kathryn Roethel

I wish to meet Elvis in Hawaii.

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:35:37 GMT

As far as 4-year-old Travis is concerned, Elvis has never left the building.

His father is a former Elvis impersonator, and he�s already watched many classic Elvis Presley films. When wish granters visited Travis, he wanted to meet �Elvis� in person in the tropical setting for three of those films � Hawaii.

Travis, who was diagnosed with leukemia, flew with his family from Nevada to the Aloha State eager for his audience with �The King.� He was already a spectacle before he even boarded his flight from Las Vegas: He headed to the gate clad in a white jumpsuit covered in rhinestones provided by UnitedHealth Group; Jeff Adams, a UHG employee, met the family at the airport to see them off � and offer Travis a gift bag filled with Elvis essentials, such as the jump suit, big sunglasses and a traditional Hawaiian lei.

Six hours later, Travis was in Hawaii and ready for his wish to come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged for a well-known local impersonator to play the Elvis role and meet the rockin� wish kid on Waikiki Beach. Travis spent a few speechless moments in the presence of the rock royalty, but soon bonded with the ersatz Elvis.

That night, �Elvis� was the featured act at a dinner concert. He invited Travis onstage, where the two of them got all shook up. Elvis wrapped up his act by putting his scarf around Travis� neck, paying homage to a concert tradition Presley started in the late �60s.

Travis and his family then capped his Paradise, Hawaiian Style adventure with a luau before heading back to the mainland, thrilled about his beach summit with �The King.�

UnitedHealth Group is a Make-A-Wish Foundation^® Wish Champion and has helped bring hope, strength and joy to courageous wish kids since 2007. UGH and its employees have granted the wishes of kids like Travis throughout the United States.

I wish to create a cancer healing-themed board game

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:28:09 GMT

The inspiration for 8-year-old Carsten�s wish came from two very different sources: A video game created through another boy�s wish and an eye-opening trip to India with his family.

Carsten examines an early version of his game.

When the Make-A-Wish Foundation offered Carsten the chance to make his own wish come true, he thought for months before choosing. His mother, Adrienne, recalls him wondering what would happen if a child from India was diagnosed with leukemia as he was. That�s when he decided that, in some way, he wanted his wish to help children on the other side of the world.

Carsten remembered Ben�s Game, a video game based on fighting cancer. After his diagnosis, Carsten often played the game, which was created in 2004 by Ben Duskin, a wish kid also diagnosed with leukemia. Carsten decided to create a board game that kids in India could play anywhere, at any time.

When Mattel's board gaming team learned of Carsten's wish, they couldn't wait to work with him to create the game that would become Carsten�s Wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic sent Carsten and his family to Los Angeles to work out every detail with the Mattel designers behind gaming hits such as Uno, Pictionary and Othello.

Carsten created a sketch of the board, which he based on The Game of Life (he loves the Spongebob Squarepants edition). Beyond the look of the board, Carsten had some requirements that would establish an encouraging tone for the game and its players. Most importantly, there are no winners or losers. Rather than competing against each other, players must work together to help the patient drive cancer into remission. Each player takes the role of someone involved in a young cancer patient's life: mother, father, sister, doctor, nurse and other hospital staff members. The game also includes educational cards to explain all the procedures involved with helping a cancer patient heal.

When Mattel�s staff unveiled the prototype of the game, Carsten and his family were amazed.

�I was overwhelmed,� Adrienne said. �They incorporate every one of Carsten�s ideas. It was very professional and creative!�

For Carsten, that day was the highlight of the visit to Los Angeles. He was thrilled to finally play his game.

�My favorite part was at the end of the game,� Carsten said.

Mattel rolls out the final version of Carsten's Game.

That�s when a figure of the cancer patient emerges from a box with its �hair� restored, signaling the end of the treatment.

Now that Carsten has approved Mattel's designs, his game is ready to come to life. Mattel will produce 25 top-quality copies of the game. Some will go to India, and others will go to hospitals near Carsten�s home to give sick kids some much-needed optimism during their treatments.

By Justin Schmid

I wish to have a spa.

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:00:19 GMT

Jacob�s friends and family checked out his new spa at a backyard party in his honor.

For 7-year-old Jacob, there�s no better way to spend a day than splashing and relaxing in a hot tub. Jacob was diagnosed with MPSI-Hurler Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects his development and several organ systems. He often has to travel cross-country from his Washington home for medical treatments in South Carolina. But when he discovered that his hotel in South Carolina had a pool and spa, the trips didn�t seem quite so bad.

�We could hardly get him out of that hot tub,� recalls Jacob�s mother, Melanie.

Jacob can�t communicate verbally, but when wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Alaska, Montana, Northern Idaho and Washington offered to grant his heartfelt wish, Jacob�s family knew just what he wanted.

�Jacob loves being in the water, and a hot tub is something he would really enjoy as well as help ease the discomfort of his condition,� Melanie said. Jacob�s doctor agreed that having his own spa would be therapeutic and fun for Jacob. Plus, being in a hot tub is something the family could enjoy together. �We knew a hot tub wish would be something that would really make a difference in Jacob�s life,� Melanie said.

Wish granters went to work. Aqua Rec�s Swimmin� Hole & Fireplace Shop, a Marquis Spa dealer, graciously donated the hot tub. Jacob�s wish was a milestone for Marquis Spas^® , marking the 300th wish the company has granted since becoming a Make-A-Wish Foundation sponsor in 2000.

Jacob and his family were excited to share his wish with their friends, so wish granters arranged for a big backyard party in Jacob�s honor. His favorite restaurants � Domino�s and McDonald�s � donated lunch, and guests celebrated with cake and Tootsie Pops, Jacob�s favorite treats.

After firefighters filled his new hot tub with water, Jacob took a turn with the fire hose.

Then some surprise guests arrived. Firefighters from the town�s fire department roared up to the house in their fire engines. They used their fire hoses to fill up Jacob�s hot tub in less than five minutes. Then Jacob and his friends had their turns shooting water from the high-pressure hoses. More fun with the firefighters followed, as they treated the party guests to tours and rides on the ambulance and fire engine.

As the delighted party guests said their goodbyes, the party was just beginning for Jacob � he got to step into his own spa for the very first time.

� By Kathryn Roethel

Marquis Spas is the preferred provider for Make-A-Wish^® hot tub wishes. The spa manufacturer became involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in February 2000 when the company helped grant the wish of 17-year-old Andrea from Banks, Ore.

Andrea�s wish inspired Marquis to help more children by becoming a national supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. So far, that sponsorship has generated more than $1.6 million in spa donations and discounts for the Foundation. Marquis� dealers from all across the United States are involved in granting wishes.

�Making a difference in the life of one child with a life-threatening medical condition is rewarding,� said Marquis Spas President John Schrenk. �The thought of making a difference in the lives of 300 children is almost emotionally overwhelming. At Marquis, we consider ourselves privileged to have the opportunity to improve these children�s lives. The thought of us adding even a few minutes of happiness to a sick child�s life is incredibly gratifying.�

I wish to have a Sweet 17 Party.

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:27:25 GMT

Samantha was the belle of the ball in a new tiara and ball gown she picked out herself.

In a regal ballroom at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, party guests exchanged eager glances. Outside on the steps, six uniformed West Point cadets stood alongside a red carpet with their sabers at the ready, and four more comprised a military brass band. Everyone had assembled to welcome the guest of honor, Samantha, on the night of her 17th birthday � and the night of her heartfelt wish.

Samantha, who was born with a single-ventricle heart, felt like she had waited an eternity for this wish to happen. But she was no stranger to the waiting game � she had grown up in doctors� waiting rooms, waited for medical test results and waited to learn whether her treatments were working. And she waited for fun things, too � such as new episodes of one of her favorite shows, MTV�s �My Super Sweet 16.�

Samantha wasn�t able to have the sweet 16 party she�d dreamed of for herself, but when wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Hudson Valley visited her, the luxurious party she always imagined was suddenly within reach.

After weeks of preparation, Samantha�s birthday arrived. Wish granters had worked hard to share her story with community members, and their support of the party was overwhelming. Jewelers for Children, a long-time supporter of the Foundation, sponsored Samantha�s wish, allowing her to pick out formal invitations and select a flowing white ball gown and tiara. A West Point professor � and former wish dad � arranged for the military academy to take part in Samantha�s wish and for the landmark Hotel Thayer to host and cater the great gala. A hairstylist, make-up artist and manicurist donated their services so Samantha would look picture-perfect for her birthday debut.

A limousine delivered the birthday girl to West Point in high style, but Samantha was so excited that she arrived early; the guests weren�t ready for her yet. With quick thinking, the limo driver drove her on an impromptu tour of the West Point campus to give wish granters time to put the finishing touches on the party.

Anyone who watches �My Super Sweet 16� knows the most anticipated moment is the birthday girl�s grand entrance, and Samantha�s party was no exception. The limo pulled in front of the ballroom, and � to Samantha�s surprise and delight � a West Point officer was there to announce her arrival. The brass band welcomed her with a trumpet fanfare, and the other officers created the famous saber arch for her to pass under.

According to Make-A-Wish staff, �Nobody enjoyed the party as much as Samantha did.�

Samantha entered the elegant doors to a crowd of cheering friends and family. Pastel pink and white balloons lined the walls and flowers adorned the tables. A deejay was on hand, and Samantha and her friends sang and danced the night away, taking every opportunity to pose for photographers.

Chris Febles, wish coordinator for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hudson Valley, said Samantha simply loved the camera and thrived in the spotlight. �Nobody enjoyed the party as much as she did,� he said. �For her, the best part of the wish was getting to spend time with her friends.�

In 2008, Jewelers for Children celebrates its 10th anniversary and will grant its 1,000th wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

� By Kathryn Roethel

We wish to have an air conditioner for our house.

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:57:20 GMT

Gilberto, 11, and his brother Juan Daniel, 9, have always had a closer relationship than most siblings. When most children have been outside playing ball, riding bikes, swimming and playing, Juan Daniel and Gilberto have had to share playtime indoors. Their very rare skin disease, epidermolysis bullosa, has forced them out of the sunlight and heat. Because they live in the southernmost part of Texas, that means they can seldom go outside. The brothers were not only confined inside their home, but also to their bedroom, which was the only (somewhat) air-conditioned room in their house. Day after day with no change of scenery got monotonous for them.

When they were offered the chance to have their one true wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Rio Grande Valley, they started thinking of things to enjoy within their home: their own television, DVD player, game consoles and more. But by far the most important wish for both of them was to have air conditioning throughout their home. They longed for the freedom to roam the house and visit with family and friends without always waiting for the world to come to them.

That freedom soon came while they enjoyed some time at their favorite restaurant, Peter Piper Pizza, surrounded by nearly 50 family members and friends. As the boys ate pizza and played games, a team of experts installed air conditioning in their house to make it cooler by the minute. Juan Daniel and Gilberto arrived home to find they each had their own little electronics headquarters with all they had wished for � and more. Thanks to Quitman Moon and Luxaire�s partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Juan Daniel and Gilberto now have fun-filled days in air-conditioned comfort.

I wish to have a rocket ship clubhouse.

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:03:44 GMT

If all goes according to plan, 14-year-old Oshyn�s wish day will go down in his history as just one small step toward becoming the first disabled person in space. The Make-A-Wish Foundation took him a bit closer to the stars by granting his wish for a rocket-shaped clubhouse in his backyard.

The Washington teen has cerebral palsy and Arnold-Chiari malformation, a rare condition that affects his brain stem. He also has a big imagination � he considered wishing to meet Harry Potter and taking his family on a vacation.

"But when we talked more about his wish," his mother, Betsy, told local reporters, "he told us he's interested in becoming the first disabled person in space."

Oshyn first became interested in spaceflight when he was around 7 years old, Betsy said. His class spent time studying space, and he was fascinated by the idea of being weightless because it would free him from some of his body�s limitations. Even though Oshyn is now a teen, he still loves talking about space and the search for extraterrestrial life.

For Leslie Woodfill, a wish manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska, Montana, Northern Idaho & Washington, the space race was on. Woodfill scored a major victory while getting her daily latte at a local coffee shop: She struck up a conversation with Doug Heyamoto, an architect. Together, they started recruiting suppliers and volunteers. Heyamoto began drawing plans for a 17-foot-tall rocket clubhouse that would be ready to launch for Oshyn�s 14th birthday.

Volunteers worked for five weeks to create a space-age flavor. Like any good special effects team, they used their imaginations, looking at common items that could turn into the perfect rocket clubhouse. A huge metal funnel became the rocket�s nose, security camera covers were turned into bubble windows and the soundboard from an old theater became the rocket�s control panel. The result is The Oshyn Orbiter, a throwback space capsule that wouldn�t have looked out of place topping a Saturn V rocket at the Kennedy Space Center.

Inside, glow-in-the-dark stars line the ceiling. And Oshyn has room to stretch out and enjoy himself � it�s not a cramped, instrument-crammed box like the Apollo capsules it resembles. Oshyn�s always eager to welcome his younger siblings and neighbors aboard. When the weather is warm enough, he spends hours after school in The Oshyn Orbiter.

�It�s the first place he goes when he gets off the bus,� Betsy said.

Building The Oshyn Orbiter would�ve cost about $21,000, according to Woodfill. One day, she was at the construction site with the team from Walker Construction, which was building the capsule. Woodfill spotted a penny on the ground, handed it to the construction supervisor and said it was a �lucky penny day.� The company considered Woodfill�s penny payment enough for getting to share the power of a wish^® , and marked its one-cent bill �paid in full.�

By Justin Schmid

I wish to be a ballerina.

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 23:46:21 GMT

Sena�s new dress and ballet bag helped her look the part as she waited backstage for her private dance lesson.

Four-year-old Sena�s face was full of joy as she leaped out of her seat to applaud the beautiful dancers of San Francisco Ballet. But there was more to her joy than just the performance � Sena also knew she�d soon be pirouetting alongside these dancers. Her wish to be a ballerina was about to come true.

Sena, who was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a form of cancer affecting the eyes, is happiest when she is twirling across a room on her tiptoes. Her room is decorated with ballerinas, and she already has a busy schedule of dance classes. When wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa learned her heartfelt wish, they choreographed a wish that would have Sena walking on air.

If you want to be a ballerina, you need to learn from the pros, so wish-granting volunteers arranged for Sena to travel to San Francisco � on her first airplane flight � to attend one of San Francisco Ballet�s most celebrated performances: �The Nutcracker.� Sena looked dazzling in a new velvet and chiffon party dress and arrived at the show in a limousine.

The dancers welcomed their newest little fan backstage before the show, giving Sena a sneak peak at their glamorous costumes. The ballet company reserved VIP seats for Sena and her family during the show and even treated them with milk and cookies during intermission.

Sena�s wish took her dancing with a star: San Francisco Ballet�s principal ballerina from a performance of �The Nutcracker.�

The fun only continued after the curtain fell on the performance. From under her seat, Sena grabbed her own ballet bag with a new pair of ballet slippers and a pink, ruffled dance outfit tucked inside. After Sena changed into her dance gear, the show�s principal ballerina delighted her with a private dance lesson in the theater�s ballet studio. The two beautiful ballerinas stood hand-in-hand as the teacher showed her student how to stand tall and raise her arms gracefully above her head. The pair twirled around the room, laughing all the way.

During her fairytale trip to San Francisco, Sena and her family got a taste of some of the other sights and sounds the city has to offer. They visited the San Francisco Zoo and ate at the Hard Rock Caf�. But Sena�s fondest wish memory will always be what it felt like to twirl in a real dance studio, wearing ballet slippers and being a real ballerina.

I wish to have a cool fort in my backyard.

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:32:52 GMT

Friends, family, reporters and well-wishers all came out to see Fort Joshua revealed to its new owner.

The unveiling of an incredible new structure brought spectators from far and wide to the city of Bellflower, Calif. But it wasn�t a towering skyscraper or a breathtaking bridge � it was a one-of-a-kind spherical fort that stands in 9-year-old Joshua�s backyard.

Joshua often dreamed of having his own fort while watching his favorite TV show, the National Geographic Channel�s �MegaStructures.� The show helped him pass the time during a six-month hospital stay as he received treatment for leukemia.

Joshua�s father tried to build his son�s dream fort, but his own health issues halted construction before he could build more than a shell. That�s when the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Greater Los Angeles stepped in.

One of the chapter�s new board members, Ron Turner, works for the architecture firm RTKL Associates. Ron organized a design contest at his office, and the architects came up with four amazing concepts that made Josh�s choice difficult. As local news cameras rolled, Joshua selected a spherical fort featuring a drawbridge entryway. He could hardly wait to see it standing in his own backyard.

Since Joshua wanted his fort to be a surprise, he wore his hard hat and posed for photos indoors. Architects from RTKL Associates and builders from Turner Construction Company made Fort Joshua a reality.

Ron then connected the Foundation with Turner Construction Co., a company that was able to accelerate the project timeline and make Joshua�s wish come true quickly. With 65 volunteer builders working more than 12-hour days, the walls of the 14-foot fort went up. After only three weeks of construction, wish granters were ready to tear down the secretive blue tarp and present the fort of dreams to Joshua. True to his promise, he�d resisted every urge to sneak a peek.

�I�ve been tempted,� he told the Los Angeles Times. �But every time I�ve wanted to peek, I�ve asked my mom if I can watch TV or play a video game instead. I think I�m going to be surprised.�

Thanks to the extensive media coverage of Joshua�s wish, scores of well-wishers came out to share in the surprise. A nearby high school graciously offered the use of its parking lot to accommodate all the vehicles, and a city bus company shuttled people to and from Joshua�s backyard. Donated donuts and juice ensured that the happy crowd was well-fed.

Bellflower�s mayor presented Joshua with the key to the city before the fort of his dreams was unveiled.

When Joshua�s limo drove up, the crowd began chanting his name, and the Bellflower mayor started the party by presenting the awestruck boy with
a key to the city. The family�s pastor even blessed Joshua�s fort just before it was unveiled.

When Joshua first saw his fort � his wish come true � he could hardly speak. Once he regained his composure, he said thoughtfully, �A bad thing really can be transformed into a good thing, no matter what.�

Joshua�s wish received the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America�s annual Infinite Wish Award, given each year to a chapter that involved an entire community in making a child�s wish come true.

By Kathryn Roethel

I wish to have a bus all to myself.

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:39:55 GMT

Seven-year-old Will is a bus aficionado who has no equal. He loves the smell of diesel exhaust in the morning, hopping on a bus full of fellow Philadelphians and cruising around the bustling city. But he wished to, just once, have a bus all to himself. Will wanted to go wherever he wanted, pick any seat he wanted and not have to slow down for bus stops. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia & Southeastern Pennsylvania got onboard to fulfill Will�s wish.

Will, who is diagnosed with epilepsy, has collected bus �Transpasses� since he was 3 years old. While most people think of a bus ride as just a way to get around, he thinks of them as the gateway to adventure. Will�s father often takes him for walks, and the walks usually include eating ice cream and watching the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority buses at the station just steps from their house. His favorite bus of all was decorated in a Sesame Street motif.

When wish granters prepared Will�s private bus, they made sure Will would feel like he�s on the set of Sesame Street. A local graphic designer had his company print signs featuring Will�s favorite characters: Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster. On an ordinary day, Will�s bus would carry 47 people. With just his mother and wish granters on board, he had plenty of room to stretch out and pick the best seats. Wish granters also loaded the bus with pictures, models, toy buses, T-shirts and bus pass holders.

Will was ecstatic when his personal bus pulled up at the Sheraton Bucks County Hotel. He�d already spent two days exploring the nearby Sesame Place� theme park, but having his own bus was the real focus of his wish.

His five-hour trip started off with a stop at the Red Robin for lunch. Then, Will was in command. His edict was just to roll around the City of Brotherly Love. Though he had no real destination, Will got a thrill from riding on his own bus with just his mother, Lisa, and his wish granters.

For the first time ever, a bus dropped him off right at his doorstop.

�When he got on his own bus,� Lisa remembers, �Will pulled out his Transpass and swiped it just like he would on any bus. He was very happy!�

By Justin Schmid

jschmid@wish.org

I wish to have a home theater

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 00:05:39 GMT

Not so long ago in a living room not so far away, a great transformation took place.

Chandler and Tyler's home theater came with a 61-inch TV, and movie posters from all their favorite blockbuster hits.

At the center of this transformation were two movie-loving wish kids, 10-year-old Chandler and 13-year-old Tyler. The two boys, who both have the Duchenne type of muscular dystrophy, wished for a room in their home to be turned into the ultimate home theater.

Volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona took their cue, starting work on what was an ordinary living room. Like the crew of a blockbuster movie making over a sound stage into the surface of a distant planet, they worked hard to make it match Chandler and Tyler�s vision.

That meant more than just installing a big-screen TV. Wish granters Nicole, Sara and Greg teamed up with Barbara, an interior designer, to turn the room into a high-tech theater that blended the elegance of a classic movie house with the high-def sounds and graphics of a modern megaplex.

The team started by creating that darkened-theater feel with a coat of eggplant paint, ensuring that they could keep unwanted glare under control. Scarlet drapes and sconces lend the old-fashioned theater vibe, while authentic high-back movie chairs ensure Chandler and Tyler can recline in style � without any chance of a tall person sitting in front. Posters from their favorite movies decorate the walls, adding a box-office touch.

A surround-sound audio system enables the brothers can to hear every clash of the lightsabers, every flash of Jack Black�s wit and every crash of Will Farrell falling into trouble. And the 61-inch, high-definition TV screen allows them to see the smallest details during a Harry Potter quidditch match.

At their home theater's big premiere, Chandler and Tyler discovered a popcorn machine and real movie-theater seats.

Not only do the boys enjoy great movies in their new theater, but it also doubles as a video game room. They play their favorite games on the huge screen when they�re not watching the latest DVD in their collection.

The home theater is already bringing entertainment to the whole family, and it has also given Chandler and Tyler�s parents a chance to see their boys laughing, cheering and smiling. As wish-granting volunteers prepared to leave the theater room�s grand opening party, the boys' mom offered her heartfelt thanks. �With Everything Chandler and Tyler are dealing with, this (wish) just makes it so much easier,� she said.

I wish to have a hot tub

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 23:45:26 GMT

When 9-year-old Alicia had the chance to make a wish, she wanted to make a big splash. Alicia wished to have her very own hot tub, and with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Oregon, Alicia�s pool parties soon became the hottest ticket in town.

Alicia's mom helps Alicia enjoy her wish - her very own hot tub, which arrived just before Christmas.

Alicia, who was diagnosed with the genetic disorder methylmalonic acidemia, is unable to speak, so it isn�t always easy for her to socialize with her friends. But when she invited her pals to dive in and check out her new hot tub, the walls rang with laughter.

Alicia�s wish granters also surprised her with toys for her hot tub. Her favorite, a battery-operated clown fish, can often be found swimming next to her.

Alicia�s wish has therapeutic benefits, too. Relaxing in the warm water makes Alicia more comfortable and allows her arms and legs to be more flexible and mobile. Alicia�s mom, Kelly, often helps Alicia kick her legs in the water; it�s a good therapy exercise, and in the hot tub, Alicia thinks it�s great fun.

The day Alicia�s hot tub arrived � just before Christmas � was full of anticipation for Alicia and her family, but it was only the beginning of the fun. She can combine her spa time with some of her other favorite activities � such as listening to tunes from her Veggie Tales CDs or playing with her older brother, who always makes her smile.

Alicia is the 200th recipient of a hot tub donated by Marquis Spas^® through its "In the Spirit of the Wish" campaign. In an article from the Salem (Ore.) Statesman Journal, Alicia�s mom noted that when Alicia is in her hot tub � her wish come true � she �just laughs and laughs�� There can be no question that Alicia�s wish to bring a hot tub into her home has brought smiles to the faces of everyone around her.

I wish to have a turtle bedroom

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:39:03 GMT

Sophie loved her bale of new plush turtles.

Ask most 5-year-olds where turtles live, and they will tell you �in the sea� or �at the zoo.� But ask 5-year-old Sophie and you�ll get a very different answer. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation� of the Tri-Counties, turtles of all colors and sizes live in Sophie�s bedroom.

Sophie had the opportunity to make a wish after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and nothing makes her come out of her shell like the sight of a turtle. In a snap, she asked wish granters to turn her bedroom into a turtle sanctuary.

Sophie�s terrific turtle wish was one of 10 wishes adopted by Longs Drugs Stores, which is a national sponsor of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and has set a goal of raising $1 million to grant wishes. Employees from three Longs stores joined Make-A-Wish� wish granters to create the reptile room of Sophie�s dreams.

To celebrate the grand opening of her room, two Longs employees held a dedication ribbon banner for Sophie to cut. When she opened the door to her turtle sanctuary, her eyes sparkled and, quite contrary to her favorite creature, leaped with delight. Everything in the room had that turtle touch, from the canopied green bed with turtle pillows, to the turtle paintings adorning the walls, to the fresh yellow-and-green paint job and matching curtains.

Plush turtles of every size and species had made their homes in Sophie�s new room, many of them piled up in a turtle tower on the bed. Longs Drug Stores also donated art supplies, books, lamps and picture frames to ensure that � even if the turtles overran most of the room � Sophie would have at least one cozy corner to herself!

Sophie�s biggest surprise was perhaps the smallest turtle � a real one living in a terrarium in a corner of its own. She grinned as she picked it up and looked into its tiny face and then gently set it down and watched it plod across the seemingly gigantic bedroom floor.

Jeannette Rossling, program services manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties, said that Sophie and her family were truly grateful to everyone who helped create her picture-perfect turtle room. �Sophie was so amazed that so many people wanted to help her get her wish,� Jeannette said. �Sophie told me, �They're cool because they like turtles, too!��

I wish to have a clubhouse in a school bus

Tue, 17 Oct 2006 18:28:31 GMT

Bill's Bus Clubhouse came fully equipped for fun, complete with bean bag chairs, a TV, DVD player and video games.

Nobody will ever be able to accuse Bill of missing the bus. That�s because, thanks to his wish, the bus is permanently parked outside of his house � and it�s been transformed into the clubhouse of his dreams.

Bill, 12, grew up hearing his father tell stories about his job at a school bus manufacturing company. He also loved visiting his grandfather�s woodworking shop, which was made out of an old bus. Bill, who has been diagnosed with a series of medical conditions including Marfan Syndrome and autism, loved the idea of being able to get away to a place of his own � and a school bus seemed like the perfect place for a clubhouse.

Driven by Bill�s imagination and the blueprints he drew himself, wish granters began to put the bus clubhouse in motion. After a temporary stall � the question of where one could get an old bus worthy of becoming a clubhouse - the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma found the perfect one. Each and every worker at Fox Collision Center volunteered to work after hours, transforming the broken-down bus into a happening hangout.

Bill's favorite records deck the walls, and lighting, heating and cooling systems mean Bill almost never has to come inside.

The remodeling team removed the engine and seats from the bus and added new carpeting and fresh paint. The inside of the bus came to life with donated beanbag and foam chairs, a mini refrigerator and a heat and air conditioning system. Bill is also a lifelong Beatles fan, so vintage records adorn the walls. A table and stools painted with the legendary Route 66 logo � Bill�s favorite � add the finishing touches to the dream bus d�cor,
and white rope lights light up the bus long after the skies have grown dark. Best of all, a TV, a DVD player and arcade games keep the good times rolling.

The whole bus followed Bill�s designs down to the smallest detail, even featuring the atomic clock he requested. And although scores of volunteers were working to make Bill�s wish come true, Bill himself remained in the dark until the day his bus pulled up. More than 200 friends, family members and wish granters filled Bill�s yard one sunny afternoon after school to unveil the big yellow clubhouse.

Bill was all smiles as he took his place in the driver�s seat of the bus that, until then, had only existed in his imagination.

�I love it!� was all he could say.

According to Bill�s mom, Bill spends more time in the bus clubhouse than in his family�s real house, and there�s no question that the fun on Bill�s bus has no stop in sight.