Make-A-Wish Stories - Fantasy and Theme Park

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.�

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.

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 partner 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 partnership 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.

I wish to meet the Cheetah Girls

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 21:49:31 GMT

If 7-year-old Amber�s favorite band, Disney�s Cheetah Girls, ever need an understudy, she�ll be ready to race in and do her part.

Amber and Kiely Williams (The Cheetah Girls� Aqua) show off their moves.

Amber, who was diagnosed with leukemia, knows every word to every Cheetah Girls song and every step to every Cheetah Girls dance. She brightened her hospital stays by watching the �Cheetah Girls� movie and listening to the girl group�s music over and over. She even owns a Cheetah Girls outfit. So, when Amber wished to meet her idols, Disney made sure the wish hit all the right notes.

�The Cheetah Girls,� a Disney Channel original movie that debuted in August 2003, is the story of friends who form a band and eventually achieve their dream of making it big in the music scene. The film and its characters proved so popular that Disney released a sequel, �Cheetah Girls 2� in August 2006. Disney has been one of the Make-A-Wish Foundation�s biggest friends and supporters since the Foundation�s beginnings, granting more than 50,000 wishes to date.

With the help of wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia, Amber�s rockin� wish began at a place known for making millions of wishes come true: the Disneyland� Resort. Upon her arrival, Amber knew � as her favorite band sings � �The Party�s Just Begun.�

Amber and her family received free tickets to the theme park and got to cheer the Cheetah Girls from VIP seats at their Disneyland concert. Not only did Amber receive celebrity treatment, she was seated next to real-life celebs: comedian Wayne Brady and actress Catherine Bach, who played Daisy Duke in the original �Dukes of Hazard� television series. Both Wayne and Catherine greeted Amber and added their autographs to her star-studded wish.

Amber, 7, flashes a wild smile with her favorite band, Disney�s Cheetah Girls.

Amber stood on her father�s shoulders during the concert to get the best possible view of her idols. She sang along with them and showed of her own dance moves for those sitting around her. When the concert was over, a royal dinner awaited Amber and her family at Ariel�s Grotto restaurant. Amber was joined by all the Disney Princesses for a hamburger feast, and each eagerly posed for pictures and signed autographs for Amber � the true princess of the day.

After dinner, the Cheetah Girls invited Amber to watch them film a taping of Disney Channel's "Disney 365," where they answered questions and told stories about the fun they had filming the new movie. Amber loved being right there to hear the inside scoop from the girls she idolized on TV.

After the Cheetah Girls finished their work day, it was time to play. Amber laughed her way through a flurry of photographs and autographs with the fabulous trio, and then it was off to take in the sights and sounds of the Disneyland theme park � even riding the Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue ride � with her famous new friends.

When Amber�s Disney day ended, she took home a bag full of autographed Cheetah Girls souvenirs, including the �Cheetah Girls 2� soundtrack, which had not yet been released in stores. Amber left the theme park with a huge smile, taking advice from another of her favorite Cheetah Girls songs, �Cherish the Moment.�

I wish to go to Walt Disney World

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 22:18:10 GMT

Although 4-year-old Clarice has a rare life-threatening medical condition, her wish is the most popular request for all Make-A-Wish^® chapters. Clarice wished to go to Walt Disney World^® . In a show of generosity, DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, stepped up to provide tickets and other perks for Clarice and her family to grant the wish.

Clarice�s trip came at just the right time, as she had not been away from home or the hospital for 15 months. During that time, she couldn�t even make the drive to her grandparents� home two hours away. All that pent-up energy found its way out though as Clarice�s first day at the Magic Kingdom^® was spent on 27 rides, including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and SplashMountain.

The young girl�s mother, Dori, reports that they also visited Disney-MGM Studios, where Clarice met characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear, and danced with Minnie Mouse and Goofy. At Epcot^® , Clarice presented Mickey Mouse with a picture she had drawn of he and Minnie. According to her mom, the little �night owl� kept the family out almost every night until park closing time.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the wish for the active girl was the evening they ate dinner at Cinderella�s Royal Table, which is on the second floor of Cinderella Castle. At 7 p.m., the family�s waitress took Clarice and her father out to the balcony of the castle to watch the royal fireworks.

In a letter to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® , Dori said Clarice talks about her adventure every day and can�t wait to return. She also helps with cooking, asks lots of questions, loves playing with her friends, and has started kindergarten.

I wish to go to Walt Disney World

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 19:26:06 GMT

The middle school students at Evangelical Christian School worked hard and put their hearts into raising the funds needed to sponsor the wish of a child through the Kids For Wish Kids program offered by Make-A-Wish Foundation� of the Mid-South. From flip flop and casual days to other fund-raising activities, they reached their goal of $5,000 and granted the wish of 5-year-old Eli, who wanted more than anything to visit the Walt Disney World� Resort.

Being a huge fan of the popular television show �Blue's Clues�, Eli was thrilled to learn that the elusive Blue had left numerous clues for him at the school, so that he could play a round of �Blue�s Clues.� Eli was presented with a Handy Dandy Notebook upon his arrival, and the adventure went from there. Trying to discover where Blue wanted to go on vacation, he found clues of sunshine, an airplane, and a mouse. With some help from his newfound friends at the school and some time in his own thinking chair, it was revealed that the Walt Disney World Resort is the desired locale. Not only does Blue want to visit the Magic Kingdom, but so does Eli- who learned that he and his family were to depart for sunny Florida one week later! No one could miss his grin, which spanned the length of his face.

Eli�s father not only thanked everyone for giving them such a priceless gift, but also shared how much it meant to his family to have received such an unselfish expression of love. They will forever remember their Disney trip and will always remember the day that Eli was made to feel every bit the star that he is. The students are already planning on granting another wish at this time next year!

I wish to go to Walt Disney World

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 23:33:01 GMT

The Make-A-Wish Foundation� of Kansas recently notched an impressive milestone � its 500th wish. Number 500 involved a precious 10-year-old boy named Mark who wished to go to Walt Disney World�. Once he knew his wish was going to come true, he asked his mother every morning, �Are we going today?�

Mark�s big day eventually came and he � along with his parents and five brothers and sisters � boarded an American Airlines plane in Wichita. The family�s journey ended in Orlando, Florida � home of Walt Disney World.

While Mark had his sights set on Walt Disney World, he was immediately captivated by Give Kids The World (GKTW) � a 51-acre, nonprofit resort that provides accommodations, attraction tickets, and meals for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families that wish to visit the central Florida attractions. He was excited about the train, the ice cream parlor, and the carousel, and from then on, wanted to do those things first every day.

During Mark�s first morning at GKTW�s Kids� Village, he met Goofy and Pluto at breakfast. Pluto introduced himself with a lick. From then on, Mark tried to lick all the Disney characters when introduced to them! He had a chance to interact with many of his favorite make-believe characters, including Barney, Bear in the Big Blue House, Mickey Mouse, and Belle with her shiny, gold costume. Mark saw Barney and Bear perform twice. During the first performance, he stared with his mouth wide open. The second time, he got through his initial amazement and clapped and yelled throughout the show.

While Walt Disney World was a source of much fun for Mark, his heart belonged to Give Kids The World. On the last day of his trip, he repeatedly asked to go back to Kids� Village because Santa Claus was there that day. Finally, Mark returned, waited patiently, and got to meet Santa. He even talked with Mrs. Claus too!

The Kansas chapter orchestrated a trip that will stay with Mark and his family for a long time. On the way to number 500, the chapter gained momentum and is pushing toward a promising future.

I wish to go to modeling school.

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 23:24:06 GMT

Due to effects of her life-threatening medical condition, 14-year-old Joyce was not feeling good about herself.

�My illness made me feel tired and washed out, and I looked tired and washed out too. I had lost my hair and lost weight, and lost my self-confidence,� she explained. Around the same time, her caregivers at the hospital referred her to the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of New Jersey, who stepped in with an offer to grant her greatest wish. Joyce remembered a modeling school that her cousin had talked about and was confident the key to regaining her self-esteem rested inside the walls of Barbizon School.

Barbizon bills itself as a leader in the modeling school industry and offers courses that help students develop their self-confidence, poise, attractiveness and grace. Wish granters enrolled Joyce in a 15-week course that met at night and on Saturdays so it wouldn�t affect her regular studies in her Jersey City high school. In addition to being a milestone event for Joyce, the wish also marked the 3,000th wish for the New Jersey chapter.

The teen modeling student was excited to surround herself with creative people working toward a future in modeling, acting and entertainment. She reports that the classes let her be herself again, and the instructors and executive director showed her a lot of attention.

�The activity of attending classes at Barbizon made me feel more alive, and everyone was so understanding of my health and my feelings and were so nice and kind. Talking with the people who run the school and with the other students gave me a real boost, � she explained.

As with any other school, all the hard work leads to graduation. But instead of a traditional commencement event with ceremonial handshakes and school bands, Joyce participated in a modeling show at a local hotel. The students modeled several different outfits including casual wear, sports wear and formal wear. A TV crew documented the event and interviewed Joyce, who used her camera time to speak about her desire to help other ill children in the future. When an attendee asked Joyce how she stayed so focused and composed in front of the crew, she explained that she used the interview techniques she learned in class.

In addition to her modeling experience, Joyce has served as an ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She even shared a national stage with Make-A-Wish Foundation of America President and CEO Paula Van Ness as Van Ness rang the opening bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York City.

Looking to the future, Joyce would like to become an actress and write an autobiography entitled �My Recovery.� She hopes her experience inspires other ill children.

Photo credit: Citywide Corporate Photography