Make-A-Wish Stories - Sports

I wish to meet John Cena.

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:10:29 GMT

All it took was one look at WWE Superstar John Cena in action, and Alan became a pro wrestling fan. He was visiting a friend in 2004 when he caught a glimpse of a WWE match featuring Cena. Alan saw an unyielding, unflinching quality in Cena that he couldn�t resist.

�Every time somebody challenges him, he never backs down,� Alan said.

Alan Learns from Cena � Don�t Back Down

One day, Alan felt a bump on his shoulder that worried him. A week later, doctors performed an ultrasound. He was soon diagnosed with Hodgkin�s lymphoma. Believe it or not, Alan considered himself lucky � his form of Hodgkin�s is considered very treatable. Doctors told him to expect six months of chemotherapy and other treatments. He was ready to pile-drive his illness into submission.

Alan must�ve channeled John Cena�s fighting spirit � he beat Hodgkin�s lymphoma in just three months.

�It makes me feel great because a lot of people at my church were praying for me,� Alan says.

Now, Alan expects his chemotherapy port to be removed in a few months.

Celebrating his Victory

Alan�s wish began with a limo ride to the airport, a short flight, dinner at Medieval Times and a visit to Six Flags. Though he had a great time on the Mr. Freeze rollercoaster, the next day is where his wish was really ready to start.

At a local Dallas mall, Alan dropped into a GameStop store and was playing video games when John Cena �walked up all casual� to greet him. The two squared off for a few rounds of Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009. (See video at bottom of page.)

�He started stretching,� Alan says, laughing. �It was really funny!�

After losing a few matches, a gracious Cena signed his hat and handed it to Alan. GameStop rewarded Alan for his victory with a backpack filled with video games, t-shirts and a GameStop hat. Then, both were off to Monday Night Raw.

Ringside at Raw

Alan took yet another limo ride, this time to arrive at Monday Night Raw. Before the action started, he met Superstars Shawn Michaels and Jeff Hardy. Cena arrived, carrying a load of signed souvenirs for Alan � dogtags, wristbands, shirts and more.

That night, Cena lost to The Big Show.

�But only because The Edge interfered,� Alan insists.

After the loss, though, Alan�s prediction that Cena would win at Wrestlemania came true. And the loss did nothing to diminish the experience or his favorite Superstar.

�He�s bigger in person,� Alan says. �His whole arm is bigger than me!�

I wish to meet Nicklas Lidstrom.

Thu, 28 May 2009 20:08:08 GMT

Two Nicks skated across the Hockeytown ice at Joe Louis Arena after the Detroit Red Wings� practice. One was a six-time Norris Trophy winner and captain of the NHL�s reigning Stanley Cup champions. The other was a six-month leukemia survivor, and with every stride across the ice, his wish was coming true.

Lidstrom invited Nick to join the team shootout, and Nick scored a goal!

As Nicklas Lidstrom battled through the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, 14-year-old Nick watched from a hospital bed 45 minutes away from his Maple Grove, Minn. home. Nick, a hockey player himself, had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Although he was just beginning what would become a five-and-a-half-month hospital stay, he didn�t let it keep him from watching his hero�s quest for the cup.

When the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® offered Nick a wish, he narrowed it down to two choices: Skate with Nicklas Lidstrom or visit the Ferrari factory in Italy.

�In the end, I picked what I loved the most,� Nick said. �My brother got me into hockey when I was about 5, and I liked Lidstrom because we had the same name. He�s been my favorite player ever since.�

When Nick was well enough to travel, he and his family boarded a plane headed for Hockeytown. After a tour of Joe Louis Arena and VIP seats at the Red Wings� morning skate, Lidstrom asked Nick to join him on the ice.

�The majority of the team stayed on the ice after practice,� Nick said, �[Lidstrom] invited me to join the guys in a shootout against [goalie] Ty Conklin, and I scored on him! The players were all cheering for me and joking and teasing each other. They were really fun.�

Lidstrom said he was honored Nick wished to meet him � especially over a trip to Italy. "I'm happy that I can help out with something that's very simple for me," he told a reporter from the Grand Rapids Press. "I'm here every day, so it feels good to make a kid happy like this. Makes me feel a little special, too."

Nick then joined Lidstrom in the locker room and unlaced his skates next to him at Chris Chelios� locker. The team treated him to tickets to the following night�s game and armload of autographs.

Nick and Lidstrom skated with the rest of the team at a Red Wings practice.

Nick�s mom, Sue, smiled brightly as she watched her son�s dream come true.

�Nick always had a positive attitude and kept his sense of humor throughout his treatment, and I�ll never forget how happy he was out on the ice with the players,� she said. �He had a big smile on his face, and you knew he was having fun � His wish was something [our family] would never have been able to give Nick on our own.�

Reflecting on his Red Wings experience and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Nick added, �They really know how to show a kid a good time!�

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 see 'Dancing with the Stars' live.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:44:49 GMT

Even as a little girl, Sandra had �stars in her eyes,� according to her mom, Roberta. She has been a dancer since taking her first lesson at age 3. The family has video footage of the tiny girl with a mop of curly raven tresses, performing in a glittery stage costume.

�She was an adorable, bubbly little sweet kid!� Roberta recalls with a smile.

Sandra poses with some of her favorites � Corky Ballas, Tony Dovolani and Olympic champion Maurice Greene � on the �Dancing with the Stars� set.

So when Sandra was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin�s lymphoma as a teenager, she was devastated and wondered if she would ever dance again. She remembers feeling depressed and �spaced out� from all the medications she was prescribed. A course of chemotherapy followed. All the while, Sandra hoped and prayed she would feel well enough to dance again.

Sandra began to write poetry. Her first poem, titled �Defined Again,� contains the poignant lines:

Oh so sad am I / No longer a dancer

Defined by a new word / which is cancer.

Enter the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Wish-granting volunteers met Sandra at the end of her long recovery, around the same time she was finally given thrilling news from her doctors � a clean bill of health! She excitedly shared her wish: to go see ABC-TV�s hit show �Dancing with the Stars� in person.

The Foundation�s partnership with The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiary ABC made Sandra�s dream possible. Sandra and her family flew from Chicago to Los Angeles and soon arrived on the set of �Dancing with the Stars.�

�Oh my gosh,� recalls the ebullient teen (who, by the way, still sports that wonderful curly black mop of hair). �I was totally excited. I can hardly talk about it � the whole experience was so amazing!�

Sandra was introduced to the Season 7 cast, including Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman; �All My Children� star Susan Lucci; and Lance Bass, formerly of the pop music group *NSYNC.

�I got to meet Lance Bass,� Sandra said. �I remember going to his concert and reaching out to him!�

After being introduced to the cast, Sandra was taken to the makeup trailer and given the full beauty treatment. Then it was time to go see the show.

Gorgeous in a pale yellow dress with sparkling necklace and matching earrings, Sandra, with her lithe dancer�s frame and bubbly personality, was a favorite with the cast. Former world-champion sprinter Maurice Greene twirled her around the stage in an impromptu dance.

�The dancers were so professional and so amazing!� Sandra says. �I had the best time of my life.�

***To view Sandra's experience on "Dancing with the Stars," go to the Children and Families section and click on the middle thumbnail photo here.***

Disney is proud to be a long-time supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® and uses its magic to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Over the past 28 years, Disney has supported the Make-A-Wish^® mission, contributing more than $11 million in cash and in-kind donations each year. With more than 6,000 wishes granted every year � including visits to the Disney Parks, Disney Cruises, meeting Disney Characters, attending sporting events and visiting TV and movie sets � Disney-themed wishes continue to be the most popular requests by children to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I wish to golf at TPC Sawgrass.

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:15:09 GMT

PGA TOUR pro Briny Baird surprised wish kid Tim by showing up to play a round at TPC Sawgrass with him.

Before being diagnosed with Ewing�s sarcoma when he was 17 years old, Tim had never spent more than a day in a hospital.

�I couldn�t believe I had cancer,� Tim said. �I saw things like that on TV but never thought it could happen to me.�

More than two years later, Tim has overcome his cancer. The Make-A-Wish Foundation helped him celebrate his return to health with a round of golf at TPC Sawgrass, home of his favorite PGA TOUR event. Tim�s wish started off at his home in Denver on a chilly Monday morning; a limousine picked up him, his parents and his 13-year-old sister for a ride to the airport. Soon, they left the 15-degree weather behind as they flew to Florida.

The entire family started Tim�s wish day with a tour of the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse. Then staff members showed Tim and his father to their own lockers. Tim picked his father, who gave him his first golf lesson when he was just 2 years old, as his partner for the round.

Shortly after, Tim was headed to the first hole to get ready for his 9:10 a.m. tee time. There, they ran into PGA TOUR players Jim Furyk and Briny Baird.

Baird, who is sponsored by P.F. Chang�s China Bistro, drove from Palm City, Fla., for a chance to tee off with Tim.

"It's uplifting to do something like this for two reasons. One, you meet really nice people. And, two, we are helping a tremendous cause," Baird said of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has a national relationship with the PGA TOUR. "To fulfill someone's wish is both rewarding and humbling at the same time."

Baird tried to get Tim ready for the 17th hole, possibly the most difficult of an already unforgiving course. He even admitted that he gets nervous every time he tees off on the 17th. His advice? �Close your eyes and just hit it.�

Even before arranging his outing with the pros, the PGA TOUR gave Tim a warm welcome to Florida. They helped him celebrate his birthday, which included dinner and a generous amount of TOUR-related gifts.

For Tim, though, the golf outing was the highlight.

"I'll never forget it. It is one of the best days of my life. I'll never forget this day," he said.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation thanks the PGA TOUR and PGATOUR.com for photos and information used in this story.

I wish to meet Michael Jordan.

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:15:21 GMT

Katie loved basketball. Whether it was playing, watching or talking about it � Katie had hoop dreams.

But when she was 11, those dreams were shattered after she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. As Katie endured the traumatic ordeals of hospital stays, medical tests and treatments, the Make-A-Wish Foundation came into her life. Wish granters asked Katie what she wanted to wish for, but she had a hard time deciding. Then her brother suggested that she think about making basketball part of her wish.

Suddenly, the choice became obvious: Katie wished to meet her favorite player, Michael Jordan. Katie had always loved watching him play, and the idea of meeting her hero helped her persevere through another series of treatments.

�Thinking about the wish helped me get through all of my treatments,� Katie said. �It gave me something else to dream about and think about.�

Katie�s wish was granted in December 2000. She and her family traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet Jordan. As Katie waited to meet him, she thought of all of the questions she would ask him. But they were soon forgotten when he walked into the room.

Jordan talked with Katie, her brother and parents. He signed a copy of his book, I Can�t Accept Not Trying, and two basketballs � one each for Katie and her brother. Then when Jordan asked Katie if she had any questions, all she could think to ask for was a hug.

Katie bravely dealt with another tumor following her wish, successfully fighting through once again. Inspired by her wish, Katie chose the Make-A-Wish Foundation as the subject for a school paper during her sophomore year in high school. She interviewed the CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia for the paper, and Katie soon received an internship offer from her. Katie not only accepted the position, but she stayed with the chapter as an intern through the rest of high school and college.

After graduating from college, Katie moved, but she didn�t leave the Foundation behind. Today, she works as a development coordinator for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Mid-Atlantic, based in Maryland. Katie says the job is perfect for her.

Now, she can help other children drive hard and see the hope of their future.

I wish to ...meet the Detroit Lions

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:12:35 GMT

Brandon's wish is the 10,000th granted by UAW-GM and General Motors during their 10-year partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® . To celebrate this wish milestone, Brandon rode on the UAW-GM float in America�s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day 2008.

Barry Sanders, the legendary Detroit Lions running back, retired from the NFL on July 27, 1999. One-hundred and fifty miles away, in Rodney, Mich., a little boy named Brandon had just celebrated his first birthday.

Neither had any idea that, 10 years later, they would meet when Sanders made Brandon�s fondest wish come true.

Wish kid Brandon and his all-time favorite player, Barry Sanders, put on game faces during their visit at a Detroit Lions game.

Brandon loves playing football with his friends � but more than that, he loves watching football with his family. And he loves Barry Sanders.

�Brandon was too young to ever see Barry play in a game, but he�s watched him hundreds of times on his dad�s videotapes,� Brandon�s mom, Darlene, said. �His dad�s told him all about Barry, and they watch those tapes over and over.�

The courage and strength Sanders inspired in Brandon would come in handy in February 2008, when doctors gave the family some devastating news.

�We checked him into the hospital at night, and at 2 a.m. the doctors told me he had Burkitt�s lymphoma,� Darlene said. �I was so angry. It broke my heart to have to tell him. He started chemo first thing the next morning because the tumors were that aggressive.�

Brandon and his mom spent many days and nights in a hospital an hour away from their home. Still, he kept his spirits up and made an effort to walk every day, even when he was in the most pain. And he always managed to cheer on his favorite team.

�I don�t think he�s ever missed a Lions game [on TV],� Darlene, said. �It�s our Sunday tradition.�

When Brandon learned he was eligible for a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he quickly decided to meet his football hero.

�[Barry Sanders] is my favorite player because of all his jukes and dodges and how he runs with the ball.� Brandon said. �[Knowing I could meet him] made me glad. It was really something to look forward to when I was in the hospital.�

Three weeks before Thanksgiving, the Lions invited Brandon to attend a practice. They presented him armfuls of Lions merchandise, which the players soon covered in autographs. Brandon chatted with coach Rod Marinelli and players Drew Stanton, Michael Furrey and Jason Hanson. They also gave him more souvenirs, including a football, wristbands and gloves.

�I know you are here to see your favorite stars, but with your toughness, you�re the real star,� Furrey told him, after tossing him a few passes.

Thousands of spectators cheered Brandon on the UAW-GM float during America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit.

Two days later, Brandon entered Ford Field, ready to watch his first Lions game in person.

�It was weird seeing how big [Ford Field] was � it was a lot bigger than I thought,� Brandon said. �We had really good seats and the game was awesome. I liked seeing all the long passes and the short passes and the tackles and the running!�

At halftime, Brandon and his family went to a private suite where Sanders and his two children were waiting to greet them.

�I was kind of nervous because I was used to seeing him on TV, but not in real life!� Brandon said. �He asked me what the Lions could do to win this year. I told him, �Work on their defense.��

�Barry was just so nice,� Darlene added. �He talked with [Brandon and his dad] about hunting and what kinds of things Brandon likes to do for fun. I just sat back, smiling. I couldn�t believe it was happening.�

Brandon�s wish is only the beginning of things he�s thankful for. On Thanksgiving Day, he will be in Detroit to ride on the UAW-GM float in America�s Thanksgiving Parade as part of the 10,000th wish celebration. Brandon and his family then will attend the Lions� annual Thanksgiving Day game � something they�ve watched on television every year.

And Brandon has one more reason to celebrate this Thanksgiving: His lymphoma is in remission. For Brandon, wishes definitely do come true.

I wish to meet Andre Agassi.

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:21:38 GMT

Few tennis players are happy when they watch an unstoppable shot streak past them. But for 19-year-old Mark, few things could be better. Especially when those unstoppable shots are coming from the racket of eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi.

The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation^® and the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® doubled up to grant Mark�s wish to meet Agassi. Mark traveled from his home in Huntingdon, Pa., for the Bryan Brothers� All-Star Tennis Smash at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Agassi welcomed Mark to center court for an unforgettable lesson � and served up a few examples of why he�s a tennis legend.

Mark puts Agassi's advice to work with nice form on his follow-through.

They spent more than an hour volleying on the stadium court, with Agassi coming to the net and offering Mark pointers several times. They wrapped up the session with a friendly game � as they played, tennis fans were trickling in for the afternoon of charity matches. They cheered as Agassi and Mark exchanged shots. Occasionally, Agassi would fire a full-power, pro-style blast over the net, delighting his wish student.

�It is the most amazing thing that could ever happen to you, if you like tennis,� Mark said, savoring the memory.

Afterward, Mark enjoyed the use of the VIP locker room and again met up with Agassi. Mark offered him a few gifts to remember the occasion: Huntingdon Tennis t-shirts for Agassi and his wife, plus a Penn State sweatshirt. Agassi also had a parting gift for Mark � the racquet that he used during the charity event, which he autographed.

�That�s sitting in my room, at home where nobody touches it!� Mark said, laughing.

Tennis legend Andre Agassi brings wish kid Mark to the net for some pointers.

He added that the wish brought joy to his family who accompanied him � parents Alan and Kathy and brother David. Every bit of it, from his health obstacles to meeting Agassi, is a blessing in Mark�s eyes.

Agassi thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to make Mark�s wish come true. Reflecting on the day, Agassi commented, �Mark is an engaging, soulful young man who taught me to enjoy and appreciate the time we have. It was a privilege for me, more than Mark will ever know, to be a part of his wish.�

When he wasn�t getting tennis advice from Agassi, Mark also watched a pro-am doubles match featuring James Blake. The two met after the match, and he also spent time chatting with the event hosts, Mike and Bob Bryan, who recently won the Olympic men�s doubles bronze medal and their second U.S. Open men�s doubles title. Mark also caught a glimpse of women�s tennis star Lindsay Davenport.

Mark�s mother, Kathy, marveled at the time Agassi devoted to her son�s wish. She was told the tournament was Agassi�s only public tennis appearance for 2008.

�And he chose to spend an hour with my son,� Kathy said. �Mark got the greatest gift of all.�

By Justin Schmid

I wish to experience the High School Musical magic.

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:10:12 GMT

Vanessa Hudgens and wish kid Jenna get acquainted on the set.
Photo: (c)Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Three-year-old Paytlee had a simple but very cute wish, one that millions of girls have no doubt had since Disney�s High School Musical began captivating audiences around the world.

�I want to kiss Troy!� Paytlee said gleefully before she and her family were off to Hollywood to meet �Troy,� High School Musical star Zac Efron before the premiere of High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

The little Texas spitfire, who has overcome a brain tumor, is one of more than 70 seriously ill children who requested wishes related to Disney�s High School Musical through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Wishes have included visiting movie sets, attending movie premieres and meeting stars of the wildly popular trilogy since it debuted in 2006.

Thanks to Disney and the High School Musical cast and crew, these children have been delighted to go behind the scenes to watch rehearsals on set, walk the red carpet at the premieres and visit with the movies� stars � including Efron, Corbin Bleu, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Monique Coleman, Lucas Grabeel, KayCee Stroh, Olesya Rulin, Chris Warren Jr. and Ryan Sanborn. This being High School Musical, there�s even been a little singing, dancing and cheering mixed in.

Director Kenny Ortega is a huge supporter of having wish children on the set because of the courage and inspiration they bring to everyone on all of their visits.

Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman clown around with wish kid Lani during the set visit.
Photo: (c)Disney Enterprises, Inc.

�When the kids are here, it livens everybody�s spirit,� Ortega said during the filming of Disney�s High School Musical 3: Senior Year. �It makes for a special day for everyone. The minute you arrive (on set), it�s like, �Where are they? Where are they?��

For High School Musical 3: Senior Year, 13 children visited the movie set in Utah, enjoying the action of rehearsals and filming during a seven-hour day, getting photos and autographs with the stars and enthusiastically joining in some East High Wildcats cheers.

Three more wish kids attended the world premiere of High School Musical 3: Senior Year on Oct. 16 in Los Angeles. Jennifer, Rachel and Scarlett paraded down the red carpet at the University of Southern California�s Galen Center and received a variety of High School Musical treats, including an East High Wildcats yearbook. Amid the screaming crowd, Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, Ortega and the rest of the cast stopped by for photos and signed the girls� yearbooks. Once inside, the girls couldn�t believe they were watching the movie not far away from their High School Musical idols.

As for Paytlee, her wish was granted when she met Efron during a High School Musical fan event at the El Capitan Theatre. Though a little star-struck at first, Paytlee couldn�t resist Efron�s magnetic smile and eventually was able to get her kiss.

�He let me sit on his lap!� she said.

Granting a child�s wish is equally rewarding for Efron.

�It�s a humbling experience,� he told People. �The fact that for a minute we can let them forget about whatever issues they are currently going through and take them into the High School Musical world, which is more carefree and fun, that�s a pretty thrilling aspect of it.�

And it�s been just as exciting for the Make-A-Wish children who have enjoyed that enthusiastic Wildcats spirit through their unforgettable wishes.

Disney is proud to be a long-time supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and uses its magic to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. In the past 28 years, Disney has supported the Make-A-Wish mission, contributing more than $11 million in cash and in-kind donations annually. With more than 6,000 wishes granted every year � including visits to the Disney Parks, Disney Cruises, meeting Disney Characters, attending sporting events and visiting TV and movie sets � Disney-themed wishes are the most popular requests to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I wish to be a sports reporter for the Chicago Cubs.

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:53:11 GMT

Marco was granted his wish to be a sports reporter in August 2008 with the generous assistance of FOX Sports and FOX Sports Supports, its charitable initiative that has supported the Make-A-Wish Foundation throughout the 2008 Major League Baseball season. Here is Marco�s story, in his own words:

Marco helped FOX Sports announcers Dick Stockton (left) and Eric Karros call the action during a Cubs-Cardinals game at Wrigley Field.

From the minute I was born, I had three favorite things in life: music, movies and sports. I remember being real little, going out to my backyard with a mini baseball bat pretending I was Sammy Sosa hitting 62 home runs, even though my �outfield wall covered in ivy� was the bushes in front of my Dad�s shed. As an 8-year-old kid, all I wanted to do was play baseball and football with my friends, though as much as I wanted to, I couldn�t.

I was born with a rare disease called Prune Belly Syndrome. Prune Belly Syndrome is a disease that affects your heart, kidneys and limbs. Over the course of my first 15 years of life, I�ve had multiple surgeries. At just 15 months old, I underwent open heart surgery. Over the next three or so years, my kidney function started to rapidly decline, and as a result, I was put on dialysis at 4 years old. Six months later on May 13, 1996, I had a kidney transplant. The kidney was donated by my Dad.

I have been on medicines from Day 1 of my life and will continue to be on anti-rejection medicines for the rest of my life. I will also have to live with the fact that I have a prosthetic leg and a new one needs to be made every time I grow, which makes it difficult because I have growth deficiency issues due to the Prune Belly Syndrome and need to be on medication for this as well.

It was about this time that my family was made aware, through various doctors at Children�s Memorial Hospital and segments on TV, about the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all the life-changing things they had done for kids just like me. It was to my surprise that one day, some years later, a wish granter rang my doorbell and asked me if I had one wish, what would it be?

I thought for a few minutes, and flashed back to about six years earlier. It was Christmas morning and I had just gotten the brand new Madden game for Playstation and rushed up to my room to go play. A few hours went by, and my parents were really confused because they hadn�t heard the sounds of a video game coming from my room. Instead, they heard me talking. When my mom walked into my room, she saw me sitting there playing the game, but I was commentating on the game and talking about everything that was going on. Through my whole life, I always had the idea that if I couldn�t be out there playing the game, I could be just as good talking about it.

So I answered the wish granter�s question: I wish I could be a sports reporter at a Cubs game. And I can honestly say that on the day of my wish, I truly experienced the greatest day of my life. I got to meet all the players I had watched and talked about. I got to interview Lou Piniella, and let me tell you, they call him Sweet Lou for a reason. He really is a nice guy. I got to talk to Jim Edmonds, Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano. By the way, Zambrano enjoys singing really loudly in the dugout.

Then I got to go up to the FOX Sports broadcast booth and call the third inning of the game with Eric Karros and Dick Stockton. Eric is a former Cub first baseman who signed my ball, �Marco: Don�t take my job.�

That day has changed my life forever. A few weeks later, I started my senior year of high school. On the first day back, I was approached by the TV Production department, asking me if I could commentate all of our high school football games. I met some great people at FOX Sports who told me if I ever needed an in, they would be glad to help me out.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has given me a new reason to wake up in the morning. And that reason is opportunity. So many roads have now opened for me after my wish. And for a kid who wasn�t supposed to live 24 hours, I think I�ve come a long way, and Make-A-Wish has helped me tremendously. Thank You.

I wish to watch U.S. Olympic softball.

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:08:38 GMT

Rachel meets International Softball Federation President Don Porter as NBC chronicles her wish for an �Olympic Zone� feature that aired nationally. Photo by Qiang FU.

Scores of U.S. women�s softball fans clung to the fences cheering and vying for the attention of their favorite players, who had just completed their Olympic round-robin play with a resounding 9-0 victory over China. The players, however, were all crowded around one young fan � 16-year-old Rachel, who had traveled to Beijing from her hometown in Texas so her fondest wish could come true.

Rachel has always been a big fan of the USA Softball team. She and her dad watch games together every time the team is on TV, and she knows all the players. Rachel�s own days in the pitcher�s circle � she started for her high school�s varsity team as a freshman � were put on hold when she was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia.

�It was really, really hard,� said Rachel, the first freshman at her school to letter in softball. �I had to miss a whole season.�

�Rachel has to have chemotherapy treatment every Friday,� her dad, Rob, said. �And she used to be afraid of needles! Somehow, though, she�s managed to stay upbeat.�

Rachel�s illness made her eligible for a wish. Even though the Summer Olympics were almost a year away, she knew her greatest dream would be to see the U.S. women compete for the gold medal. In fact, the long wait for her wish was a source of strength during treatments.

�It made it a little bit easier, knowing there was something good out there for me to look forward to,� Rachel said.

Rachel, her parents and her younger sister, Makenzee, braved the long flight from Texas to Beijing � a first for Rachel � and experienced 10 days of Olympic glory.

Rachel�s dream day to watch the team play in-person began with tickets to the United States vs. China softball game. After cheering her idols to victory, Rachel was surprised when International Softball Federation President Don Porter made a special presentation to her. She also learned that NBC�s announcers had mentioned her wish during the game broadcast.

�It was wonderful � way beyond expectations,� Rob said.

Then Rachel got the rare opportunity to meet every member of the team she�d so long admired. She collected autographs, a jersey, bats and an official game ball. Coach Mike Candrea gave her a hug and the lineup card from the game. And, best of all, Rachel posed for pictures and talked to her favorite player, pitcher Monica Abbott.

�When I know that I can bring a smile to someone else�s face, or that I bring chills to them, that just warms my heart so much,� Abbott told NBC after meeting Rachel.

�It brings tears to my eyes just thinking that she would choose [to meet] us,� added pitcher Jenny Finch. �It�s cool. Really cool.�

And there was still more in store during Rachel�s Olympic experience. She met Olympic champion swimmer Natalie Coughlin and women�s discus gold medalist Stephanie Brown-Trafton at a pizza party organized by NBC for wish kids and their families in Beijing. Rachel invited Brown-Trafton to join her and her family on a tour of the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall of China. Much to Rachel�s surprise, Brown-Trafton accepted!

The joy of her wish continued, even on the plane ride home. She shared her flight with the U.S. men�s volleyball and women�s soccer teams, which both won gold medals. She and her sister tried on the medals and posed for photos with the players.

Still, Rachel � her cancer newly in remission � counts the moments she met her softball heroes as her fondest wish memories. �They�re kind of what helped me get through all this,� she said.

I wish to be in �Kit Kittredge: An American Girl� movie.

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:02:44 GMT

The film�s wardrobe staff let Eliza choose her own costume for her �hobo girl� part.

Movie audiences around the country have the chance to watch Eliza�s wish come true on the big screen. The sparkling 6-year-old told wish granters she was ready for her close-up, and Hollywood filmmakers complied by casting her as an extra in �Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.�

During her 2� years undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Eliza often talked of wanting to be in movies. Still, she spent several weeks brainstorming ideas for her perfect wish, everything from singing �Jingle Bell Rock� on American Idol to being a kids Calvin Klein model.

But when she learned that the first American Girl feature film was holding open auditions, she picked up her Kit Kittredge doll and announced to her mom that she knew what she really wanted for her wish. Eliza never dreamed she would be offered her first acting job by Abigail Breslin, the star of the Kit Kittredge film, who called Eliza personally to let her know her wish was coming true.

�[The trip to Toronto for filming] was the first trip that was just for fun and just the three of us,� Eliza�s mom, Kari, said. �It was the first trip [my husband and I] didn�t have to worry about anything.�

Eliza and her family felt like VIPs before they even set foot on the movie set. The Park Hyatt hotel staff had been awaiting the little star�s arrival and had her room stocked full of treats � including a doll for Eliza.

Eliza enjoyed eating lunch with the films� stars, including Abigail Breslin and Madison Davenport.

The star treatment continued the next day on the movie set. The film crew reserved a trailer for Eliza complete with a star displaying her name. In wardrobe, Eliza got to choose the costume for her character � �a hobo girl� � and then she reluctantly agreed to let make-up artists make her face look dirty for the part.

Next, Eliza watched the film�s stars, including Breslin, Chris O�Donnell, Julia Ormond and Willow Smith, rehearse a scene. Before long, it was Eliza�s turn to be in front of the camera, filming a scene at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

�She was shy at first,� Kari said, �But she took her job really seriously and followed all the director�s instructions very closely.�

When the day of filming finally wrapped � including a close-up of Eliza that appears in the finished film � the cast and crew surprised Eliza with an American Girl Kit doll autographed by Breslin along with several other American Girl goodies.

Eliza reunited with her American Girl friends at the movie�s red carpet premiere.

�Kit Kittredge: An American Girl� opened in June 2008, and Eliza was invited to walk the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere. For Eliza and her family, there was double reason to celebrate: Eliza had finished her leukemia treatments just one month before.

�She had the hugest smile when she saw herself on screen,� Kari said. �Of course, I cried.�

After the premiere, Eliza returned to North Carolina for a hometown premiere of her own. A movie theater hosted a special screening, followed by Tea for Three, a fundraiser tea party for moms, daughters and their dolls. The event, in conjunction with a raffle and auction, raised more than $12,000 to grant other children�s wishes. Eliza�s family plans to make Tea For Three an annual event.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation thanks American Girl and Mattel for their continued support. Together, we have been granting wish kids� incredible American Girl wishes for ten years!

I wish to visit the set of "The Office"

Wed, 21 May 2008 19:31:01 GMT

Visiting offices isn�t usually high on wish kids� lists. Unless, of course, you�re talking about the office of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company � the setting for NBC�s hit comedy The Office. Sixteen-year-old Anna wanted to visit this office more than any place else in the world.

Anna felt like part of the Dunder Mifflin gang when the cast welcomed her on set.

When Anna was a small child, she was diagnosed with hypoplasia, a medical condition affecting the development of her arms and legs. Coping with her disability has been challenging at times, but it never kept her from her passion for all things related to film, theater and television. The Office, her favorite TV show, was the inspiration for her wish.

�I�m a huge fan of the show, and I want to go into the film industry someday,� Anna said. �I knew visiting the set of The Office would be amazing and would help me learn for my future.�

Wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation� of Central & Western North Carolina soon had Anna and her family on a plane bound for sunny California. Before she knew it, she was standing at the front door of the Dunder Mifflin office � a place she had seen her favorite characters enter and exit from so many times on TV.

�It was really cool because The Office films in a real building, not on a soundstage,� Anna said. �They opened the door for me, and B.J. Novak (Ryan Howard on the show) was standing right there!�

Even Anna couldn�t escape The Office�s antics. She�s pictured here with bunny ears from Oscar Nunez.

B.J. and Anna became fast friends � they still send each other letters today � and he was only the first of many cast members Anna met. Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute), John Krasinski (Jim Halpert), Jenna Fischer (Pam Beesly) and the rest of The Office gang greeted Anna, and she watched them rehearse two scenes.

�I was in shock, but they were all so down to earth and different from their characters in real life,� Anna said. �They all told me about their day-to-day life filming the show and how they broke into show business. Jenna Fischer especially encouraged me a lot.�

And, of course, no visit to The Office would be complete without meeting the �World�s Best Boss� Michael Scott, a.k.a. actor Steve Carell. Anna said she was surprised to see him break character when he met her.

�I almost expected him to be telling jokes the whole time, but he was so down to earth and normal,� Anna said, laughing. �Just completely normal.�

Anna also got to learn tricks of the trade from the show�s film editor, prop director and producer. They gave her a signed copy of the episode�s script, and the show�s makeup artist gave her a makeover. She even took a full tour of the set and sat at Michael Scott�s desk.

Anna hit it off with B.J. Novak, the first cast member she met.

Anna hopes her wish trip will be the first of many visits she makes to Southern California. The college-bound teen toured the University of Southern California campus while she was there, �and just fell in love with it.�

In the meantime, she is staying in contact with one of the executive producers of The Office but swears he hasn�t given her any clues about what�s next for her favorite characters.

�I think they have to keep Jim and Pam together, though,� Anna mused. �They took so long to get together, and they�re just perfect for each other.�

By Kathryn Roethel

I wish to meet Annika Sorenstam.

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:33:20 GMT

Molly was a quick study and was thrilled to get some tips from her hero and new friend.

World Golf and LPGA Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam granted a wish for 14 year-old Molly Esordi of Grosse Ile, Mich. Molly, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin�s lymphoma, is an avid golfer whose wish was to �meet and play golf with Annika.� Molly and her family spent the day with Annika at the ANNIKA Academy at Ginn Reunion Resort near Orlando, Fla.

�What an honor it is that of all the things Molly could have chosen to do, she wanted to come here to meet me,� said Annika. �We share the same passion for golf and I can only hope that her being here today was inspiring to her. I know she has been inspiring to me.�

Competing for the Grosse Ile High girls� golf team in the fall, Molly earned all-league first-team honors as a freshman. She was joined in Orlando by her parents Tom and Leslie, sisters Sarah and Margaret, and brother Nicholas.

�It�s a great experience being here with Annika and I am very excited to play golf with her today,� said Molly. �I really like the Cutter & Buck outfit, the Callaway golf clubs, and the gift basket from Kraft that Annika gave to me. I am very happy that she is taking all of this time with me today. I am having a lot of fun!�

Molly and Annika celebrated after a fun day and a great round of golf.

The day�s activities included a tour of the ANNIKA Academy, lunch, one-on-one instructions from Annika and nine holes of golf on The Legacy Course at Reunion. Molly also received some gifts from Annika�s sponsors, including Callaway golf clubs, Cutter & Buck clothing from the ANNIKA Collection, a large gift basket with Kraft food items, a three-day stay at Ginn Reunion Resort, a gift package of sunglasses and clothing from Oakley and a write-up in Golf Digest publications.

Molly will serve as a guest writer on Annika�s blog, www.annikablog.com, writing about her trip and the fun she had during her day with Annika.

I wish to meet The Wiggles.

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:44:56 GMT

Wags, The Wiggles� famous dog, arrived at Carly�s doorstep and invited her to meet The Wiggles at their concert.

During her many visits to doctors� offices, 3-year-old Carly sometimes could be heard belting out her favorite songs by the hugely popular children�s entertainers The Wiggles. But few people who heard her happy voice would have guessed that she was in the middle of difficult treatments for neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder causing tumors in her nervous system.

The Wiggles and their songs helped keep Carly smiling as she endured those treatments. They also proved the inspiration for her heartfelt wish.

Of course, it was not an unexpected wish. Every day, Carly asks to wear a Wiggles shirt and a Wiggles bandana. She never goes anywhere without Anthony, her talking Wiggles doll. Her mom, Kelley, says Carly even calls Anthony her �boyfriend.�

When wish granters from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Philadelphia and Susquehanna Valley visited Carly, she told them she wanted to hug The Wiggles and tell Anthony, �I want a pawpaw!� The Australian-born Wiggles often sing about pawpaw, known as papaya in the United States.

Carly�s first surprise came a week before her wish was to be granted when Wags, The Wiggles� 7-foot dog, showed up at her home to deliver gifts and invite Carly to The Wiggles� concert.

On wish day, Carly�s adventure began with a �Wiggly Party.� Fifty well-wishers helped her celebrate with Wiggles-colored cookies and M&Ms, plus The Wiggles� signature food, fruit salad. Then, a limo (or, as Carly said, �a big car�) chauffered her to the concert.

Carly, pictured here with her siblings and Wiggles dancer Ben, knew all the words to the songs and danced in the aisles at the concert.

The Wiggles treated Carly to a meet-and-greet backstage before the show. �The expression on Carly�s face was priceless! For the first minute or so, she stood as still as a statue, just watching them, in total amazement,� Kelley said.

Carly and her family were soon fully engaged in Wiggly conversation, and she did tell Anthony, �I want a pawpaw.� He promised her that, if she ever visits Australia, he�ll have a pawpaw waiting.

During the show, Carly danced in the aisles and sang along to her favorite songs. Much to her surprise, the Wiggles introduced her and invited her onstage.

�I wondered whether or not she would understand and realize what a big deal this is, but, oh yeah, she got it and smiled from ear to ear,� her mother said.

Kelley added that the wish also meant a great deal to everyone involved, not just to Carly.

�Seeing Carly that happy was such a joy!� she wrote in a thank-you letter. �The best part of the day was when Carly turned to me in the limo and said, �Mommy, I so happy.� I�ve never heard her say anything like that before.�

By Kathryn Roethel

I wish to go swimming at the YMCA.

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:59:05 GMT

By Brent Goodrich

John and 15 of his friends made a big splash at his own personal YMCA pool party.

Whatever the sport, 13-year-old John has always loved joining in and competing with his friends. He especially likes to go swimming with his buddies at the YMCA in his Mississippi hometown.

John�s sports-filled lifestyle took a drastic turn, though, when he was diagnosed with vasculitis, a rare disease involving the inflammation of blood vessels. Because of his condition and his mother quitting work to help care for him, John had to stop making his regular visits to the YMCA.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Mississippi arrived at just the right time. When asked for his wish, John knew exactly how to make a splash � to go swimming with his friends at the YMCA.

John invited 15 of his friends and family members to join him for a dip in the pool and pizza party at the YMCA. Make-A-Wish staff members, wish granters and several volunteers from UnitedHealthcare greeted John when he arrived in a white stretch limo, and then it was off to the pool for waves of fun.

The YMCA surprised John with a five-year membership including summer camp and swimming lessons.

Before his party was done, John received a surprise that will keep his wish going for years. He was presented with a five-year family membership to the YMCA, including swimming lessons and summer camps for teenage boys. Now that�s a wish that keeps John in the swim!

The UnitedHealth Group Wishes program has been established to enable the company to grant wishes like John�s through the Make-A-Wish Foundation�s 67 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 meet Chris Stokes, the captain of the Jamaican bobsled team.

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:59:10 GMT

When I was 12 years old, I felt like I was on top of the world. I�d just made the cheerleading squad. I�d been inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. My coach had named me the No. 1 pitcher for our softball team, and I was voted middle-school president.

My family went out for a celebration dinner. As I was sitting across from my mom with my hair pulled back and head turned, she saw a slight bulge on the side of my neck.

We went to my doctor�s office the very next day. She prescribed some antibiotics and told us to come back in a few days. At my follow-up exam, the lump had grown larger. The next thing I knew, I was lying on a cold operating room table.

I woke up at home and saw my mother�s friends crying as if someone had just died. I asked my mom what was going on. She told me the doctor said my blood looked funny, and they wanted to run some more tests.

On the last day of school in my seventh-grade year, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin�s lymphoma. Instead of having my friends sign my yearbook, I was in a fog listening to some doctor talk about cancer, chemo and surgery. Soon, I was losing weight and my hair was falling out. After months of intensive chemotherapy, excruciating spinal taps, bone marrow draws, blood transfusions, surgeries and MRIs, I was an 86-pound skeleton � and fighting for my life.

Lindsey listens in awe as Chris recounts his Olympic bobsledding story.

While enduring endless hours in the hospital, I became inspired by the true story behind the Disney movie, �Cool Runnings.� It�s about four Jamaicans who overcame enormous obstacles to achieve their dream of competing in the Winter Olympics as bobsledders.

Their triumph over adversity inspired and motivated me to conquer cancer and face the world, determined to return to living a full life.

When the Make-A-Wish Foundation ^® of Eastern Virginia offered to grant me a wish, I wished to meet Chris Stokes, the captain of that Jamaican Bobsled Team. Meeting Chris in Jamaica was a pivotal moment in my recovery.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation provided me with the chance to meet a real hero who challenged me to face everything life could throw at me with confidence, determination and commitment.

Since that meeting, I have done just that.

Since her wish, Lindsey has led a full and accomplished life. She was the first-ever youth representative on the American Cancer Society�s Relay For Life National Advisory Board and was named Miss Virginia Beach 2003. In 2006, she graduated from the College of Law at the University of Tulsa and married her law-school sweetheart. Today, Lindsey is a sponsorship marketing manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

I wish to meet My Chemical Romance.

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:33:27 GMT

Sixteen-year-old Krystel had already enjoyed some surprises on her wish to meet My Chemical Romance and was excitedly awaiting the next part � seeing the dramatic, hard-rocking band perform live.

As she stood chatting with the band�s five members, they took a look at her concert tickets. Almost in unison, they began shaking their heads as if to say, �No, this won�t do.�

Instead of leading Krystel and her entourage to their assigned seats, the band � Gerard Way, Mikey Way, Frank Iero, Ray Toro and Bob Bryar � escorted them to a roped-off area where the crew would orchestrate the show�s sound and lighting. The exclusive viewpoint provided another thrill for Krystal on this amazing wish granted by the band from New York.

After being diagnosed with lymphoma, Krystal told volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia & Alabama chapter that meeting the members of My Chemical Romance was her fondest wish. In September of 2007, she was on her way to to spend some time with the band and take in one of their fiery stage performances.

Her day backstage began with dinner and a limousine ride to The Arena at Gwinnett Center for a show supporting My Chemical Romance�s third album, The Black Parade. The band�s manager met Krystel and her family and quickly lead them through the maze of security checkpoints and into the arena�s depths, just outside the dressing rooms of her favorite band. Soon, the dressing room doors opened and the band lined up to greet Krystel.

All five were eager to autograph items for her and ask questions about her favorite tunes. Lead singer Gerard Way even draped her in his black stage jacket.

�I thought Krystel was going to levitate,� a volunteer wish granter said later.

My Chemical Romance completed Krystel�s wish with a complete backstage tour, including the secret ramp where they make their entrance to start each show. Her stage-center view from the production stand gave her a great look at the band�s dynamic show. When she headed home that night in a limo, she had an evening full of incredible sights, sounds and memories hanging out with her favorite band.

By Justin Schmid

jschmid@wish.org

I wish to have a baseball field in my backyard.

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:07:11 GMT

The on-deck circle will remind everyone who plays here that Farris Field is Sam�s wish come true.

Sam, 11, lives for the smell of freshly cut grass and playing catch until the last rays of sun are gone. But neuroblastoma, a cancer affecting the nervous system, caused Sam to put his baseball career on hold.

Sam missed playing the sport he loved. But most of all, he missed his teammates. When the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of the Mid-South asked Sam about his heartfelt wish, he realized that a having a baseball field in his backyard could bring him and his teammates back together � to reunite on his field anytime he wanted.

Building a baseball field is a pricey venture, so the Make-A-Wish crew spread the word about Sam�s field of dreams, asking for volunteer support and donations. First came the helping hands of grounds crews from the University of Mississippi and Itawamba Community College. Then came donations of sod, clay, fencing, a backstop, an irrigation system and even a scoreboard.

As opening day approached for Farris Field � named in honor of Sam�s surname � the tiny town of 1,100 people was buzzing. Sam invited 18 friends to play on his team, which he named the Mantachie Muddogs. All the teammates� parents wanted to help make Sam�s day special, so they created a major-league atmosphere in Sam�s backyard with donated popcorn, soda and hot dogs.

An aerial view of Farris Field shows the standing-room-only crowd.

A local radio personality couldn�t wait to volunteer as the opening day announcer. Other neighbors volunteered to sing the national anthem and umpire the game., Sam�s pastor was eager to dedicate the field, and Sam�s doctor even traveled two hours from St. Jude Children�s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., to see her patient take the field.

Best of all was the Briarcrest Christian School junior varsity team, which also made the trip from Memphis to take the field against the Mud Dogs. For the Saints, the game against the Mud Dogs was special for many reasons. Former Briarcrest player Brandon Henson was an active supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation until he was killed in a tragic car accident in 2002. Brandon�s family sponsored Sam�s wish and arranged for the Briarcrest team to be Sam�s enthusiastic opponents.

Along with 370 cheering fans, Sam�s Mantachie Muddogs and their friendly opponents from Briarcrest School welcome the star player.

On the big day, Sam suited up in a spotless new uniform. A donated limousine � with a volunteer highway patrol escort � delivered the star player to the center-field gate where both teams were lined up to welcome him. When Sam stepped onto his new wish field, the theme song from �Rocky� blared from the donated sound system.

The crowd of friends, relatives, media and literally half the community went wild as Sam threw the first pitch to the catcher � his brother Dennis. Farris Field truly had a sellout crowd of 370 for its opening day.

By the time the happy day was over, Sam had a base hit and scored a run. The Briarcrest team�s friendly antics ensured that Sam�s team earned a resounding 11-6 victory.

Sam and his family shared their gratitude in a media interview.

�We have told everybody in the community that this is their field too, and we hope to see a lot of people out here using it. Sam is just so excited about all of this, and nothing would make him feel better,� Sam�s mom, Teresa, told reporters.

Sam�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.

I wish to go to the �High School Musical 2� premiere.

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:26:10 GMT

By Kathryn Roethel

Lauren entered the High School Musical 2 premiere in style, traveling the blue carpet just like the stars she admires.

Fifteen-year-old Lauren knows the words to all the songs in Disney Channel�s original movie, �High School Musical.� But when her wish took her to meet the film�s cast and crew at the premiere of �High School Musical 2,� Lauren learned that her idols truly mean what they sing, �We�re all in this together.�

Lauren, who was diagnosed with ataxia ocular motor apraxia, a nervous system disorder, felt like a celebrity herself during her week-long wish in Anaheim, Calif. Her first glimpse of her small-screen heroes came at the �High School Musical 2� parade at the Disneyland� Resort. Disney provided Lauren and her family with special viewing, so she could join the chorus of thousands of screaming teenage girls during the parade. But she was about to do what most of the other fans could only dream about: enjoy a private meet-and-greet with the cast.

When Lauren entered the Napa Rose restaurant at Disney�s Grand Californian Hotel�, she was delighted to find that it had been transformed into a headquarters for East High, the musical�s school home. Lauren took her seat at a table reserved especially for her, and it wasn�t long before Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens (starring as Troy and Gabriella in the movie) were seated beside her.

�Lauren was ecstatic and smiled �til her face almost split in half,� Lauren�s dad, Brian, said.

A parade of �High School Musical� stars followed Zac and Vanessa, each stopping at Lauren�s table to chat, take pictures and sign a star-struck Lauren�s autograph book. Hudgens penned �You�re so beautiful. Rock on Girl, Vanessa Hudgens.� And Efron, Lauren�s favorite, wrote �All my love, Thanx 4 Coming.�

Director Kenny Ortega chatted with Lauren and her sister and even gave Lauren his hat from the movie.

Even Kenny Ortega, the movie�s producer, director and choreographer, visited Lauren�s table. Lauren�s dad recalled, �He was so sincere almost to the point of tears. He took off his hat and said to Lauren, �Lauren, this is the first �High School Musical 2� hat I have had, and I�m giving it to you.� Then he signed it and put it on her head.�

With the smiles from the afternoon still lighting up her face, Lauren and her family were off to the next star-studded event: the �High School Musical 2� world premiere. Lauren was invited to walk the blue carpet (blue to match the movie�s summer theme), and the throngs of fans and media cheered loudly for her, just as they did for her famous new friends.

�Tears come to my eyes when I remember that moment � that for one moment in her life she got to feel so special, that people weren�t just looking at her because she is in a wheelchair, but they were clapping and saying �Yeah Lauren!�� Brian said.

All told, Lauren counted seeing 33 stars during the �High School Musical 2� premiere and post-premiere pool party. She went home with more photos and autographs than she could count and even more wonderful memories.

Following her wish, Lauren�s parents, Brian and Jenny, wrote a thank-you note to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and conveyed their sincere gratitude to Disney. �Each Disney person expressed such compassion, from the bellman at the Paradise Pier Hotel to the senior vice president, Kerry Chandler�I was so impressed,� Brian said. �August 14 was a day that we will talk about for the rest of our lives.�

The Walt Disney Company and the cast and crew of �High School Musical 2� helped make wishes come true for 16 wish kids. Eleven kids wished to visit the movie�s set, and five, including Lauren, wished to attend the premiere. Disney Channel also created a fun and heartwarming feature about the wish kids� day on the set, which aired as part of the �Road to High School Musical 2� previews. You can watch that feature here on wish.org.