When I was in my 20’s, I served as a volunteer for the Make-a-Wish foundation. I can vouch for what a great organization it is. The Make-a-Wish foundation serves children who are suffering from life-threatening diseases by granting them a wish. The very first wish ever fulfilled was that of a 7-year-old boy who was being treated for leukemia. His wish? To be a police officer. People rallied to make his dream come true, and he was the inspiration behind the incredible Make-a-Wish Foundation. Today, Make-a-Wish grants a child’s wish in the United States every 40 minutes. Wishes range from:
- Swimming with dolphins
- Going to Disney World
- Meeting a celebrity
- Experiencing a dream career
- Visiting New York City and more…
Most children’s wishes require travel of some kind, and you can play a part in making these kids’ wishes come true without ever leaving your computer screen. Make-a-Wish is asking you to consider donating your frequent flier miles, and we’re taking that on as this month’s Giving Challenge. Even if you just have a few points, when all of us combine our frequent flier miles and donate what we have, it adds up. We’ll be able to help children and make their wishes come true. I know firsthand what an impact it makes on these kids and their parents when they get a wish granted. I’ve seen it, and I’ll never forget the smiles on their faces. In a great journey of suffering, it is like a beam of light and hope and joy–for everyone.
This year, 10,000 wish kids and their families will travel for a Make-A-Wish® experience. That’s 50,000 roundtrip tickets or 2.5 billion frequent flier miles. In honor of World Wish Day®, the day of the wish that inspired the founding of Make-A-Wish, visit wish.org/tickets and donate miles and dollars – and help wish kids take flight.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Make-A-Wish®. The opinions and text are all mine.
