What do we know about a wish?
We know a wish has the power to bring JOY amid sorrow, HOPE during despair and STRENGTH to the weary.
Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana grants wishes for children age 2.5 to 18 yrs. old battling a critical illness. For children in the fight of their life, a wish invites them to dream outside of their current limitations. When a Make-A-Wish volunteer wish granter asks, “If you could wish for anything, what would you wish for?,” a door is opened to new possibilities. When a wish is granted for a child battling a critical illness, everyone around them experiences its transformative power.
A wish plays a vital role in a child’s treatment, serves as encouragement on a family’s journey and provides a source of inspiration for millions of people. By volunteering with Make-A-Wish, you have the unique ability to transform a child and family’s life during some of their most difficult trials. There is no menu or drop-down list of options, wish kids are free to create and dream their own unique and heartfelt wish. Baking mud-pies in a dream playhouse, playing music with an orchestra, a family getaway to the Ozarks, assistance in furthering one’s education; all of these are real wishes granted this year by Make-A-Wish. However, there are so many more wishes to grant and more children to serve.
My story
My journey with Make-A-Wish began 23 years ago, when my high school classmate, Stephen, courageously battled cancer and had his wish granted to golf at Pebble Beach. His journey had a profound impact on me, as I watched his appearance change as he fought through treatment. He lost his hair, smiled and laughed less, but as a school community, we rallied behind him, and we were devastated to hear he had passed away in August 2001, shortly after his wish trip. Fast forward to 2004, I was a college student and invited to fundraise for Make-A-Wish with Chi Omega and felt fortunate to reconnect with the Make-A-Wish mission. Since then, I’ve never turned back! I first volunteered, then accepted a staff role in 2010. Over the past 11 years, I’ve been blessed to serve wish kids in a variety of roles, however, my favorite amongst them remains a wish granting volunteer!
Ready to get started today?
We’re hosting a virtual volunteer training on Tuesday, September 7th at 5pm, and we’d love to see you there. Please contact Nikki Eliason, Volunteer Manager, at [email protected] for registration information. If you’re unable to make the September session, virtual trainings are held the first Tuesday of each month, so mark your calendars!
If you’d like to review additional volunteer information ahead of time, I invite you to visit www.texgulf.wish.org/volunteer to learn more about volunteer opportunities with Make-A-Wish and the creative and imaginative ways you can deliver hope to local children battling critical illness today.
Wishes cannot come true without you, so join us today! Transform lives, one wish at a time.
