Since 2014, DFS has helped granted 39 wishes for children with critical illnesses. This year, with the ongoing support of DFS, we will grant another 10 impactful wishes in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Italy, New Zealand and Australia. We proudly share with you some wish stories below, to showcase how DFS's partnership continues to change the lives of wish children and their families around the world.
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Your support made impactful wishes come true.
Your support made impactful wishes come true.
The stories of granted wishes below are remarkable, and even transformational. Some speak to the power a wish has in sparking hope for a child. Others speak to human connection bringing communities and organizations together in a united form. These amazing stories are what drive our organization's vision to grant the wish of every eligible child.
I wish to visit a cruelty-free make-up factoryRachael, 17, New Zealandcystic fibrosis
Rachel, 17, has cystic fibrosis. Her one-true-wish was to visit a cruelty- free make-up factory. With help from Make-A-Wish New Zealand’s elite partner, The Bayleys Foundation, a meeting was set up with New Zealand lipstick designer, Karen Murrell. Not only did Rachael get her wish to visit a make-up factory, but she was also able to travel to Melbourne with her mother, Camilla, and see her specially-designed ‘Rachael’ lipstick by Karen Murrell in production. The lipstick includes custom packaging featuring a personalized illustration of Rachael holding her favorite flowers. Rachael’s lipstick is now part of a limited-edition range of Karen Murrell lipsticks, and a portion of the funds raised from the sales is donated to help create more life-changing wishes. As of November 2018, over 1500 units of ‘’Rachel’s Lipstick’’ have been sold, with an additional 2500 being put into a second wave production.
Please enjoy the wonderful video below of Rachael's wish story.
I wish to have a staycation in Sentosa Nayumie, 7, Singaporeend stage renal failure
A brave and bubbly girl, it is hard to imagine that Nayumie underwent a successful kidney transplant just last October.
Diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure at birth, she spend a lot of her childhood in hospitals, on daily 12-hour dialysis until October, where she received a successful kidney transplant from her father.
Nayumie has longed to go to Sentosa, but she was never able to go, due to sudden changes in her condition. In fact, her wish itself was initially scheduled for mid-November, but again, she was hospitalized the day before.
To keep her spirits up, volunteers at Make-A-Wish kept Nayumie heavily involved in planning her wish – choosing which hotel, which room (must have bath tub and a double decker bed) and exactly which activities she wanted to experience. In fact, she planned her entire itinerary while she was recovering from her transplant. Amongst her itinerary was a baking class and a meet-and-greet with her favorite characters at a theme park in Singapore.
We believe wishes, like Nayumie’s, improve the odds for wish children fighting critical illnesses, and help them look past their limitations. Nayumie was finally in stable condition and able to go for her staycation. Raring to go, she and her family had a blast during her adventure! Thank you to all who helped make Nayumie’s one-true-wish come true.
I wish to go to meet Dora the ExplorerAeva, 4, Hong KongATRT
Just like her favorite cartoon character, Dora the Explorer, 4-year-old Aeva is a lovely, playful and curious girl. Her illness has caused her severe pain and difficulties in her mobility, but that does not stop her from being curious about the world. She enjoys watching Dora the Explorer at home and seeing the fun adventures that Dora has with her friends.
Aeva's wish was to meet Dora the Explorer in a themed party. With the help of our generous volunteer and wish granter, Monisha, an “Aeva the Explorer” party was especially arranged for Aeva. As well as having Aeva’s favorite food prepared, the party room was decorated with Dora the Explorer balloons, table centerpieces and posters. She was incredibly overwhelmed when she arrived at the party, and saw all the Dora the Explorer decorations and more than 30 happy faces of her family and friends to celebrate this special occasion with her. Dora was also there to greet Aeva, and they spent a wonderful time together, cutting the themed cake, watching a magic show, singing and taking lots of photos.
“Thank you and your team again for the awesome party yesterday. We all loved it, especially Aeva. God bless you all,” said Aeva’s father. We hope this experience will serve as a remarkable memory for Aeva and her family, and provide positive energy throughout her treatment journey.
I wish to swim with dolphinsYuna, 7, Japan
Yuna is only seven, but she has already experienced so much in her young life. Much of her childhood has revolved around her illness, but her love of dolphins helped keep her spirits up during this trying time. When asked for her one-true-wish, it was an easy question for Yuna: she wished to swim with dolphins.
On her wish day, Yuna was nervous, but she was quickly put at ease by the joyful disposition of the dolphins. Her wish experience started with a quick lesson from the instructor, who helped her play with her new dolphin friend by tossing rings and giving her high-fives. Yuna and her aquatic companion were friends in no time at all! At the end, she was even given a kiss! The highlight of her wish day, though, was when she finally was invited to swim with the dolphins. In that moment, as she swam with the dolphin, Yuna was a world away from the fears of her medical condition.
The fulfillment of Yuna's one-true-wish was truly transformative. It was the experience she needed to bolster her strength and convince her to overcome the difficulties of her illnesses.
Thank you, DFS Group, for helping us make a life-changing impact on wish children, their families and their entire communities.
Thank you, DFS Group, for helping us make a life-changing impact on wish children, their families and their entire communities.
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