Sunday, November 27, 2022 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 32 When children are sick, wishes o!er respite The depression and anxiety children feel when facing a critical illness takes its toll, and often these kids lose the joy of simply being a kid. “Isolation and uncertainty can harm a child’s emotional wellbeing,” says Melissa Arias, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington. “Children who are fighting critical illnesses experience extreme emotional challenges every day.” Research backs this up. A study by Nationwide Children’s found patients who were granted a wish were more than twice as likely to have fewer unplanned hospital admissions and nearly twice as likely not to have to use the emergency department. This led to a decline in cost of care. The research supports the idea that while wishes grant children the opportunity to live a “dream”— like a desire to be a police officer — it also helps them in other ways, distracting them from the daily grind of living with a chronic illness or providing incentive to continue with medical treatment, Arias adds. The incentive of dreams became a reality for Chris, a 7-year-old boy battling leukemia. Chris had dreams of becoming a police officer, and his friends and family gave him his wish, working with local law enforcement to outfit the young boy in uniform and gave him honorary status as a police officer. Chris’ story was the impetus to establish Make-A-Wish, now a worldwide organization that operates across the globe, with a local chapter headquartered in Seattle that serves children with critical illnesses in Alaska andWashington. Focusing on children who have been diagnosed with a critical illness, the Alaska andWashington chapter opened in 1986 and has transformed the lives of more than 8,000 children and their families. The local chapter has granted wishes to go fishing in Alaska, to meet the Seahawks, to have a shopping spree, to have a bedroom renovated and has even transformed kids into superheroes. “Given the collective stress and trauma that we’ve all experienced the past few years, there’s a renewed focus on mental health and the role it plays in overall well-being,” Arias says. “Society has a new appreciation for what it feels like to be scared, isolated and lose hope. These are experiences that our wish families know firsthand upon diagnosis.” But with Make-A-Wish there is always hope, and that hope truly transforms Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington helps create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses during their darkest days. Whether you are an individual donor, corporate sponsor, fundraising advocate or volunteer, your generous support transforms lives, one wish at a time. Learn more at wish.org/akwa/volunteer. lives from wish families to supporters to the medical community to volunteers. Arias says she draws inspiration daily from this community who make wishes possible every day and who “show up in big ways and allow hope to prevail for wish kids.” “Having a newfound empathy and appreciation certainly helps to showcase the importance and value that wishes play in total patient care for these kids and their families,” she says. “Where medicine treats the body, Make-A-Wish treats the mind, heart and soul.” Right now, MakeA-Wish is looking for volunteers throughout Alaska andWashington to help with wishgranting. “Volunteering is an incredible way to change the lives of others, including your own,” says Arias. PROVIDED BY MAKE-A-WISH ALASKA AND WASHINGTON Owen, a wish kid, received his wish for a basement room renovation during the pandemic. This wish gave him something to look forward to after treatment and continues to be a sanctuary where he can play anytime he wants. (Make A Wish Alaska and Washington) Most volunteers commit to granting two wishes annually and are paired with a mentor volunteer to lead the way. Training can all be done online and on-demand. To learn more, visit wish.org/akwa/ volunteer.
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