No request is too extreme for the Make a Wish Foundation of OC and IE, which celebrates 35 years of wishes granted Disneyland style.
Thousands of children have not had to wish upon stars to see their dreams come true thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and Inland Empire. The local foundation is celebrating 35 years of granting more than 6,000 wishes to children, between the ages of two-and-a-half and 18, who are confronted with critical illnesses. While the OC and IE foundation’s roots date to 1983, the first Make-A-Wish foundation was initially launched in 1981 with its first official wish being a visit to Disneyland – creating a longstanding bond with the foundation and park.
To celebrate its three-and-a-half decades, the foundation has partnered with the Disneyland Resort to host a free, family friendly event at AV Irvine on Sunday, April 29 from 1-4 pm. The day of fun will include various “wish zones,” food, games, and more for all ages.
“Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire and the Disneyland Resort together have granted thousands of life-changing wishes for local children with critical illnesses,” said Stephanie McCormick, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, “For more than 35 years, we’ve seen how a wish can play a critical role in a child’s treatment, replacing fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope. This is why wishes matter so deeply to us, and to the children and the families in our community who experience them.”
Since then, the relationship has grown from beyond Disneyland to include many elements of the Walt Disney Company; from its theme parks to its resort hotels and cruise ships, even granting “wish kids” the chance to meet face-to-face with their favorite Disney’s stars. Recently, several Make-A-Wish recipients gathered at Disneyland in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle to share their stories about their wishes, and how the foundation gave them hope.
Daylen Montiel, now eight-years-old, suffered from Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis; he underwent a year of chemotherapy and has been on a steroid treatment for two years. He wished to visit Disneyland. “It makes me feel good,” he said. His mother, Miriam Nava, echoed that: “He knew this place (Disneyland) was fun. When he was sick and could not go out as much, he worried about being happy.”
Mia Rugienius, now 10, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was six and underwent chemotherapy treatments for two-and-a-half years. Her wish was to go to Hawaii. Disney obliged her wish with a visit to its Aulani Resort on the island of Oahu. While there, she was able to meet Disney characters and do something she had never done before.
“I got to go snorkeling,” she said.
Madelyn Kirkpatrick, now four, has had three surgeries so far in her young life for a congenital heart defect. Her wish was to see “Frozen” (the attraction at Epcot in Walt Disney World) and meet Ariel. In February, her wish was granted, while there she had a special lunch with many of Disney’s princesses, including some one-on-one time with her favorite princess, Ariel.
Juan Carlos Montelongo, 5, underwent a biopsy in 2015 when doctors discovered he had a brain tumor. His mother, Mayra, said he liked to visit Disneyland, “because here he can be a child, and not a patient.” Juan likes riding the tractors in Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disney California Adventure, and the Astro Orbiter and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at Disneyland.
“I like to shoot the bad guys,” he said.
One Make-A-Wish child got her wish more than five years ago — a trip to New York — and now works at the Happiest Place on Earth making other wishes come true. Lexi Marincovich is now an entertainment hostess at the Disneyland Resort, but was also born with a congenital heart defect. She underwent two open heart surgeries and an additional five procedures to correct things, then got her wish. Now she helps facilitate visits for wish children and others with life-threatening medical conditions.
“Working here and still being able to be involved with wishes is the best of both worlds,” Lexi said. “This is my shot to show these families that one day their child can work and be healthy.”
On average, the Disneyland Resort grants approximately 750 wishes a year working with Make-A-Wish and other organizations including: The Children’s Wish Foundation of Ontario, Canada, Kristie’s Foundation (based in Southern California), Kids Wish Network (based in Florida), and locally-based Anaheim Kiwanis – Ginny’s Kids.
“These shared experiences have touched the lives of millions of people around the world, from the children and their families to the countless professionals and volunteers who help make wishes come true,” said John Breckow, director of corporate citizenship for Disney’s theme parks.
Besides granting wishes, the Disneyland Resort has a number of options for those with special needs or disabilities. They include a Disability Access Service, a variety of ways to help those with hearing disabilities, and audio descriptions through a handheld device for many of its attractions at its theme parks. In addition, the Disneyland Resort has long had a relationship with the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) dating back to its start in 1964, when Walt Disney helped to launch the hospital. One of CHOC’s largest annual fundraisers, the CHOC Walk, takes place at the resort with thousands showing up to walk through out the resort and raise funds. Every year, many “wish children” are treated at CHOC.
For more information about the above-mentioned organizations, visit the following websites:
- Make-A-Wish Orange County and Inland Empire
www.ocie.wish.org (RSVP online for anniversary event) - CHOC
www.choc.org - The Children’s Wish Foundation of Ontario, Canada
www.childrenswish.ca - Kristie’s Foundation
- Kids Wish Network
www.kidswishnetwork.org - Anaheim Kiwanis – Ginny’s Kids
www.greater-anaheim.kiwanisone.org
By Mark Eades
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