DUNCAN, Okla. – A boy suffering from Crohn’s Disease has his only wish granted through children’s charity, Kids Wish Network.

Earlier this year, 13-year-old Shawn was asked what he wanted if he were to wish for anything in the world. He replied quickly that he wanted an Apple flat screen desktop computer. With the help of some outstanding local sponsors gathered by Kids Wish Network Wish Funding Specialist Doris, and some organizing by Wish Coordinator Jill, Shawn’s wish just came true.

You see, in 2001, Shawn was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract. This disease has caused a tumor to grow in his small intestine for which he must take chemo pills every day to try and shrink it. In addition, Shawn has severely damaged lungs that cause him an extreme amount of pain. He was hospitalized in 2003 because of this disorder and he must endure daily breathing treatments with an inhaler.

When he entrusted his wish to Jill, Shawn didn’t know that Jill was already thinking of adding some special surprises to his simple wish of an Apple flat screen desktop computer. In addition to the computer itself, Jill arranged to have a special desk chair, an Epson all-in-one printer and a gift box filled with all sorts of goodies sent to the teen.

Shawn’s mother, Rolinda, was more than happy that her son’s wish had come true: “I’m so happy for Shawn,” she said. “I am so proud that he’s so happy. It’s really amazing…really outstanding.”

According to Rolinda, now that her son has his new computer, “he will not stay off of it,” which is fine with her.

As for Shawn’s take on his wish, he is just excited and pleased: “I love it! It’s very nice!”

The computer is exactly what Shawn wanted and that’s all he could have asked for.

“It makes me happy to see him so happy,” said Rolinda.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Shawn’s wish extra special: First United Methodist Church, First Christian Church, Beyond the Office Door, LLC. and Epson America, Inc.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

SUITLAND, Md.- A little boy with a life-threatening illness has the wish of his life with Kids Wish Network.

It all started with a conversation between a nurse and Ian’s mother, Natasha, about Kids Wish Network, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.

You see, Ian has Type A Hemophilia. This is an inherited blood disorder that causes a lack of clotting, which leads to severe, almost constant bleeding. In his 5 years, Ian has endured three major surgeries and he is on various medications for his condition.

When Natasha called Kids Wish Network, she was surprised to find that they were more than willing to help her little guy. After the initial call, it wasn’t long before Ian was telling Wish Coordinator Jennifer all about his wish to visit the theme parks in Florida.

Along with the assistance of Wish Funding Specialist, Doris, and some outstanding sponsors, Jennifer worked her magic and set up an awesome family getaway for Ian and his family. This fabulous vacation included a stay at The Royal Plaza Hotel, dinner at the Pirates Dinner Adventure Theater and, of course, tickets to the Walt Disney World Resort and all of the other major Orlando theme parks!

Once in Orlando, Ian and his family enjoyed a real action-packed vacation; their itinerary was booked with fantastic activities and awesome places to visit. Even their dinners were planned out! Kids Wish Network thought of everything and Ian had the time of his young life on his wish trip.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Ian’s wish extra special: American Legion Post 8, Compassion Partners, WonderWorks, Pirates Dinner Adventure, The Royal Plaza Hotel and The California Pizza Kitchen.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

MILLINGTON, Md. – A 6-year-old girl suffering from a life-threatening illness has her only wish granted through children’s charity, Kids Wish Network.

When she was born, Jessie was diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome. This is a rare congenital disease whose symptoms vary greatly between individuals but commonly include a history of recurrent infection and heart defects. In her five short years, Jessie’s already endured three open heart surgeries, a surgery to insert a tracheotomy tube and suffers from a seizure disorder. She must use either a wheelchair or a stroller for mobility and is fed via feeding tube. In addition, Jessie was recently given her own service dog (named Riley), uses sign language to communicate and is ventilator dependant for 15 hours every day.

One day, while reading her local paper, Jessie’s mother, Julie Ann, came across an article about a young man named Marshall Hill who had his wish granted through Kids Wish Network before his unfortunate passing months later. The article was to raise funds for the charity in Marshall’s name. Julie Ann wondered if Kids Wish Network could help her daughter as well, so she decided to give them a call.

Once in contact with Wish Coordinator Jill, Julie Ann entrusted her with Jessie’s wish to visit all of the theme parks in Orlando, Florida. With the help of Wish Funding Specialist Doris and some outstanding sponsors, Jill arranged hotel stays, dinner reservations and, of course, tickets to every theme park for Jessie and her family.

“It was all so great! It couldn’t have been better,” said Julie Ann.
While in Orlando, Jessie and her family visited Sea World, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.

“She loved it all,” said Julie Ann of Jessie’s reaction to the atmosphere of the many theme parks.

According to her mother, Jessie woke up early every day without a hint of grumpiness and signed that she wanted to “go.” Every day, her parents would ask her where she wanted to go and every day she would sign back “More boats, Mickey.” It was obvious what her favorite experiences were and that she wanted more of the same. Even Jessie’s service dog Riley enjoyed himself.

Now that she’s back home in Millington, Jessie still wakes up early every day, signing that she wants to “go” on “more boats” and see “Mickey.” Even though she’s feeling a bit under the weather, Jessie cheers up at any thought of “the most magical place on Earth.”

Jessie and her family loved the trip so much that they’re planning on making another trip there, much to Jessie’s glee.

“It was perfect,” said Julie Ann. “We feel so blessed. We’re so thankful!”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Jessie’s wish extra special: Fraternal Order of Police #110, Chesapeake City VFW Post 7687, Fair Winds Gun Club, Peoples Bank of Kent County, Compassion Partners, The Royal Plaza Hotel, Hampton Inn Fayetteville, Pirates Dinner Theatre, Wonder Works, Logan’s Roadhouse, Friendly’s Restaurant and Houlihan’s.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

SILVER SPRING, Md. – A little girl with a life-threatening illness has all of her magical wishes come true when she visits Disneyland with a little help from Kids Wish Network.

From the moment she was born, Ryann has suffered from an inherited blood disorder called Sickle Cell Anemia. Those suffering with this disease experience severe episodes of pain and eventual organ damage; they are also at high risk for stroke and cardiac arrest. Ryann suffers extreme pain crises when the temperature changes and she is on a strict daily medication regimen for her condition.

While at the hospital for one of Ryann’s many visits, Ryann’s mother June was talking to a Child Life Specialist who mentioned that Ryann might benefit from having a wish granted. So, when she got home, June went online and searched for wish-granting organizations. The first one she noticed was Kids Wish Network and she took that as a “sign,” so she gave them a call.

After a round of paperwork and phone calls, June gave the phone to Ryann who entrusted her special wish to visit Disneyland in California to Wish Coordinator Jennifer.

Jennifer assured the little girl that her wish would come true and boy did it! With the help of Wish Funding Specialist Megan and some terrific sponsors, Jen arranged to send Ryann and her family out to California for a few days of theme park exploring that included accommodations and dinner reservations as well!

“It was all so great!” said June. “We had an awesome time. Ryann loved it. We were all amazed.”

Ryann got to visit Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. She rode every ride she wanted and she even braved the hair-raising “Twilight Zone Tower of Terror,” which ended up being her all-time favorite.

The family even had time to make a trip to Los Angeles to visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame! They took hundreds of pictures and got two very special souvenirs for Ryann to add to her collection of Build-A-Bears back home: a bear with a Hollywood t-shirt on it and another from Disney that is wearing a Minnie Mouse t-shirt. According to June, Ryann has amassed a nice-sized collection of bears over the years, but these two will remain very special to her daughter.

“We’re really, really grateful,” said June of her daughter’s wish trip. “I simply can’t express how wonderful it was for all of us. I just don’t have the words.”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Ryann’s wish extra special: Michelle Bell, PHR, CEO of 1st Choice Staffing , Disneyland Compassion Program, Fullerton Marriott, Universal Studios Hollywood and The Cheesecake Factory.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

AMARILLO, Texas – A little boy with a life-threatening illness enjoys a whole day of shopping with a little help from Kids Wish Network.

Four months after his birth, JaQualin was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, which is an inherited blood disorder. Those suffering with this disease experience severe episodes of pain and eventual organ damage; they are also at high risk for stroke and cardiac arrest His bones are weak and there is the possibility that he may go blind. He also suffers frequent pain crises and is on a daily medication regimen help him manage his pain and boost his immune system.

One day, 6-year-old JaQualin’s mother LeKelia got a call from a professional fundraiser for Kids Wish Network. The caller asked if LeKelia knew of any child with a life-threatening illness who might benefit from having a wish granted; LeKelia told the caller about her little boy.

It wasn’t long after that initial call that JaQualin was telling Wish Coordinator Jill all about wanting to enjoy a day of shopping all to himself. With his wish in her mind, Jill set out to make JaQualin’s dream come true.

In addition to getting a $1000 shopping spree to Wal-Mart for the happy 6-year-old, Jill also arranged to have a limo from Big Texan Limo take JaQualin to and from the store, just like the star he is.

“It was wonderful!” said LeKelia, JaQualin’s mother. “JaQualin really had fun riding in the limo and they even had cupcakes and juice out for him at Wal-Mart…He had a good time.”

While shopping with his gift card, JaQualin ended up getting an Xbox 360 and games, movies and clothes; he even grabbed an extra controller for his new game system so that he could play the Xbox games with his older brother.

“If it wasn’t for everyone’s help, my son’s wish wouldn’t have been granted. Thank you,” said LeKelia.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make JaQualin’s wish extra special: Wal-Mart Store #5216 and Big Texan Limo.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

Mobile, Ala. – A young teen with a life threatening illness had his wish for a laptop computer granted by national children’s charity Kids Wish Network.

Clifton, a 15-year-old from Mobile, was diagnosed with various illnesses at the age of three. He suffers from Bilateral Acetubular Dysplasia, – an illness which resulted in two hip replacements – cerebral palsy and a disease called PANDAS, which is a pediatric autoimmune disorder which causes mental issues and delay. Clifton also suffers from severe asthma. He gets weekly blood transfusions and takes daily breathing treatments to help control some of his illnesses.

Clifton’s mother, Patricia, said that times are tough for her and her family. She said Clifton battled medical issues since the age of three and she was not able to provide all the things he wanted.

“He has been really sick off and on since he was three. I couldn’t afford certain things and I mentioned this to his social worker and was told that his medical condition would possibly qualify him to have a wish granted,” Patricia said.

After the application process, Patricia was speaking to wish coordinator Vanessa, making plans to see her son’s wish come true.

Vanessa confirmed that Clifton’s one wish was for a laptop. She also had plans to make his wish extra special and provide him with a printer and computer games including NFL CD card games that can be played on the computer. She also sent him a gift box full of puzzles, board games and toys.

“I wanted to do a little extra and let Clifton know that he deserves to feel special,” Vanessa said.

Patricia said that Clifton probably chose a laptop for his wish because he used a computer in the past.

“When he was in school he was working with a computer and his uncle has a computer and he wanted one of his own,” Patricia said.

When Clifton saw his brand new laptop, printer and box full of toys, it was hard for him to contain his excitement, his mom said.

“He was very happy. He just jumped up and down with excitement,” said Patricia. “He told me, ‘Momma, we’re rich now.’”

Patricia said that she thinks that Kids Wish Network “is a wonderful service” and that she was pleased to see her son’s wish come true.

“Just seeing the excitement on his face and knowing that someone loves him has been the best part for me,” she said.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

A 12-year-old boy with a serious illness was awarded the Kids Wish Network Hero of the Month for October. The award was made possible by Kids Wish Network and Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia.

Dustin suffers from a disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta – also known as Brittle Bones. OI causes Dustin’s bones to be broken very easily and in his 12 years he has broken over 120 bones. Dustin’s father, Michael, said although it has been tough, Dustin is doing well.

“He just had his 20th surgery to have his spine fused. He is the only child in the world with titanium ribs,” Michael said. “He is doing good. It’s been a long road. He has had 20 surgeries since 2003.”

Kids Wish Network is a national children’s charity that has various programs including wish granting for children with life threatening illnesses and the Hero of the Month program. The Hero program recognizes children who do not have a life threatening illness, but have faced difficult circumstances and oftentimes endured a lot of pain. Kids Wish Network works with facilities across the country to nominate one child per facility each month.

Dustin is the October Hero for Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia.

“I was excited when I heard about his nomination,” said Michael. “We are keeping it a surprise from Dustin until he gets his awards.”

Each Hero is given a t-shirt, a medal of honor, a certificate and a gift card to Wal-Mart or Target valued between $200 and $500 depending on the child’s age. Dustin will be given a $400 gift card to Wal-Mart.

Although Dustin could have been nominated based on his painful illness alone, there is something special about him that made the nurses and child life specialists at Shriner’s decide to choose him as their October Hero. When he is not at the hospital getting treated for a broken bone, Dustin is at home making small pillows to give to the other children at the hospital.

“When we were there for one of his surgeries they gave a pillow to prop his arm up with the IV. Dustin has learned to sew from my wife and they took the project upon themselves,” Michael said. “We’ve taken pillows three times and we took 107 this last time.”

The pillows are distributed by the nurses to the children who are admitted into the hospital. One of the nurses who works with Dustin, Mary Ann, helps give out his hand-made pillows.

“We try to give every child a stuffed toy or something and he started making them and recruited his family. They are like fleecy pillows and the children like them and we can use them for propping up an arm or making the child more comfortable,” she said.

Although Michael and his wife have not told their son about his nomination, Michael said that he knows Dustin will be excited.

“I think it’s great. It’s just a great program,” he said.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. Aside from granting wishes, Kids Wish Network also has several other programs which benefit children’s care facilities. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

Baton Rouge, LA – A 5-year-old boy suffering from a life threatening illness had his wish granted to see dinosaur bones with the help of national charity Kids Wish Network.

Just after Anthony was born, he was diagnosed with an illness called Biliary Atresia. It is a disease which causes the bile ducts of the liver to shut down. At three months of age, Anthony required a liver transplant. Anthony’s father, Mark, became the donor for his son, and the surgery was a success. Anthony still has a suppressed immune system and has to take anti-rejection medicine on a daily basis.

Anthony’s mom, Laurie, said that they found out about Kids Wish Network through their social worker at the hospital. She decided to refer her son for a wish. Initially, Anthony said he wanted to build a time machine to travel back in time and see the dinosaurs. But seeing as how that is not possible, instead, he traveled to the Smithsonian Institution in D.C. to see dinosaur bones. Soon after referring her son, Laurie was on the phone with wish coordinator Vanessa, making plans for Anthony’s wish.

“Anthony talked about it for a week non-stop,” said Laurie. “He told the checkout people at all the stores we went to and the garbage man who comes to our house that he was going to see dinosaur bones.”

Laurie said that Anthony has been fascinated with dinosaurs for quite some time now and it all started with a trip to a bookstore.

“It just used to be cars that he liked and all of the sudden it switched to dinosaurs. He picked up a book about dinosaurs and that was it,” she said.

With the help of wish funding specialist Donna, Vanessa got to work and planned the whole trip for Anthony and his parents. A round-trip flight, limo transportation, hotel stay, various dinner arrangements, a visit to The National Zoo, a trip to the Smithsonian and the National Air and Space Museum and even spending money was arranged for the family. Laurie said the family had a great time.

“This was an amazing experience for me. Never would I have been able to arrange all these special things like the private tour we had at the museums,” she said.

The day that the family left for D.C., Laurie said that Anthony woke up at 5 a.m. saying that, “his eyes were too excited to sleep.” She said that when he finally got to see the bones up close, he was so excited.

“When he saw the first bones I thought that his eyes were going to come out of his head,” said Laurie. “He was speechless and that is rare for him because he is so talkative.”

Laurie said that she is so thankful for the chance to see Anthony’s wish come true.

“The whole trip was wonderful. It was a dream come true for Anthony and anything that makes him happy makes us happy,” she said.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Anthony’s wish extra special: Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Chef Geoff’s Downtown, Morton’s of Chicago, Bluepoint Restaurant, National Air and Space Museum, Limousine Services, LLC, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Baton Rouge River Center, Sons of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, AFL-CIO, Florence Mauboules Charitable Trust

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

A teen with a life-threatening illness gets her wish granted to visit Florida theme parks with the help of national charity Kids Wish Network.

Dasha is 14-years-old and suffers from Systemic Lupus Erythematosis. This illness affects her joints – similar to arthritis – and causes severe swelling. Many times, it is difficult for her to walk, as the illness affects her entire body. Last January, Dasha had bone marrow surgery and she also must stay out of the sun or stay covered while outside.

One day while watching the news, Dasha’s mom, Dorothy, saw a story about a child who had a wish granted by Kids Wish Network. Dorothy decided to refer her daughter for a wish. It didn’t take long before the family was talking to wish coordinator Vanessa and making arrangements for Dasha’s wish.

“She was very excited. She was telling everybody that she was going to Disney World,” Dorothy said. “She always liked rides and stuff and that is probably why she chose this for her wish.”

With the help of wish funding specialist Megan, Vanessa arranged for theme park tickets for Dasha and her family, spending money, a hotel stay, various dinners and a trip to a hands-on museum. Dorothy said that the hotel stay and the dinners were great.

“Everything was really nice and the food at Ponderosa was great,” she said.

While in Florida, the family visited The Magic Kingdom, Sea World and Busch Gardens. Dorothy said that experience at The Magic Kingdom was the best for Dasha.

“For Dasha, her favorite was The Magic Kingdom. She loved the parades and Cinderella,” she said.

Dorothy said the family had a great time and that Dasha’s wish definitely came true.

“Just seeing that Dasha was happy was the best part for me,” she said. “It was really good and I thank Kids Wish Network for doing that for her.”
Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Dasha’s wish extra special: Cambridge Firefighters Local 910, The Royal Plaza Hotel, Pirates Dinner Theater, Ponderosa Steak House, The Cheesecake Factory, Wonderworks, Hampton Inn and Suites

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

A teen from Amarillo, who suffered a traumatic brain injury while crossing the street to get his father a birthday card, is being awarded October’s Hero of the Month for The Children’s Hospital at NWTHS. The award is presented by national charity Kids Wish Network.

On Oct. 10, 2007, John was crossing the street to get his father a birthday card when he was hit by two cars. The accident left him almost completely paralyzed on his right side. It took away his hearing in his right ear, left him unable to walk and also took a heavy toll on his speaking abilities.

“The first car bumped him and the second car slammed him into the asphalt. He spent 29 days in the ICU at NW Texas,” said John’s father, John. “He was given a less than 5 percent chance to make it through the night.”

Although the odds were against him, John pulled through and is slowly making a recovery. With the help of music therapy, John is beginning to put words together. One night, his family was watching TV when John started singing along with the words to the opening song.

“Who Are You, by The Who is one of the first things he sang while watching the opening credits of CSI and that really started his talking again,” John’s dad said. “Music is everything to him. Even when he was in a coma we would put his iPod on him and let him listen to his music. Music is a great way for him to express himself and form his words because he is having trouble with his talking.”

John was nominated for Hero of the Month by his child life specialist, Becky. She said that the family was excited to be given such a great award.

“They were extremely excited. They thought it was very sweet and endearing to be able to recognize all he has done for his recovery,” she said.

Kids Wish Network works with facilities across the country to find children who otherwise would be missed. Heroes are children between the ages of 3 and 18 who do not have a life-threatening illness, but have experienced something traumatic or have gone through some tough times. Each facility nominates one child each month, and that child is given a medal of honor, a certificate, a Hero t-shirt and a gift card to Wal-Mart or Target valued between $200 and $500 depending on their age.

Becky said that her facility has been using the Hero of the Month program for about two years. She said the program is very helpful.

“I think it is a great way to give patients who wouldn’t get a wish a chance to boost their spirits and give them recognition,” she said. “I really think the program is probably one of the most beneficial wish organizations because it recognizes children without life threatening illnesses and gives them something to look forward to.”

John’s dad said that today, doctors are “flabbergasted” that John is alive and making a recovery.

“He is a miracle,” Becky said.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. Aside from granting wishes, Kids Wish Network also has several other programs which benefit children’s care facilities. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – A young lady with a life-threatening illness gets the computer of her dreams with a little help from Kids Wish Network and the City of Naperville.

Annie is a young lady with a large store of natural talent. This 16-year-old is a star singer, dancer and actress. She has appeared in the television show “Prison Break,” as well as various commercials and theater productions. Though she really enjoys dancing and acting, Annie’s focus is singing; she sings every single day, whenever she can. Her funny and outgoing personality makes her the perfect camp counselor at a local youth camp for musical theater and she loves to share her interests with everyone.

Just last year, Annie was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is a cancer of the white blood cells. Four months after her diagnosis, Annie began chemotherapy which took its toll on her energetic nature. Since last year, Annie has had to endure frequent doctor visits, blood tests and various medications.

Once referred to children’s charity, Kids Wish Network, it wasn’t long before Annie was telling Wish Coordinator, Jennifer, all about her wish to have a special MAC Book Pro Laptop that would work wonders in conjunction with her creative personality.

With the help of Wish Funding Specialist Doris, Jennifer worked her “guardian angel magic” and reached out to Annie’s hometown for help granting the teen’s wish and found that everyone wanted to help! The City of Naperville’s Mayor A. George Pradel, the Naperville Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #42, The Rubin Partnership, the Apple Store in Naperville and the Naperville Moose Lodge 1290 , all wanted nothing more than to help make Annie’s dream come true!

With what seemed like the whole City of Naperville pitching in, Annie’s wish came through in true high style: she was presented with a MAC Book Pro 13” LED-backlit Widescreen Notebook along with a green hardshell cover and even a Photosmart C4620 Printer by the City of Naperville’s Mayor A. George Pradel.

According to Mayor Pradel, “We presented a laptop and printer to a very surprised teenager…Annie’s reaction brought joy to the hearts of her family and members involved in the contribution. All of us experienced a sense of happiness in having a small part in fulfilling Annie’s wish.”

For this brave teen, it really was a dream come true, however surprised she was. Annie’s mother, Barbara, said that everything was “just really fabulous and overwhelmingly generous. Thank you all.”

As for Annie, she loves her new MAC Notebook so much that she hardly leaves it. What a wish!

For making Annie’s wish extra special, Kids Wish Network would like to thank: Mayor A. George Pradel and the City of Naperville; Vince Clark, Mike Caruso, Dan Shipanik and the Naperville Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #42; Steve Rubin and The Rubin Partnership; Mike Commancho and the Apple Store of Naperville; and the Naperville Moose Lodge 1290.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

Canal Winchester, Ohio – A 6-year-old little girl had her dream come true with the help of national charity Kids Wish Network.

McKenna was born six weeks early which led to various medical problems.  She was diagnosed with Epilepsy and has seizures which last anywhere from one to five minutes.  She was also diagnosed with Torticollis – an illness which causes limited range of motion for a certain area of the body – and was unable to use her left side as a baby.  But through therapy, she has improved immensely.  One of McKenna’s worst seizures put her in intensive care for close to two days where she was under 24-hour care.

While surfing the Internet, McKenna’s mother Connie came across the website for Kids Wish Network and decided to refer her daughter for a wish.  Before long, Connie was speaking to wish coordinator Vanessa about making her daughter’s dream come true.

With the help of wish funding specialist Megan, Vanessa got to work to make McKenna’s dream of visiting Florida theme parks come true.  Together, they arranged round-trip flights, a hotel stay at the fabulous Royal Plaza Hotel, tickets to Universal, Epcot and The Magic Kingdom, various dinners and even spending money to help with extra expenses.

“It was amazing.  Everyone was so nice to McKenna,” Connie said.  “Her eyes lit up every time she saw a character.  It was so cute.”

Connie said that all the arrangements that were made were great, and that McKenna felt like a princess.  She said that her daughter loved the whole experience and couldn’t pick one favorite part, but was fond of meeting a certain character.

“She loves Mickey Mouse and the princesses at the Magic Kingdom.  When I asked what she liked best on the plane home she replied, ‘everything!,’” Connie said.

For Connie, aside from seeing her daughter’s dream come true, the best part of the trip was being able to get away.

“It was great getting away from everything and spending time as a family and just having fun.  We were not worrying about anything – although, it was still in the back of my mind. But we got to go away from the ‘real’ world,” she said.

Connie said that she is so happy her daughter’s wish came true.  She said McKenna wants to go back to the parks and they have started making preparations to do so.

“I asked her if she wanted to go back and she said, ‘oh, yeah!,’ so we started a change bottle to put all our change in,” Connie said.  “Thank you for making her dream come true.”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make McKenna’s wish extra special: The Royal Plaza Hotel, Pirates Dinner Theatre, Bubbalous Bodacious Barbecue, Cici’s Pizza, Wonderworks, Fraternal Order of Eagles Southside #2244.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit us at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

Spreckles, Calif – A teenage girl had the wish of a lifetime granted with the help of national charity Kids Wish Network.

On Thanksgiving Day 2008, Brittany felt a lump on her neck. After a prescription antibiotic did not reduce its size, a test was conducted which diagnosed Brittany with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. After 12 rounds of chemotherapy and 17 radiation treatments, Brittany is currently in remission. Still, she has to receive a chest x-ray every two months to ensure the cancer does not return.

While receiving treatment, Brittany’s social worker told the family about Kids Wish Network. After filling out an application, Brittany was soon talking to wish coordinator Jill who was making plans for her wish.

With the help of wish funding specialist Doris, Jill got to work to make Brittany’s wish of a trip to New York City come true.

“It was wonderful. Brittany felt so special and everyone went out of their way. Jill did a good job planning everything for us,” said Lisa, Brittany’s mom.

Together Jill and Doris arranged for Brittany and her family to travel to the Big Apple. A round-trip flight, limo transportation, hotel stays, various dining arrangements, a few sight-seeing tours and spending money was made available for Brittany. Jill even set up a special pampering day for Brittany which included a two hour spa treatment at Metamorphosis Day Spa, a manicure and pedicure at Saks 5th Avenue, a makeover at Bloomingdale’s, tickets to the Mary Poppins musical as well as the Brighton Beach Memoirs play and even a three hour trip on the Spirit Dinner Cruise.

Brittany’s day of pampering even included a personal milestone for her.

“It was my first haircut since my hair started growing back,” she said. “So, my first haircut in almost 9 months.”

Lisa said her family enjoyed all the activities that were included in the wish, including first class limo rides.

“The limo service was fun. Here you are going into time square and you pull up in a limo amongst all the cabs which was a neat experience,” she said.

For Brittany, she said the best part of the trip was her first night in the city.

“My favorite part would definitely have to be the location of our hotel. It was an amazing experience to be staying right in the heart of Times Square and the moment you stepped out of the hotel door to just be right in all the excitement of NYC,” she said.

Lisa said that one thing that really stood out to her during the whole process for her daughter was the fact that Brittany getting her wish was like a vacation from her illness.

“It was just a wonderful experience and it’s amazing for the kids out there that this is available for them,” she said. “For Brittany it was neat because you kind of go through a lot and then it was something to get away to.”

“It is hard to put into words what my wish was like. I had the time of my life. It was a big celebration and an experience I know I’ll never forget,” Brittany said.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Brittany’s wish extra special: Saks Fifth Avenue, Courtyard Oakland Airport, Bloomingdale’s, Doubletree Guest Suites-Times Square, Benihana, Au Bon Pain, Metamorphosis Day Spa, Nederlander Producing Company of America, Inc., Disney Theatrical Productions, LTD, The Alicart Restaurant Group, U.S. Limousine Service, Ltd., Azalea Ristorante, Spirit Cruises, American Legion Post 591, American Legion Post 593, Hollister Elks Lodge #1436, Zonta Club of Monterey, Cypress Community Church, First Baptist Church of Salinas, Geoffrey Holland, Mann Packing Company, VFW Post 6849-Spreckels CA

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

Florence, SC – A young boy with a life-threatening illness had his wish granted to visit various Florida theme parks with the help of national charity Kids Wish Network.

Michael was born with an illness called Sickle Cell disease. This is a debilitating disorder in whish the blood cells in the body are attacked, causing severe pain. Michael has a very weak immune system, has had many blood transfusions and doctors also believe he has suffered a stroke. Sometimes he uses a wheelchair for mobility because he becomes too weak or is in too much pain.

While surfing the Internet and searching for wish granting organizations, Michael’s mother Mary came across Kids Wish Network’s website and referred her son online. She was contacted by the organization, and Michael was soon on his way to having his wish granted. Mary said he couldn’t wait to visit the Florida theme parks.

“He was so excited especially about Disney and to go on the water rides and meet Mickey Mouse,” she said.

Wish coordinator Madeline, and wish funding specialist Doris got to work on making Michael’s wish come true. Together, they arranged flights, hotel stays, theme park tickets, dinners, entertainment, spending money and even a limo ride to and from the airport courtesy of Celebrity Limousine.

Michael said he was excited when the limo pulled up to the house.

“I didn’t know I was going to ride in it. I took pictures, too,” he said.

While in Orlando, Michael visited The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventure. He said Animal Kingdom was the best park.

“It [Animal Kingdom] was my favorite. I saw gorillas, lions and rhinos. And I rode Expedition Everest,” Michael said. “I also liked Splash Mountain at The Magic Kingdom.”

Mary said her son loved all the rides and got to take pictures with different characters. She said they all had so much fun.

“I had so much fun I didn’t know whether I was going or coming,” she said.

Various dinners were arranged for the family while they were staying in Orlando, but Mary said that the family enjoyed the experience at Planet Hollywood the best.

“They treated us like a King and Queen and the food was delicious,” she said. “They gave us glasses to take home for souvenirs, too.”

Mary said that Kids Wish Network did an awesome job of arranging the trip for Michael and her family. She said she gives the organization an “A plus!”

And when asked if his wish came true, Michael simply said, “Oh, yes ma’am.”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Michael’s wish extra special: Celebrity Limousine, Royal Plaza Hotel, Pirates Dinner Adventure, Planet Hollywood, House of Blues, Mears Transportation, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wonderworks, Chief Ansen Shells, and Pee Dee Federal Credit Union

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

WINONA, Minnesota – A little boy with a life-threatening illness had the wish of his life with Kids Wish Network.

Seven-year-old Zane was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the tender age of one. Since then, he’s been completely dependent on other people and devices. Zane is confined to a wheelchair most of the day and must use an alphabet board and a communication device for talking.

While surfing the internet for organizations designed to help children with illnesses, Zane’s mother Amy found the homepage for Kids Wish Network. Once in contact with the organization, it wasn’t long before Amy found herself talking to Wish Coordinator Jill, who soon found out Zane’s only wish: to visit Disney World in Florida.

With the help of Wish Funding Specialist Doris and some outstanding sponsors, Jill arranged to send Zane, his parents and his baby brother on the trip of their lives to the Sunshine State. In addition to supplying them with tickets to every major theme park that Zane could ever want to visit, Jill also organized dinners every night for the family and even secured them a room at the famous Royal Plaza Hotel!

“Oh, it was awesome. He [Zane] was really overwhelmed and speechless. We were all just in awe,” said Amy of the trip as a whole.

Once in Orlando, Zane was happy to be spun silly on Disney’s “Mad Tea Party” ride at the Magic Kingdom, while at Sea World he delighted in the whale and dolphin shows. At the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, Zane was “just tickled pink” to find that visiting “Seuss Landing” was just like stepping into one of his favorite Dr. Seuss stories. “He loved all of it,” said Amy.

When Zane made it home to Winona, everyone thought that a day of rest would be good for him before heading back to school. Zane, however, wanted to get to school as soon as possible so that he could let EVERYONE know all about his trip!

“We have tons of new memories,” said Amy. “He just wanted to tell everyone all about it!”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Zane’s wish extra special: Compassion Partners, WonderWorks, Pirates Dinner Adventure, The Royal Plaza Hotel, Thrifty/Dollar Rent A Car, The Sizzler, Uno Chicago Grill, American Legion Auxiliary Post 9, Jerry and Sue Miller, Merchants Bank, Quinlan Insurance & Financial Services, St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Severson Oil Company, Ticona Polymers Inc. Winona MN, and the Winona Fire Department Relief Fund.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org<