Now 34 years old, Make-A-Wish is the world’s largest, most respected wish granting organization, having granted more than 334,000 wishes since inception!
The year was 1980, and a 7-year-old boy from Arizona by the name of Chris Grecius was battling leukemia. He absolutely loved police officers, and his dream, more than anything, was to become a motorcycle policeman when he grew up. Knowing this, his family and friends arranged for the local motorcycle policemen to come and visit him. On this first visit, the officers were so touched by Chris and his story that they decided to go above and beyond for this brave boy. They arranged for a private ride in the Arizona Department of Public Safety ranger helicopter, they gave him a special tour of the department, and he was sworn in as the first and only honourary Arizona Highway Patrolman. He was presented with a Smoky-the-Bear hat, his own official police badge, and a signed honorary member certificate! The community rallied around Chris and his family in such a powerful way that those involved wanted to continue to give back and make a difference for others like Chris. From this, Make-A-Wish was born!
Securitas Canada honours this great history and this great cause by helping make wishes come true. We are happy to share that this year, with the support of our Securitas employees through our Annual Ball Hockey Challenge and our dress down jeans day program, Securitas was able to grant the wishes of two very special children.
Our first wish child has recently returned from her magical wish. Carla, Age 16, Stage 5 Kidney Disease, wished to go to Wimbledon! An avid tennis enthusiast, the chance to go to Wimbledon was an absolute dream come true. Of the trip with her mom, Carla said “Our whole bond lately has revolved around hospitals, health care, health in general and just taking care of each other, so being taken care of in London, England, and going somewhere to get away from all the worries, that was the biggest gift really. Watching the tournament for all those years before I got sick, I remember thinking how cool it would be to be there. It’s just amazing that we went and I can say that I’ve been there now.”
Our second wish child is Teya, Age 4, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, who wishes to go to Disney World® and meet Snow White! Teya’s illness means she often misses out on special gatherings of friends and family. This trip will be so very special for a girl who has spent a lot of time in the hospital. It will give her the gift of quality time with her family to create some wonderful memories together. The family is looking forward to an entire week of celebrating Teya, and bringing a big smile to her face. We look forward to sharing the photos and stories of her wish come true upon her return!
At Securitas, we continue to look for ways to make an impact and bring joy to Canadian children and their families. Stay tuned for updates on how you can help us make a difference in the lives of some very special kids.
To read more about magical wishes that came true this year across Canada, check out the Make-A-Wish’s bi-annual newsletter, Wishlife!
No comments:
Post a Comment