2012 Report to the Community - Make-A-Wish Foundation of ...

Dear Friend of Make-A-Wish ® :
It is with heartfelt gratitude we express thanks for your generous gift of your
resources and time. Your dedicated commitment enabled us to fulfill the
wishes of nearly 300 local children battling life-threatening medical
conditions this past fiscal year. For these children, a wish come true
transforms their lives from deep despair into joy and hope for the future.
One may question how a wish come true will impact a child? We believe a
wish fulfilled helps children feel stronger, more energetic, more willing and
able to battle their life-threatening medical conditions. For many of them,
this creates a positive change – a glimmer of hope that reinforces their
determination to continue. For the doctors and health professionals treating
the children, the wish experience works in collaboration with medicine. In
fact, the positive results of wish fulfillment have been confirmed by doctors,
nurses and social workers as 89% observed a favorable effect on the child’s
physical health. Similarly, in addition to noting the pure joy that the wish
brought to their child, most parents report observing that the wish
experience marked a turning point in their own child’s response to treatment.
Parents of young Matthew described the meaning of his wish experience:
“It is difficult to express the overwhelming feeling of helplessness watching your
child battle cancer. As the whole family went through this process, the kindness
and understanding of others really came to the forefront. Of course, the doctors,
nurses and staff at DuPont Hospital were instrumental in Matt’s recovery, but it
is my heartfelt belief that Make-A-Wish played a huge role in Matt getting well. I
remember many days sitting by his hospital bed talking about what we would do in
Hawaii, rather than thinking about the next spinal tap. The trip itself was wonderfully
organized, with even the smallest details taken care of. We were able to spend
real quality time together in a dream-like setting.”
Please know that your support is deeply appreciated by the board of directors,
staff, wish children and their families. The following report highlights our
past fiscal year. Due to space limitations, we are listing donors making gifts
of $250 or more; however, all donations are appreciated greatly and help to
make a life-altering impact on the lives of the children we serve. On behalf
of everyone at Make-A-Wish, we thank you for your past generosity and hope
that we can continue to count on your support in the year ahead.
With gratitude and the hope that your wishes come true,
Dennis J. Heron
President & CEO
Nathan J. Andrisani, Esq.
Chairman of the Board
Karen Traten
Director, Partnerships
& Communications
Make-A-Wish ® Philadelphia and Susquehanna Valley 2012 Report to the Community 1