Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas staff, families and supporters are celebrating the nonprofit's 40th anniversary and four decades of granting wishes to nearly 10,000 wish kids. Since its inception in 1983, the Ballwin-based chapter has enriched the lives of wish kids, all of whom are battling critical illnesses, along with their families across Missouri and Kansas through a variety of wish experiences.
“Over the past 40 years, we've been able to grant the heartfelt wishes of more than 9,500 children throughout Missouri and Kansas,” says Caroline Schmidt, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas. “This is only possible through the incredible support that we've received from our caring communities. A wish has the power to transform lives, bring communities together and create life-changing moments.”
Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas was founded four decades ago in Springfield, Missouri. The chapter's first wish was a private celebrity wish where a young child wished to meet his favorite athlete. The chapter’s first publicized wish was for a boy named JD who was battling cancer and wished for a white poodle puppy to bring him joy during his medical journey.
Throughout the years, Make-A-Wish hosts several annual fundraising events in St. Louis, Kansas City, Wichita and Springfield to enable the chapter’s work and mission. This spring, they hosted the 2023 Walk for Wishes presented by Centene and Spectrum at Forest Park in St. Louis. They also held a wish reveal for 17-year-old Dannah, a Maryland Heights youth fighting sickle cell disease. She’s one of three kids in her family who suffer from the disease. Her wish to go to Hawaii was granted, ushered in with a Hawaiian-themed party and a Kona shaved ice truck.
During 2022, the local chapter granted more than 400 wishes to children with critical illnesses. Wishes are granted to serve as catalysts for renewed strength and encouragement to children with illnesses defined as malignant, degenerative or progressive. This year, so far at press time, 438 life-changing wishes have been granted for the children the organization serves, with 164 of those youths in the St. Louis metropolitan region.
Brian Miller, vice president of marketing and communications, Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas, says wish children are between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 years old. He says the youths typically face various types of cancer, neurological conditions, cardiovascular challenges and respiratory issues, as well as blood and kidney health threats.
"The majority of wish kids, or 35 percent, are between the ages of 6 to 9. Twenty-five percent are older than 14. Twenty-three percent are 5 or younger, and 17 percent are between 10 and 13 years old," explains Brian.
“These wishes not only provide respite to families facing the reality that their child has been diagnosed with a critical illness, but they also give a piece of childhood back to those children in a time when it is needed most,” says Caroline. “The majority of wish children go on to live healthy lives and reflect on their wish as a turning point in their recovery. Through our enduring partnership with our volunteers, donors, community supporters and staff, we look forward to another 40 years of granting wishes.”
Hannah Pope, marketing and communications manager, Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas, says the Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas chapter currently has more than 300 wish granters that volunteer their time and resources to help wish kids receive their one true wish. However, Hannah says more volunteers are needed.
For volunteering, fundraising, go online to Wish.org/MoKan. To refer a child, submit it at Wish.org/Refer.
The local chapter team members hope that donors will remember and select Make-A-Wish among their nonprofits to support through charitable contributions on 'GivingTuesday,' which is Nov. 28.
Make-A-Wish America is known as the largest wish-granting organization. The group collectively has fulfilled the wishes of 550,000-plus wishes worldwide since the organization’s founding in 1980.