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Childhood memories: Make-A-Wish
In keeping with the tone that my friend Bailey set this week, I want to talk about a special memory from my childhood.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, for those who may not know, grants wishes to children battling critical illnesses. It’s something that myself and many other people I’ve known with CF have had the incredible opportunity to take part in.
I was 9 years old when I was give the opportunity to make a wish, along with my sister who was 16 at the time. I vividly remember being in the hospital when we were approached by a member of hospital staff asking if we’d like to participate. I was given a pamphlet highlighting the wishes of other children — vacations, celebrity meetings, pets, family campers, etc. I remember thinking how lucky we were, but also feeling a little guilty as if I wasn’t “sick enough” to be deserving of such a gift. (Which is interesting for me to think about now, as I still find myself feeling not quite “sick enough” for some things, while entirely “too sick” for others. Ahh, the mental and emotional complexities of life and illness, eh?)
For months, we discussed our possibilities. When our “wish granters” came to our house, the official wishes we submitted were: for my sister, a new bedroom furniture set and for myself, a horse. We were both ultimately granted those wishes. Along with the horse, the foundation provided my family with a year’s worth of food (hay and grain), a corral and shelter, a saddle, and all the tack we needed (brushes, halter, bridle, etc). This was one of the coolest events of my childhood, and it’s what began a lifelong love for horses and riding. I’ve included some pictures here.
Have you or someone in your family been granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation? What is the coolest wish you’ve heard of? (A friend of mine met and spent the day with Celine Dion, which I think is pretty rad!)
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