MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA

CALGARY, Alberta, T2T5H8 Canada

Mission Statement

Make-A-Wish® Southern Alberta grants wishes in Southern Alberta and is one of eight chapters nation-wide in addition to our national office. Wishes granted in Canada are over 5,000 to date. The money raised in Southern Alberta stays in the region and helps us to grant wishes to local children. Make-A-Wish® Canada is an affiliate of Make-A-Wish® International – the largest not-for-profit, wish-granting organization in the world – with affiliates in 49 countries. Make-A-Wish® has granted over 300,000 wishes worldwide since inception.

About This Cause

“My child remembers very little about the three years of harsh medical treatments yet remembers every single detail about her wish. Thank you.” Tammy, Wish Mom VISION To grow wish-granting so every eligible child has the opportunity to have their wish fulfilled. MISSION Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children living with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. THE POWER OF A WISH Granting a wish is a wonderful, magical, and moving experience. Having a wish granted fills children with hope, strength and joy. In fact, medical evidence suggests the experience helps to make ill children stronger - stronger to fight ongoing treatments. There is power in a wish - a power that impacts all those involved in the wish granting process. From the wish child recipient, to the volunteer wish grantor and donors, the power of a wish is a magical thing to experience. Each wish is as personal and unique as the child who wishes it. 2 | P a g e HOW IT ALL BEGAN The inspiration for Make-A-Wish® was a wish granted in 1980 to Christopher Greicius by members of the Arizona Highway Patrol. Christopher, who had leukemia wished to become a police officer. In the fall of 1983, Make-A-Wish® granted the first wish in Canada to Debbie, aged 13, suffering from Leukemia. Debbie chose to go to Germany with her father and brother to see her grandparents. Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Southern Alberta was founded in 1995 by Dave and Carol Stinton. Dave heard about Make-A-Wish® at a conference in Vancouver and was so touched that when he headed home to Calgary he began his journey with Make-A-Wish®. The first wish was granted to a 5 year old girl from Medicine Hat. She wanted a purple playhouse because she liked Barney, and a wagon so that when she couldn’t walk her brother could pull her in the wagon to her playhouse. WHAT IS A WISH? A wish:  can teach a sick child that anything is possible – even the future.  comes in four main categories: o I wish to have; o I wish to be; o I wish to go; o I wish to meet. Whether it fulfills a fantasy, creates an adventure or includes a celebrity or sports hero, there is one common goal in the granting of each individual wish. That is to bring hope and joy to a child with a life-threatening medical condition.  is personal, involves the family and is free from financial worries. We ask the family to be a part of the wish experience, knowing that parents and siblings need these magical moments just as much as the wish child.  is not solicited. Children deserving wishes are referred to us through the medical community, friends, family or relatives.  is granted to children with life-threatening conditions between the ages of 3 and 17. The children’s conditions do not have to be terminal to qualify for a wish. Many of the children with life-threatening medical conditions who qualify for a wish go on to lead healthy, happy lives. It is the child’s physician who determines whether a child has a life-threatening medical condition. UNIQUE FEATURES OF MAKE-A-WISH®  We ensure the wish is very personal, involves the family and is free from financial worries  Make-A-Wish® encourages the entire family to be a part of the wish experience, knowing that parents and siblings need magical moments just as much as the wish child  We rely on donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to support our wish granting  We do not participate in chain letters, door-to-door solicitations or telemarketing  Money raised here stays here to benefit children in our region.  We do not embark on “group” wishes. All wishes are individuals and based on the child’s chosen wish. QUOTES FROM OUR WISH CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES  “You give children the will to push forward. You give them something to look forward to and cherish. I don’t think there is anything greater for a child who suffers for life and fights to live.” Wish Mom  “I watched my daughter play and laugh . . . just like a normal little girl. She forgot all about the hospitals, shots and pain. We were together, the whole family, having such a wonderful time. With so much joy, we had a minute to remember how much we have to live for. Since that trip, our little girl has been in complete remission. My family cannot thank Make-A-Wish enough for all they have given us.” Wish Dad 4 | P a g e  “There is nothing that can be written that will truly do justice in expressing our thanks and gratitude to Make-A-Wish for how they embraced this wish project. The team and their magic has touched us deeply and left behind a legacy that speaks of who you are as people.” Illisha, Wish Mom  “I loved every moment of it! This made my family and I even closer, it was just what we needed, more family time. My family and I had a blast!” Shyann, Wish Child  “It is an unbelievable feeling knowing that there are people like you out there who are making a difference in the lives of those children who are suffering through various illnesses and in need of that little spark of joy that comes with making a wish. So once again, I would just like to thank you so very much for giving me that spark in life and making my wish come.” Brett, Wish Child  “That vacation was one I’ll never forget. Hawaii is such an amazing and beautiful place. Those eight days in Maui made me think about my past year and it made me almost forget about all the bad times and I thank you for that.” Cole, Wish Child

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA
Bay 4 2308-24Th St.sw
CALGARY, Alberta T2T5H8
Canada
Phone 403-228-3666
Unique Identifier 886104694RR0001