A Tropical Wish for Colin!

Posted by Wishmaster on October 4, 2011

For 5-year-old Colin, bravery extends far past that first night sleeping without a nightlight or checking under the bed for mysterious monsters. His bravery is being a child facing a very grown up illness, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

When Colin’s adoring parents, Jennifer and Keith, contacted Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Suffolk County they were hoping to give their shy yet bright-eyed son a special gift to make his exhausting treatment more bearable. Above all, they wanted to see their son, who has endured so much pain, smile.

After Colin was presented with the opportunity to have a wish granted, he cheerfully chose a family trip to the Atlantis Resort in the tropical Bahamas. His wish was to experience something that so many children dream of—swimming with dolphins!

The trip to the Bahamas, taken halfway through Colin’s treatment, was a rare chance for the entire family to simply relax, escape from the everyday and take pleasure in the company of loved ones.

Colin’s family felt that this special trip halfway through treatment would renew Colin’s spirit and give him the strength to get through the second half.

“We thought it was important to give Colin normalcy,” said Jennifer. “It was an amazing, amazing experience.”

During their extraordinary trip to Atlantis, Colin’s family enjoyed lounging in the sun by the many pools, visiting the colorful marine life at the aquarium, and most of all, seeing their son smile. Colin fulfilled his wish of swimming with the dolphins and spent hours playing in the children’s water park!

Colin’s wish trip to Atlantis served not only as a rejuvenating force to the courageous 5-year-old, but to his whole family, who have been with him every step of the fight.

“Truly,” said a tearful Jennifer. “I have not seen my son smile as much as he did in those seven days.”

Kyle’s Wish of Riding the Waves Comes True!

Posted by Wishmaster on May 11, 2010

Thanks all who supported the magical evening of Bouquet of Wishes on May 6th! The evening’s highlight was the granting of Kyle’s Wish to go to Hawaii. Attendees had a chance to see a wish come true right before their eyes! Fourteen-year-old Hauppauge resident Kyle, who is faced with Cystic Fibrosis, wishes more than anything to have surfing lessons at the most prime location- Hawaii! To His surprise, The Make-A-Wish Foundation® presented to Kyle and his family their tickets and a full itinerary for their 10 day trip, including a luau and surf lessons in Maui. Kyle was also given his very own surf board! Kyle and his family will leave for Hawaii at the end of June.

Justin’s Incredible Journey to Hong Kong

Posted by Wishmaster on November 16, 2009

This wish has been granted in the Memory of Duncan Wang.

Twelve-year-old Justin from Lindenhurst can now add “world traveler” to his list of accomplishments! As Justin is challenged with seizure disorder and the inability to verbalize, his mother, Jenny, was very helpful in determining an appropriate and amazing wish experience. Since Jenny’s family is from China, the staff and volunteers at Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Suffolk County, NY, Inc. worked diligently to put together a trip to Hong Kong!
Last June, Justin and his family traveled to the majestic city to explore its many famous sites. Their busy itinerary included a stay at the Disneyland Hotel and a visit to the world-renowned Disneyland parks. Of course, all of Justin’s favorite characters were there to welcome him with open arms! The family stayed at the luxurious Renaissance Kowloon Hotel for the remainder of their time in the city proper. Then, it was off to Chengdu, where Jenny’s family resides.
During this much-anticipated occasion, two very important milestones were reached: not only was Justin able to meet his great-grandfather for the first time, but he also had the special opportunity to celebrate his 99th birthday! To put a finishing touch on the festivities, Justin’s great-grandfather proudly rode around on his bicycle for everyone to see! As if all of this wasn’t enough positive stimulation for Justin, another family member treated him to an outing to the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center. While there, Justin got the chance to hold a panda cub and take pictures with his new little friend. More valuable than any souvenir, Justin brought home beautiful memories to cherish for years to come.
Justin’s magnificent wish was granted in honor and in memory of Duncan K. Wang, a dear friend of Make-A-Wish of Suffolk County. Duncan served as a member of the Board of Directors and became the chapter’s President and CEO in 2000. Even after he decided to move to Singapore, he continued to dedicate his time and talents to the organization’s mission by establishing the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Singapore. Thanks to Duncan’s commitment, the Singapore chapter has fulfilled close to 500 wishes since its inception. Duncan would have been excited about Justin’s wish and happy to know that he had such a fantastic adventure.