Business mentor, speaker and investment angel Mark Lyttleton is a staunch supporter and regular contributor to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This article will look at what it takes to become a Make-a-Wish Hero, exploring the life-changing impact the organisation makes by granting wishes for children with terminal and chronic illness.
In the UK today, over 60,000 children are eligible for Make-a-Wish, their lives turned upside down by life-threatening or life-limiting illness. From the moment they are diagnosed, their childhoods are disrupted by medical appointments, worry and feelings of isolation.
The aim of Make-A-Wish is to help children and their families find an escape from the challenges of living with life-threatening or life-limiting illness. In a world where virtually every aspect of their lives is dictated by their health needs, Make-A-Wish aims to empower children by providing them with an opportunity to choose their own wish.
This wish will be unique to them, creating hope and happiness – as well as memories for the whole family to cherish. You can learn about the history of the Make-A-Wish Foundation by viewing the attached video.
Make-A-Wish Heroes like Lindsey Thurlow help to raise vital funding to grant the wishes of children. Ms Thurlow set herself the challenge of running 1,986 miles between World Wish Day 2021 and World Wish Day 2022, running the equivalent of John O’Groats to Land’s End and back again.
Prospective Make-A-Wish Heroes need to find their own unique motivation, identifying what will keep them going when it is dark, cold and wet and pushing themselves to dig deep and keep going when they are tired and blistered.
To become a Make-A-Wish Hero requires a challenge tough enough to cut through the ‘noise’ of all the other charity events. Nevertheless, it need not be an impossible task. For example, a participant who is scared of heights might face their fears with a charity skydive or complete a sponsored unicycle ride. To learn more about Make-A-Wish challenge events, view the attached infographic.
Research undertaken by the Make-A-Wish Foundation has expanded the organisation’s understanding of the impact of granting wishes, helping it to ensure children and their families get the most out of their experience.
Make-A-Wish has learned that when a wish is granted it can inspire a child to believe that anything is possible and restore some of the childhood they missed out on due to their condition or treatment. You can learn more about the positive impact of granting the wishes of children affected by life-threatening or life-limiting illness by viewing the attached PDF.