My name is David Sine, and I’m the medical director for pediatric palliative care at Valley Children’s Hospital. I’ve seen firsthand the impact that a wish has on a kid who’s facing a critical illness, and I want to share that impact with you today.

Whenever I consult with a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening diagnosis, there are two things I always do: My number one step in my care is to reduce pain and help manage symptoms – and the second is to ask if they’ve been connected with Make-A-Wish®.

One of the patients I referred for a wish was Morgan. She was an otherwise healthy kid until she was 8 years old – competitive gymnast, athlete, straight-A student. Then, suddenly, she started having a lot of issues with her body and was in and out of the hospital. 

After a long period of time, she was finally diagnosed with an inflammatory disorder that is fairly rare and affects her entire body. She’s been close to dying at least three or four times in the last six years – but she kept pushing through.

When she found out her wish was going to be granted, she wanted most to go to Hawaii. Thanks to the incredible Make-A-Wish team and generous supporters like you, she was able to go to Hawaii and do all of the things she dreamed of. She met dolphins, went zip lining and spent quality time with her family.

If you looked at Morgan before her wish, she was a kid who was very, very sick. But she had her wish to look forward to, and she wanted to get healthy and strong enough to be able to experience her wish. The anticipation of her wish kept her going and fighting. And when Morgan came back from Hawaii, she had such a powerful sense of accomplishment. 

That sense of accomplishment is something she now carries with her throughout her treatment journey. She knows that she can do it – she can stay strong enough to persevere. That’s the power of a wish.

But right now, there are hundreds of kids waiting for their own wish as they face a critical illness – and these wishes rely on support from caring people like you. 

Will you make a gift now to help grant wishes for kids facing critical illnesses? These wish experiences have the power to create a turning point in a child’s treatment and recovery – leading to better health outcomes.

Thank you so much. Your support really does give these kids a gift unlike any other.

Dr. David Sine
Medical Director
Valley Children’s Palliative Care Program