It's hard to think about all the struggles that my son, Brooks, had to go through to reach his fifth birthday. I remember when he needed to get surgery at just 12 weeks old to repair his cleft lip; we had hoped that would be the only setback he’d face.
It wasn’t.
After we noticed that his speech wasn’t developing at the same rate as other kids his age, we took him to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with an incredibly rare genetic disorder. It was so rare that even his medical team wasn’t familiar with it. They said they didn’t think he’d live past 20 years old.
There is nothing that prepares you to receive that kind of news as a mother. We didn’t have any answers, and I just felt really lost.
This Mother’s Day, you have the chance to give more kids like my son Brooks the much-needed strength and joy of a wish — joy that can mean so much not only to wish kids, but to mothers and families with children growing up with critical illnesses. And in honor of this special day, the Make-A-Wish® partners at the Kendra Scott Foundation are MATCHING all gifts up to $150,000. So please, will you donate now and have your gift go twice as far to help make more wishes come true for kids like Brooks?
Eventually, Brooks joined a medical trial in North Carolina, and our family packed up and moved there for 10 months. The first six months were the worst — but when we found out that Brooks qualified for a wish, we knew that it had to include the tranquility and peace that being in nature brings him. And after thinking about how much he had loved being on boat rides in the past, we realized that a fishing boat would be the perfect wish.
When Brooks first laid eyes on the boat at his fifth birthday party, he ran straight toward it and wanted to climb aboard. He couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear. Donning a hat that read “Captain Brooks,” he kept pointing forward – as if to say, “Come on, let’s go!”
Brooks’ wish experience was an opportunity to bring him all of the happiness he deserves, and our family is looking forward to making many more joy-filled memories together on his boat. Knowing how life-changing a wish was for my child, I want to help more moms witness the impact of a wish on their child’s life – but wish experiences like Brooks’ depend on the generosity of supporters like you.
So please, in honor of Mother’s Day, will you make a MATCHED gift to provide more kids like Brooks with the hope, joy and strength that can only come from a wish? | 
