Mark Lyttleton is a business mentor and angel investor who supports a range of charities, including Make-A-Wish. This article will look at Make-A-Wish’s poignant beginnings and how the wish of a little boy diagnosed with terminal cancer inspired an entire movement to support children affected by critical diseases.
The birth of Make-A-Wish dates back to 1980 and the dream of American seven-year-old Chris Greicius to become a police officer for the day. Chris had been diagnosed with leukaemia and his local community rallied round to grant his wish, which came true just days before he passed away.
Little did anyone know back then the scale of kindness, generosity and community action one boy’s wish could inspire. However, the concept inspired a movement recognised globally as the Make-A-Wish Foundation today, an organisation active in nearly 50 countries, which celebrates ‘World Wish Day’ on 29th April every year.
Make-A-Wish UK was launched in 1986 by a group of six volunteers. In its first year, the charity granted four wishes, the first for Anthony from Liverpool, whose dream was to travel to Florida to meet the Disney characters.
Make-A-Wish UK recruited its first full-time member of staff in 1989. By the end of that year, the charity had granted 100 inspiring and impactful wishes thanks to the support of its growing team of passionate volunteers.
Established with the aim of creating happiness, joy and magical memories by granting life-changing wishes for children affected by critical illnesses, Make-A-Wish aims to grant the wish of every eligible child. To achieve this the charity implements an extensive programme of fundraising, striving to generate sufficient funds to meet current demand while maintaining appropriate cash reserves to cover its future needs. Critical to the Make-A-Wish mission are the efforts of its dedicated volunteer force, as well as the generosity of its donors.
Make-A-Wish aims to inspire through dedication, creativity and kindness, earning the trust of wish children and their families, along with the communities the organisation operates in. With a keen focus on inclusivity, Make-A-Wish is a global community united in the ambition of bringing lasting impact to the lives of children affected by critical illness, along with their families.
In 2020, almost 2,000 seriously ill children in the UK had to wait until it was safe for their wishes to be granted. Today, the Make-A-Wish UK community grants more wishes than ever before, topping 15,000 by the end of the summer of 2021. With more children diagnosed with critical illnesses each year, increasing numbers of young people are turning to the charity to inspire them and give them hope by making their wishes come true.
