Enterprise-Journal
Believe it or not, wishes are granted several times a year in southwest Mississippi.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation Mississippi chapter granted six wishes to terminally ill children in the area since September, wish granter Linda Spring told Kiwanis Club of Pike County members on Monday.
And five more are in the works, including the wish for a remodeled room for a homebound 17-year-old in McComb, she said.
Spring said the boy, named Kendall, suffers from muscular dystrophy and is rarely able to leave his room. However, he loves to draw, and the foundation plans to turn his room into his personal art studio.
“That’s Kendall’s world — his bedroom — and we’re going to make it brighter,” said Spring, a financial services representative at Trustmark National Bank in McComb.
Spring said wishes usually fall under four categories: going somewhere, becoming something, meeting somebody special or receiving a gift, like the remodeled room.
“These kids, when you talk to them, they know what they want,” said Spring, adding that a trip to Disney World is the most popular wish. All of the granted wishes are free, including airfare for family or other supplemental expenses.
The sky’s the limit. Practically anything is considered except the purchase of motor vehicles, which is limited because of insurance reasons, she said.
“The wishes are only limited by the child’s imagination,” Spring said.
However, the wishes aren’t free to the foundation. Spring said the average wish costs about $5,000, and any donation, even labor, is gladly accepted.
“If you’ve got a paint brush you can come help paint Kendall’s room,” she said.
The foundation began in 1980 after a boy with leukemia was granted a wish to interact with law enforcement in Arizona.
“The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 41 minutes,” Spring said.
A Brookhaven child, Trey, who suffered at least 40 broken bones from a rare disease, was able to be a prince and meet Mickey Mouse at Disney World through the program, Spring said.
Spring said there are thousands of children who could have their wishes granted, but the foundation never hears about them.
Any child from 2 years old to 18 suffering from a life-threatening condition may have a wish granted. And anyone can refer children to the foundation, she said.
Spring said the children are able to forget about their illness and hospitals during the experience and just be a kid.
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One of the area’s main fundraisers, Brookhaven Walk for Wishes, will be Oct. 6 at the Exchange Club Park. Call (800) 819-4072 for details.
