Showing posts with label Eduardo of Downey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eduardo of Downey. Show all posts

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Greater Los Angeles Enters Third Decade of Wish Granting

(Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)


It all started with the wish of a seven-year-old boy with leukemia named Chris, who wanted to be an Arizona State Trooper.   Pretty soon Make-A-Wish Foundation chapters were being founded all over the United States including the one that started in 1983 to serve the children of Los Angeles County.  

Today the Greater Los Angeles chapter has granted over 5,000 wishes of the more than 127,000 that have been granted worldwide.  While many people still think of the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a charity that provides children a “final” wish, the good news is that many children continue to survive long after their wish has been received and their treatments are finished.

Recently, the chapter granted a wish for nine-year old Eduardo of Downey, who has had to endure five surgeries and chemotherapy in his battle against rhabdomyosarcoma.   Since the boy’s ultimate dream is to become an airplane engineer, visiting the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. was what he selected for his one most heartfelt wish.




Eduardo’s wish experience began in grand style as a stretch Hummer picked his entire family up at home and took them to the Long Beach airport, courtesy of Flight Centre, the sponsor of Eduardo’s wish.  The family was then greeted with a huge breakfast send-off party in Eduardo’s honor at The Prop Room restaurant in the terminal. Members of Flight Centre, Jetblue crewmembers, airport staff, and Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers were all present to witness this special event. 
 
Eduardo and his brothers watched the airplanes take off and land from the window of the restaurant and everyone at the party could see he enjoyed every minute of being so close to the planes. Eduardo’s eyes grew wide with excitement when a member of the Jetblue crew offered to take him for a tour around the terminal and the planes sitting on the tarmac. When it was time for his final departure, Eduardo raced toward the gate, filled with excitement at the thought of being able to fly on an airplane for several hours.

When they arrived in Washington D.C., Eduardo spent one full day of his trip at the National Air & Space Museum, learning all about his favorite subject of flight technology. Eduardo was also treated to a VIP tour of the White House and visited many other famous D.C. attractions. When asked to describe the trip, Eduardo and his family needed only one word, “Amazing!” 

While Eduardo returned home from his wish trip to face another surgery and additional treatment, no one doubts that the “boost” his wish provided will help the future engineer continue his heroic battle against his illness, as wishes have done for so many other children here in Los Angeles, and around the world through the years. 

To find out how you can help the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles grant more wishes for children like Eduardo, go to www.wishla.org or call 310-788-9474.

 With the continued support of donors and volunteers, Make-A-Wish Foundation will be able to continue granting wishes for children under the age of 18 with life-threatening medical conditions for years to come.  After granting their first wish many volunteers tell us it is the most uplifting experience they could ever imagine.  There is a four-hour training for potential wish granting volunteers from across Los Angeles County coming up this Saturday morning, July 17 at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.  Call 310-788-9474 or e-mail Kim Rohde at krohde@wishla.org if you would like to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation by learning how to help grant wishes for children like Eduardo.