THE DISH

Together, we create life-changing wishes

Wishes are more than just a nice thing. And they are far more than gifts or singular events in time. A wish provides hope, joy, and strength to kids with critical illnesses at a time when they need it most. A wish is often described as a turning point in the medical journey as a wish gives kids something to look forward to as they undergo their medical treatments.

The wish experience impacts everyone from the wish child, to volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. A wish replaces fear with joy, anxiety with hope, and ultimately provides healing for both the wish child and the wish family. A wish brings families closer and strengthens relationships with loved ones. Wishes are transformational and are life-changing. Watching communities come together to provide hope and joy to children with critical illnesses is the sweetest gift.

Working with incredible partners like Sugarwish, we get to create these moments that change lives together.

Celebrating World Wish Day – April 29

World Wish Month is a time each year when we come together to celebrate the power of wishes and the incredible impact they have on children with critical illnesses. Every April, we honor the anniversary of the first wish granted on April 29, 1980, when Chris Greicius' wish set in motion a global movement that is known today as Make-A-Wish. Join us in continuing this legacy by becoming a WishMaker and helping to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

🎩 Gar's wish to play "Clue" in real life

Gar is 8-years-old and has a brain tumor. From the moment he was told he was going to be granted a wish, Gar wanted to be part of creating his wish every step of the way. He loves the movie Clue and dreamed of his own real-life version of the game, with friends and family as the suspects.

As part of his wish, Gar became a Make-A-Wish Colorado employee, complete with a nametag and desk. He went into the office to build vision boards for each room, discussing each and every detail with his Wish Coordinator to get it all just right.

Gar designed every character, including his sister as the "All-Star Hockey Player", his mom as the "Stinky Maintenance Officer" and cast himself as "Sorcerer Gar". He even reimagined the classic Clue weapons, swapping them for something more fun and fabulous, like a crystal ice cream cone. To bring it all together, Gar found an incredible castle in Colorado Springs to host the overnight adventure. He loved making decisions and then seeing every detail come to life.

🍭 The Sugarwish Candy Room

One of the rooms in the game was a candy room filled with Sugarwish candy. This room was a highlight of the Clue experience for all the kids. They enjoyed dipping marshmallows into a chocolate fountain and filled up their bags with their favorite Sugarwish candies while hunting for Clue cards hidden amongst the books on the bookcase and in various treasure chests around the room.

In thanks to support from national corporate partners like Sugarwish, along with a compassionate community of Wishmakers, Gar's wish to play Clue in real life came true. Wishes like Gar's don't come true by luck or chance. They come true because of WishMakers. Become a Wishmaker® this World Wish Day®, because as long as children like Gar face devastating critical illnesses, they'll be counting on you to give them the hope and strength they need to fight.

✨ Why we chose Sugarwish: Making Your Gifting Meaningful

Here at Make-A-Wish, everything we do is about creating moments of pure joy and hope for children facing critical illnesses. That's why our national partnership with Sugarwish feels so incredibly special. It's built on that same foundation of delivering happiness.

As you think about the gifts you'll be sharing this year, whether with family or with colleagues, we invite you to choose gifts with heart. Gifts that do more than just delight — they deliver hope and happiness.

When you send a Sugarwish, you're doing so much more than sending a delicious, personalized treat. You're giving your recipient the chance to be part of this wish-creating magic, helping us bring unforgettable moments of sweetness and strength to courageous kids like Gar.

Together, we can share the power of a wish, one sweet gift at a time.

A Sweet Opportunity To Give Back

When someone receives a Sugarwish, they have the option to donate their gift to Make-A-Wish. These donations can be converted to cash to help grant future wishes or used to enhance ongoing wish experiences — like adding a special treat to a wish kid's Wish Reveal.

Through this powerful partnership, the Sugarwish community has already raised more than $4 million for Make-A-Wish and helped enhance thousands of wish kid experiences across the U.S.

That's where our partnership comes in. As a proud partner of Make-A-Wish, Sugarwish is helping us make sweet wishes come true.

To learn more about this partnership click here: https://sugarwish.com/us/make-a-wish

Thank you for believing in the power of a wish.

Blog posting contributed by: Sarah Twomey, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications, Make-A-Wish Colorado