Casey-Cardinia Make-A-Wish foundation members (back row from left) Kay Havers, Liz Hoghton, Joy Watkins (back), Carol Allen, Marg Tinshert, Sharon King, Kevin Chapman, Leah Rankine, Maureen Valentine, Carol Porter, Pam Vidler, Bron Saunders, Judy Board and Helen Corbett. (Front row) Marg Tosh, Heather Chatfield, Madge McMahon, Cheryl Williams, Elva Hamill, Joy de Jong.There are no recently freed and eternally grateful genies among this group of wish-granters. No wand-wielding fairies or shooting stars.
As Kevin Chapman bemoans, there aren’t even many blokes – just two, and more would be welcome.
But there are more than 20 generous spirited, hard-working, community-minded volunteers.
Their special brand of everyday magic has helped make the wishes of more than 140 sick children come true.
The Cardinia-Casey Make-A-Wish Foundation is marking its 15th anniversary this year, a milestone that comes at the same time as the organisation celebrates 20 years in Australia.
Make-A-Wish began when a young boy with leukaemia asked his mother to promise that all children with life-threatening illnesses be granted their one cherished wish.
His wish to become a highway patrol officer was granted just before he died.
The Cardinia-Casey group, founded in Pakenham in 1990, has become a shining example for similar groups around Victoria.
Its fundraising efforts are legendary, the numbers of people it reaches grows every year and the hard work of the people involved is seemingly without bounds.
Kay Havers and Bron Saunders told the Gazette last week it was a true labour of love.
“It can be a lot of work but it does bring great rewards,” Kay said.
“Helping a wish child’s dream come true is a beautiful feeling.”
Kay and Bron are both former presidents of the local group with Kay handing over the reins, after four years at the helm, to Helen Corbett at last Monday’s annual general meeting.
Since the foundation’s inception, up to 6000 wishes have been granted around Australia to children under the age of 18 who are living with a life-threatening illness.
The wishes can be as small as a new puppy or as big as a family trip to Disneyland. Almost nothing is too hard and the group goes to great lengths to ensure wishes come true.
The process starts with parents or guardians applying for a wish on their children’s behalf.
Volunteers will then arrange a time to visit the family and find out exactly what the child has wished for.
Bron said the wish could be just about anything, as long as it is chiefly for the child involved.
“We don’t do home extensions or new cars. We have done spas and family trips. The Gold Coast is very popular, visiting the theme parks.”
This year has been the busiest in the Cardinia-Casey group’s history with 18 wishes already.
One was a shopping spree, another a request to meet the members of the San Antonio Spurs basketball team.
Kay said the phone call to inform the family that their sick child’s wish had been granted was always a moment to savour.
“It’s a lovely call to make, you get a real buzz. It’s nice to pass on good news,” she said.
Bron said volunteers – or wish fairies as they are called – tried not to get too attached to the families. But human nature being what it is, there are dozens of local young people whose progress has been monitored with interest by many caring observers.
“You try not to get attached, the role is not to follow them through. But being in a country area you get to know people and you hear how they are going.”
The Cardinia-Casey group has dozens of good news stories.
Kooweerup teenager Coby Willis was featured in the Gazette last week as a rising star who holds a special place in his heart for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Coby developed leukaemia when he was two years old. He was given a four-wheel electric bike as a wish gift and is now a state motorbike champion after winning the Victorian off-road series in the 13-16 year old 125cc age group this year.
Kay and Bron are full of similar tales. Wish fairies carry the children they have helped in their hearts and fondly remember little details.
“One of the youngest wish children we had was a little girl, gorgeous blue eyes, blonde hair. We gave her a wish box (a box packed with toys, for children under four),” Kay said.
“She threw all the toys out and jumped into the box.”
Of course, the endings are not always happy. Wish children do not always survive their illness and as exciting as an overseas holiday or new pet can be, it is only small compensation for what can be a stressful and difficult time for everybody involved.
Kay and Bron said they were full of admiration for the families and often wondered how they coped.
“It can be very traumatic for the mum and dad and the other siblings as well,” Bron said.
“It certainly reinforces how lucky we all are.”
The group’s hard-working executive this year sees Helen head up a team that runs as a well-oiled machine.
Cheryl Williams is secretary and Joy De Jong is treasurer. Other officer bearers include Carol Porter (fundraising co-ordinator), Bron (wish grant co-ordinator), Kay (publicity), Pam Vidler (historian), Elva Hamill (social secretary) and Maureen Valentine (volunteer care co-ordinator).
Carol and Madge McMahon have been there from the very first year.
Several others have notched up over a decade of service while Elva will soon celebrate her 80th birthday.
The Casey-Cardinia Make-A-Wish Foundation has raised $700,000 since its inception and its annual fundraising efforts often top $100,000, a massive amount for a predominantly country branch.
The local branch is among the top handful of fundraisers in Australia, an achievement which is the source of some pride for members.
A golf day and dinner danced organised in conjunction with the Noble Park RSL sub branch raised $11,673 this year which was matched with a $10,000 grant from Pakenham AMP through the AMP Foundation.
Other fundraisers include catering at a horse show in Tonimbuk last weekend and a Christmas stocking/wheelbarrow raffle which will be held in Pakenham in early December.
Carol said the generosity of people with their time, money and expertise in running corporate events and attending fundraising efforts was overwhelming.
“From all our volunteers we say a big thank you,” she said.
“Without people’s support we could not raise the funds to grant the cherished wishes of our beautiful children.
“The joy on their faces when their wishes are granted is the best thank-you a Make-A-Wish volunteer can receive.”
