My son Chris’ wish sparked the movement behind Make-A-Wish

Will you help me continue Chris’ legacy of life-changing wishes? [Make-A-Wish]( [Give Now]( Friend, When my son Christopher was diagnosed with acute leukemia at just 4 years old, the doctors said he only had about three years left to live. That night, I made a vow to help Chris live an entire lifetime in three years. Bar none. So when Chris started to get very ill, I knew that it was time to make his dream to become a police officer real. I made one phone call to a family friend who could help, and the next thing I knew, a whole community had come together to grant Chris’ wish. He was awarded the honorary rank of patrolman and changed into an official uniform – complete with a helmet and a Smokey Bear hat. He even got to ride around in a real ranger helicopter. When I was tucking Chris into bed that night, he went to sleep with the badge in his hand. That was April 29, 1980. On May 3, surrounded by his uniform and all of his police things, he passed away. [Donate to Grant More Wishes in Honor of Chris]( Now, every year on April 29, we celebrate World Wish Day® to honor Chris – and his wish that sparked the movement behind Make-A-Wish. It's been more than 40 years since he received his wish, and I am still amazed and inspired by how one little boy's dream to be a policeman has touched the lives of so many thousands of people. I believe that Chris was put on this Earth to inspire this mission – to provide more kids with the hope, strength and joy of a wish as they fight a critical illness. There was a unity born with the group that granted Chris’ wish. We decided we were going to do it again, because there were more children out there who needed a wish. We emptied the change in our pockets – it was $37.76 – and with that, funded the start of Make-A-Wish. [Donate to Help Make More Wishes Come True]( But right now, there are so many more children like Chris who are waiting for a wish to change their life as they face the pain of their illness. These wish experiences have the power to create turning points in their lives – giving them the strength they need to persevere. That’s why it’s so important to help make their wishes come true. [So please, will you give $37.76 today – the same amount that Make-A-Wish's founding donors gave to grant more wishes in honor of my son, Chris? Your generosity will go a long way toward making better health outcomes and brighter tomorrows possible for more children fighting a critical illness.]( [Donate $37.76 Now To Grant Wishes]( [Donate $50 Now To Grant Wishes]( [Donate $125 Now To Grant Wishes]( [Give Another Amount]( Thank you so much for helping me carry Chris’ legacy forward. It means so much to me – and to the thousands of lives that have been touched by your generosity. [Photo of Linda Pauling]( Linda Pauling Mother of Chris, the founding wish kid [A child make a wish. You make the difference. Donate.]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [youtube]( Make-A-Wish Foundation of America 1702 E. Highland Avenue, Suite 400 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit [wish.org](. To help transform the lives of children with critical illnesses, please [make a donation](. Please add Make-A-WishFoundation@mail.wish.org to your address book to ensure future delivery. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Your Email Preferences]( | [View This Email As A Web Page]( ©2023 Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America. Make-A-Wish Foundation, Make-A-Wish and the Make-A-Wish swirl-and-star logo are marks of Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.