Thanksgiving wasn’t the same for many people this year; for Karson, it was VERY different as he spent it in anticipation of his Wish Day on FRIDAY! This six-year-old struggles with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, chiari malformation, and neurogenic bowel & bladder (inability to control,) and yet this bundle of energy doesn’t let any of these difficulties slow …
Meet Emmalee! She is currently in her Senior Year at Sebeka High School and just like many other teens, COVID has taken away a lot of the fun activities of her final year of HS – but so has her diagnosis of kidney disease. Her condition has continued to worsen throughout her life to the …
Meet our warrior wish baby – Brandyn! This little guy just had a big milestone and Wishes & More was incredibly happy to be a part of the big celebration! Brandyn was born at 28 weeks with Down Syndrome and a critical heart condition. His frightened mother found out that before he would ever be …
Eighteen-year-old Abigail had just started college at UWEC for Athletic Training when she received the diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma. She has had to put her long-awaited college dream on hold and focus instead on resting and allowing her intense treatments to take effect. These treatments have taken a toll on Abbie both emotionally and physically …
Caleb has spent the last year in and out of the hospital after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He has endured 33 rounds of radiation and year-long chemotherapy treatments. His tumor is intertwined with much of his brain, and only a small portion could be removed so, unfortunately, the remaining mass is inoperable. However, …
During the Summer months leading into her sophomore year, Megan started to feel run down and found out she had pneumonia. After 6 weeks of treatments, she wasn’t feeling well but she still went to her first day of school and her parents scheduled a doctor’s appointment right after the school day ended. Doctors were alarmed …
Out of nowhere, after living an active and healthy life, 13 year old Jade suffered a traumatic seizure. After this crippling event, she was diagnosed with severe intractable epilepsy and she was placed in a medically induced coma so her medical team could run tests and locate the source of the problem. They woke her …
On his special wish day, Julian not only had the chance to see acres of cool cars at the Withrow Car Show, he was also brought on stage and surprised by Advisory Board member and ESPN Broadcaster, Clay Matvick, with the news that his wish was approved and coming true! Julian was born with a rare genetic …
When his family first found Wishes & More, Cole was in extremely poor health due to a traumatic birth with only 25% of the blood needed in his body. His parents anticipated receiving a memorial grant instead of a wish fulfillment. Despite the poor prognosis for their child, they remained hopeful and continued to see him through …
Last November, an ambulance transported Korbin to the hospital because he couldn’t breathe and tests showed that his heart was only functioning at 23% capacity. He was soon diagnosed with Lupus disease, a condition causing his immune system to attack his own body. After about a week in the ICU, his heart made a comeback, …
Meet Ellie! She may look like your average teenager, but she has been struggling with a serious blood disorder called Myelodysplastic Syndrome. She became very ill last year and unfortunately, had to postpone her dream of attending college in order to receive a necessary bone marrow transplant. With the successful treatment and recovery process behind …
Jeremy was born with a very serious and debilitating condition where large portions of his spine were missing. These deformities have led to other serious difficulties with eating, breathing, fluid on the brain, among others. He has never been too far from a hospital stay and his wish was to spend more time outdoors. Sounds …
AD was seventeen years old when he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. This shocking discovery was followed by an entire year of intense and difficult treatments before he came to Wishes & More and we learned of his desire to get a car allowance to help him pay for the car of his dreams! As AD …
Anna was sixteen years old when she went into kidney failure. For months, Anna experience symptoms of a common cold such as coughing fits, feeling weak, and simply under the weather. Finally, after the lingering cold symptoms lasted far too long, Anna and Mom decided to go to the hospital. Tests revealed that her body …
Fifteen-year-old Julie is an outgoing, but quiet, young lady who suffers from a serious genetic disorder resulting in fragile & brittle bones; it also confines her to a wheelchair. Julie is a “family” girl and her condition also restricts her from participating in activities that are an important part of her family’s culture. Every weekend …
Grant is a sixteen-year old, struggling with a Mitochondrial Disease, who has a passion for projects and putting things together. He enjoys spending hours following directions and creating something “really cool.” He’s a LEGO pro and he hates to stop construction once he gets started and the bigger the better; consequently, his wish could not …
David is a 18-year-old who was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma in March. He underwent many weeks of progressive chemotherapy and just recently he was proclaimed to be in remission! David, an avid hunter and lover of the outdoors had a few really cool ideas for outdoor wishes but finally narrowed it down to an ATV …
Hannah is a eighteen-year-old, first year at Normandale College awaiting a Kidney Transplant. Three days a week, Hannah spends her day getting dialysis. This schedule, and the complications of kidney failure, is exhausting and drains this sweet young lady of her strength. Unfortunately, this will remain her routine until she gets the long-awaited word that …
Lizzie is 7 years old, but physically, she is in the same developmental stage as a 3-month-old. This is due to multiple complex medical issues from her diagnosis of Pallister-Killian Syndrome. Lizzie receives a lot of physical therapy because of her condition, and one of the things that is very beneficial to her is being …
“Semper Fi” is generally associated with the US Marine Corp and means always loyal, and Andrew, a 18-year-old with Lymphoma, had already expressed his loyalty by joining the Marines while still a Senior in high school. He was following the footsteps of his dad and uncles and his interests fell in the area of military …
Caleb is a joyful and loving fourteen-year-old with a chromosome disorder that has resulted in multiple surgeries and keeps him confined to a wheelchair. He enjoys swimming, reading, animals, and spending time with his family. Caleb’s grandparents have four wheelers and Dad really wanted to see his son enjoying “wind in his face” like other …
At 19 months old, beautiful Lucia was diagnosed with Primary Hyperoxaluria, requiring her to have kidney and liver transplants. While Lucia waits for a kidney and liver, she endures dialysis every morning, Monday through Saturday leaving little time for play. After an insightful interview with our Wish Wizards, we discovered this innocent little girl loves …
Lucas’ wish was not one of indulgence, but instead to learn and become great at a new endeavor. Now 18, Lucas was born three months premature with Amniotic Band Syndrome, a condition that can cause abnormalities and amputations to legs, fingers and hands. His lower right leg is missing below the knee, and many of …
Lauren, a twelve-year-old from South Dakota, was diagnosed with localized Ewing’s Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer usually found in children and young adults, affecting her left pelvic bone. Before we met Lauren, she had spent many months over the past year undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. Lauren’s place of retreat is her grandparents’ cabin in Okoboji, …