We have been working with a local teen who has a rare genetic condition that leads to dangerous episodes of low oxygen. This young man and his family have very little and we highly respect their privacy; however, it is also a heart wrenching wish that we want to share. When we conducted his wish interview, we […]
Four-year-old Marilyn received the devastating diagnosis of Stage-4 Metastatic Yolk Sack Cancer in March of 2022. This past year has been a whirlwind of treatments and during one long and difficult chemo stay, Marilyn sat on her bed gazing out the window and wistfully said, “I wish I could swim in the ocean and see
It’s hard to believe that we first met Luke when he was three years old and a fan of Elmo. It was 2008 and he was dealing with Myelodysplastic Syndrome at the time and we were happy to send him to Sesame Street Resort to meet this popular character. We all enjoyed the photos of
In the past year, 17-year-old Chance was diagnosed with cancerous tumors in his left femur, all lobes of his lungs and right thigh. He has gone through intense chemotherapy and radiation, multiple lung surgeries, a crisis of his veins leaking the chemo, and a leg amputation. When Chance was interviewed by our wish wizards, we learned more
At three-months-old, Sawyer’s parents received the heartbreaking news that their perfect baby boy had a very rare neurological and degenerative disorder. His adoring Mom stayed home to be with him each and every day and gave him the best childhood she could! He loved the outdoors, hiking and spending time at a Park Reserve just
Valens is a curious and active 8-year-old who has battled a rare and very serious hormonal condition all his life resulting in extended periods of hospitalization. In fact, he’s so familiar with being an inpatient that he shared his favorite memories as “getting x-rays” and he would like to grow up to be a heart
This handsome young man has been a Wishes & More “Kid” since 2006 when he received his wish for a hot tub! He was battling Stage 4 Neuroblastoma when we met him and water therapy was incorporated into his treatment. This hot tub is still a part of his daily life and he mentioned in
Recently, Wishes & More provided memorial funds to the parents of a precious 6-month-old. This little angel was the youngest of four sisters and brought an incredible amount of joy to her household from day one. Just days after enjoying her first Christmas, Ivanna took her final breath. Her heart wrenching obituary read, “Her wide
Mateo is an active, playful 3-year-old from Brooklyn Park battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He is the middle child of three and this little cutie loves playing with cars & balls, and has a fascination with bugs. Our Wish Wizards spoke with Mateo’s parents with the help of a fantastic Spanish-speaking interpreter. They learned of his love
Bragging is typically something moms and grandparents do, but we are so proud of our former Wish Kid Linae, that we can’t help but do a big shout out about what she’s accomplished and where she is now! You may remember Linae’s wish from 2019 – she visited Washington DC and we included a special
John’s critical condition requires water therapy 4-5 days per week; however, his family let us know that the therapy location isn’t nearby or convenient and, with five other kids, they are unable to make the drive as much as is needed. The other option of him receiving warm water therapy in the bathtub also became
Everybody loves “small world” connections that weave through our lives. Like those people you meet on vacation in Florida, who knew your best friend when they were kids. Or in this case, the two little girls diagnosed with a very similar cancer who live in small towns just 20 miles from each other – who BOTH received
Hazley is a fun and spunky Halloween baby who turned four this year! This young family was having dinner one night when her dad lifted her up and felt something abnormal in her stomach. By the next week, Hazley was in surgery to remove a tumor and started treatment immediately afterwards. For 7-1/2 months, this
Three-year-old Lola is a HUGE fan of Minnie Mouse. Throughout her little life, Lola has used Minnie as a coping and comfort tool. Unfortunately, this blue eyed sweetheart, with bouncing curls, visits doctors quite often as a result of her extremely rare genetic condition. Mom relayed, “Minnie goes everywhere with us. Minnie keeps us brave when at appointments. And
Brody is an outdoorsy 10-year-old who suffers from a rare bone disease. His diagnosis has meant surgery and months of chemotherapy, but the family stayed strong and so did Brody! When our volunteers talked with this adventuresome kid, he had many things to say! He talked about wanting to be a cowboy and pretending to ride bulls. Then he
Will was born with congenital heart disease and doctors told his parents that he would require on-going treatment and quite a few surgeries as he grew. Now at the age of 12, he’s become more aware of the gravity of his condition and, not surprising, he has suffered ongoing anxiety and fear surrounding his checkups
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more inquisitive mind than Kingston’s, especially when it comes to outer space! This twelve-year-old from White Bear Lake can often be found with his gaze turned upward. Kingston came to Wishes & More because he has a rare, life-threatening blood disorder that causes the formation of blood clots in
Matthew’s mom served 20 years in the Army Reserve including a year’s deployment in Iraq when he was just three-years-old. But her greatest challenge came more recently in 2021 when, as a single mom, her 17-year-old son, Matthew, was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma – a rare cancer of the bone or soft tissue. His diagnosis
Elias struggles with a genetic condition that has adverse effects on his whole body, including his ability to eat or speak. He’s battled this severe condition every day for the past 18 years and requires round the clock care, shared by two nurses, but he’s also enjoyed many happy moments with his loving family. As a single
Meet Emma! She’s a happy 11-year-old from North Branch who loves nothing more than swimming! In fact, she had her mind made up on a pool wish even before we met with her. She’s a little fish in the water and her medical team shared that it is great therapy for her and fulfills her need for
Thirteen-year-old Addie began experiencing pain in her right leg that came from nowhere and wasn’t going away. This led to numerous scans and testing and no one in her family will forget September of 2021 when they determined the source – B-Cell Lymphoma. Mom describes her as “humble, kind, strong, brave, and a very driven
Wishes & More had the pleasure of surprising one of our wish kids with his Wish Reveal at our Fall Beer & Wine Sampling Event. Thirteen-year-old Max reluctantly agreed to be introduced as a “Wish Kid” in front of our 120+ attendees. He’s a very shy young man – unless he is on a baseball, football or
Asiya is a sweet 9-year-old from Roseville who’s challenged by cerebral palsy and is also battling heart disease. Despite these difficulties, she is an incredibly sweet and smiley little lady with a family who simply adores her. Her therapist has set a goal to get Asiya outside more and her family thought that a trip would inspire
High school commencement is a date to look forward to and remember, but not in the way it will be remembered by Ryla. Due to a genetic condition, this strong-willed young lady has dealt with benign tumors along her nerve lines all of her life. And for the last 11 years she has dealt with
