I wish to go to Tokyo Zeila, 10, Mililani autoimmune disorder
Spring 2019 Photo: Rayen Watanabe
WishfulThinking • Note from Trini
Aloha Wish Ohana, What an exciting season it has been! This winter, nearly 5,000 community supporters gathered to walk sideby-side with our wish ohana at the 6th annual Jingle Rock Run. A number of local families enjoyed the holiday season with a wish come true, like Pearl City wish kid Ally, who wished to go to Walt Disney World for Christmas. Others, like Mililani wish kid Zeila, who wishes to go to Tokyo, found out their wishes will soon be coming true. And all of this was possible because of you - our community that rallies behind our wish families when they need it most. This winter was also an exciting time for me personally, as I began my journey as president and CEO of this truly incredible organization. I have had a heart for the Make-AWish Hawaii mission for many years, and I've been fortunate enough to witness firsthand the spark that's ignited when an entire community comes together in support of our keiki.
B O A R D O F D I R E C TO R S Todd Apo, Board Chair Brian Wong, Vice Chair Calvert Chipcase, Secretary Manoj Samaranayake, Treasurer Jeff Higashi Rachel Bradley Erik DeRyke Scott Higashi Melissa Jackson Jon Murakami Keri Shepherd
It is truly my pleasure to join you as we continue to transform lives, one wish at a time. Mahalo and best wishes,
Trini Kaopuiki Clark President and CEO
ON THE COVER Ten-year-old Mililani wish kid Zeila finds out her wish to go to Tokyo is coming true during a Believe Day celebration at Macy's Ala Moana.
Photo: David Livingston
CONNECT WITH US
Recent Events Swing for Wishes Nearly 300 golfers joined us on the green for the 12th annual Swing for Wishes golf tournament at Hawaii Prince Golf Course in October. Local wish families and volunteers cheered on the players and kicked off the event. The tournament was a huge success, raising nearly $170,000! Mahalo to the team at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa for their continued partnership, which has raised more than $1.3 million for local wish kids since 2006. Photo: Rayen Watanabe
Waffles for Wishes With live entertainment and mouth-watering bites from some of Hawaii’s top restaurants, November’s 4th annual Waffles for Wishes was a champagne-chic brunch to remember! Highlights of the day included 8-year-old wish kid Harper’s cupcake decorating station and a live wish reveal for 3-year-old Lincoln, who found out he would soon be going to Walt Disney World! Mahalo to our Young Leaders Board for hosting this fun event and to our generous sponsors and vendors for making wishes come true! Photo: Travis Okimoto
Light the Night Hawaii wish families past, present, and future celebrated the holiday season together at this year’s Light The Night in December. This celebration included pictures with Santa, fun keiki activities, and live entertainment from Infinite Horizon and Miss Hawaii Penelope Ng Pack. Mahalo to the team at Locations Foundation not only for sponsoring this year’s event but also for volunteering and leading keiki activities with our wish kids! Photo: Paula Ota
Jingle Rock Run December’s 6th annual Jingle Rock Run brought together nearly 5,000 participants, volunteers, vendors, and corporate sponsors to walk side-by-side with local families and share in the power of a wish. This festive, family-friendly walk through downtown Honolulu also featured live entertainment, food trucks, and keiki activities. As one of our largest annual fundraisers, Jingle Rock Run raises much-needed funds to make wishes come true. We hope to see you next December! Photo: Darcy Fiero
hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking • Recent Wishes
Change the Lives of Wish Kids
Mahalo for making wishes like these possible! I wish to do gymnastics on the beach in Hawaii Sally, 6, New York cancer
“In between all the chemo, when they said that she could participate in the wonderful organization of Make-A-Wish, her wish was to do gymnastics where Moana was filmed, because we used to watch the movie in the hospital all the time. Thank you Make-AWish…it was something Sally will never forget.” -Wish Dad Nathan
Photo: Abe McAulton
I wish to have a shopping spree Kitiana, 17, Wahiawa kidney disease “The day was incredible and Kitiana was incredibly humble and grateful. At one point Kitiana told me her face was getting tired from the big smile she wore all day…and I was in the same boat. I had as much fun as Kitiana!” -Wish granter Karen
I wish to experience the beauty of Kauai with my family
I wish to meet the princesses at Walt Disney World®
I wish to meet Pluto at Walt Disney World®
Davin, 8, Kailua
Xzylie, 4, Waipahu
nervous system disorder
nervous system disorder “It’s a rare treat to be able to do things together as a whole family unit. It’s been a benefit to Davin to have this wonderful new travel experience, but also to our entire family’s hearts and souls. We couldn’t be more overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. What an amazing gift.” -Wish mom Melissa
leukemia “My daughter really enjoyed her wish—I could just tell by the smile she had on her face. It was the BEST trip we ever had as a family, and everything about it was special and magical. The fact that we were just having fun all together and she didn’t have to go to the doctor’s made her happy.” -Wish mom Crystal
Adonis, 7, Kaneohe “Everything about the wish was perfect. [My favorite part] was seeing his face light up when Pluto walked in the room. It made me happy to see him happy.” -Wish mom Tashena
1,342 Lives Transformed in 2018 I wish to go horseback riding in Hawaii Atma, 8, New Mexico leukemia
1,251
visting wishes of Aloha
91
local families touched by a wish
Kauai
4
Oahu
67 Maui
Wishes granted by island
12 Hawaii Island
8 Photo: Abe McAulton
You make a difference A local wish takes place once every three days in Hawaii. And your support will help children awaiting their wish this week, this month, this year.
DONATE TODAY hawaii.wish.org/donate
hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking • Wishes Stories
Wish in Progress: Ava's Wish to go to the LEGO Headquarters
I wish to go to the Lego headquarters in Denmark Ava, 12, Honolulu cystic fibrosis
Photo: Rayen Watanabe
Twelve-year-old Ava’s creativity and love of LEGOs is limitless. Her room is lined with shelves of her creations and favorite LEGO sets. Some are assembled to illustrate math problems or Bible stories. Some play starring roles in the stopmotion movies she writes and produces. Others are just for fun. Most provide an escape from her battle with cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that affects her lungs. Her LEGOs follow her everywhere, even to the hospital, which she visits every
three months for routine appointments. Each appointment, Ava builds something new, concentrating on LEGO dragons and elves instead of blood draws and shots. Ava has always handled her illness with maturity and strength. Each morning, she completes her lung clearance therapy, which takes an hour and a half. She takes her 10-15 daily medications. After her schoolwork is complete, she does another 45-minute treatment in the evening. When her doctor and child life specialist
referred her to Make-A-Wish Hawaii, it was an opportunity for Ava to shift some of her focus back on simply being a kid. Says Ava’s mom, Megan, “I think it’s an opportunity to really celebrate Ava for something she’s passionate about—to really focus on Ava with something not CF-related, but what she’s interested in now and what hopefully the future will hold for her.”
My Life Now: Bradley Akamu "Being able to have something that brings you happiness... that really helps positive outcomes." Volunteer Coordinator at Hawaii Meals on Wheels, dog owner, outdoor enthusiast, amateur photographer—31-year-old Bradley Akamu wears many hats. He’s also a childhood leukemia survivor and a former wish kid; Make-A-Wish Hawaii granted his wish to have a saxophone nearly 20 years ago, a wish that he still reflects on as a turning point in his journey. “It’s easy to remember the negatives—the treatments, feeling nauseous, being sick all the time,” he explains. “But being able to have something to look forward to, something that is still associated with what you’re going through but that’s positive—that’s amazing.” Though he’s been in remission for 18 years, Bradley thinks about his wish often, pulling out his saxophone and reflecting on the escape it provided him from his battle with childhood illness. Today, as Volunteer Coordinator at Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Bradley hopes to touch people in the community in need just as his wish granters and Make-A-Wish ohana touched him and his family. Bradley draws an important similarity between our organizations: that sometimes people don’t see the impact beyond the one meal or one wish day. “Wishes are like our meals. The meals are the thing people think of, but it’s what goes beyond that really makes a big impact,” he says. “For our clients, it’s being able to see somebody, a smile to look forward to…something that improves quality of life. It’s the same for me and other wish kids. Being able to have something that brings you happiness… that really helps positive outcomes. There are so many kids out there that have recovered, gotten treatment, are in remission, and getting that wish really makes such a difference.”
I wish to have a saxophone Bradley, wish granted 1998 leukemia
Photo: Rayen Watanabe hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
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Upcoming Events 33RD ANNUAL APRIL FOOLISH Gordon Biersch at Aloha Tower Marketplace Friday, April 5 , 5 pm - 12 am WISH! IN AN ENCHANTED GARDEN GALA Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina Saturday, April 27, 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm Please contact Arden Salassa at 808-537-3118 ext. 115 to reserve a table.
DRIVE FOR WISHES RADIOTHON Friday, June 7, 6 am to 7 pm Kicking off our summertime drive, Give Wishes Wings! Tune into 94.7 KUMU and KHON2.
For more information about upcoming events, call 808-537-3118
I wish to meet the princesses at Disneyland® Daphine, 7, Kailua-Kona sickle cell disease