COMMUNITY NEWS
A WISH GRANTED ON “PORPOISE”
J
Makes Quite the Splash By Beverly Perkins
eanluca Martinez-Lopez of Pembroke Pines was the most recent “Make-A-Wish” kid to have a wish granted. The six-year-old was born with a life-threatening heart disease that has been extremely challenging for the sweet boy and his family. However, Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida wanted to alleviate some of the stress and provide some happiness to allow them all to forget about his lifelong medical issues for just a little while.
Photo Credit: “Make-A-Wish Southern Florida”
Typically, there are five types of wish requests: “I wish to be (something),” “I wish to meet (someone),” “I wish to go (somewhere),” “I wish to have (something),” and “I wish to give (something).” Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida has granted more than 12,000 life-changing wishes since 1983 for children who have critical illnesses. The non-profit organization aims to grant a wish for every medically eligible child in its territory. Jeanluca’s wish was a dolphin encounter and the Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida team was happy to oblige. The generous organization presented the Pembroke Pines family with a dream vacation in Clearwater, Florida with admission to be VIP guests at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The visit included a private tour of the dolphin habitat before the facility opened to the public as well as an opportunity to participate in a training session. “It’s been a flawless and fantastic experience,” exclaimed Lucy Lopez, Jeanluca’s mother.
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24 / July 2021 / OurCityMedia.com
Jeanluca loved his up-close and personal experience where he was able to assist the trainer and feed the dolphins. He loved interacting with the warm-blooded mammals. But his favorite part was getting soaking wet from a dolphin’s playful splash. “The wishes we grant aren’t just nice, they’re necessary. Research shows the anticipation of a wish and the memories made during them can have a positive and significant impact on the health and well-being of the children, families, and extended networks we reach,” stated Lisa Andrews, regional director, Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida.
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For more information on Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida, visit sfla.wish.org.
