How Granting Wishes Can Help Children with Critical Illnesses Heal

Wishes have proven physical and emotional benefits for seriously-ill children.

By Seattle Mag January 31, 2018

This post is sponsored.

Some might call Erika Jackman a superwoman. By profession, she’s a pilot traveling the world, but she’s also a loving and dedicated wife, mother of three young daughters, and a wish-granting volunteer. How does she do it all?

“People would be really surprised by the wish-granting process, the flexibility and how easy it is to succeed as a volunteer,” she says.

Erika didn’t set out to intentionally become a volunteer. It just sort of happened when a friend asked her for a favor. Her friend was a Make-A-Wish^® volunteer and was planning a wish for an 11-year-old named Kara, whose dream was to go on the longest flight possible. At the time, Kara’s prognosis wasn’t good, so her wish-granting volunteers were pulling out all the stops to make sure her experience was top-notch. That’s where Erika came in. Kara loved the particular type of aircraft that Erika flew professionally, so Erika was asked to give Kara a behind-the-scenes tour.

Erika and Kara on Kara’s Make-A-Wish^® behind-the-scenes aircraft tour

That tour lasted several hours, but it was only minutes in before Erika was hooked on Make-A-Wish^®. “I remember her mom crying as she told me that they had decided to stop treatment on Kara’s inoperable brain tumor, and the wish was providing their family with one last epic adventure to enjoy together and to make memories.”

Remarkably, Kara came back from that vacation and the tumor stopped growing. To this day, there is no explanation as to why, but Erika thinks she knows, “I believe the wish experience helps the child recover from their illness.”

Erika and Make-A-Wish^® recipients

Research shows that Erika’s on to something. Wishes have proven physical and emotional benefits that can give children with critical illnesses a higher chance of survival.

Today, Kara is 18 years old and remains very close with Erika and her family. She has flown to Seattle multiple times to visit Erika and her husband and has met each one of Erika’s young daughters.

Erika and a Make-A-Wish^® recipient

“As a volunteer, the connections that you make and the changes you facilitate for these children and their families really do make a difference in their lives and your own,” says Erika. “It makes me a better person; it enriches my life. It allows me to provide them with something magical.”

Right now, there is a long waiting line for wishes. Children are waiting because there aren’t enough volunteers to grant their wishes when they need it most. Can you help? Find out more about becoming a volunteer at akwa.wish.org/volunteer.

“There are a lot of volunteer opportunities where you really wonder does what I do matter? With Make-A-Wish it’s different. You know it matters!”

From Make-A-Wish^®:

Each year, more than 700 dedicated volunteers throughout the Northwest give their time and talents to make magic happen for the very special children and families we serve. There is nothing more rewarding than helping make a child’s most cherished dream a reality, so see what this life-changing organization is all about!

Become a volunteer! We are especially in need of volunteers in the Seattle metro area, Anchorage, Longview, Olympia, Spokane, Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Wenatchee and Yakima.