Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area

Eight-year-old Luna loves to watch Disney movies and sing along with her favorite characters—especially Ana and Elsa from Frozen and Mirabel from Encanto. When she was in treatment for leukemia, Luna would watch videos of Disney World and dream of experiencing it for herself. When she found out she had received a wish, Luna knew exactly what she wanted: a trip to Disney World with her family. Luna had an unforgettable week with her older brother, Anthony, and parents, Perla and Jorge, exploring the parks and meeting all her favorite characters. She even got to spend a day at nearby Discovery Cove swimming with dolphins! For Luna, it was a dream come true. "Thank you for making it possible for us to have such beautiful experiences with my daughter's wish," says Perla. "We had so many wonderful and special experiences. Everything was magical for Luna and our entire family." #FeelGoodFriday

Exciting news! ?? Today marks the grand opening of our Evening of Wishes: Rediscover Wonder gala silent auction. Whether you plan to attend the gala in person or simply want to support our cause from afar, now through March 20 at 8 p.m. PDT is your chance to bid on awe-inspiring items! From luxury getaways to unique Bay Area experiences, our auction offers something for everyone. Remember, your bids will help make wishes come true for children and their families, just when they need them the most. Join the excitement now at https://lnkd.in/gsU-VFeH, and let's make wishes come true together! ??

Purchase your tickets today and join us NEXT WEEK for 2025 Evening of Wishes: Rediscover Wonder on Thursday, March 20 at the historic Palace Hotel in San Francisco: https://bit.ly/43JPnZE Our wonder-filled program will feature wish kid Eero, who has been fascinated with dinosaurs since he was three years old. After going through treatment for leukemia, Eero wished to be a paleontologist and visit a real dig site! Tables are filling up quickly, so don't delay, buy your tickets now and rediscover your own sense of childhood wonder in support of wish kids. Hope to see you there! #EveningOfWishes

Born with congenital heart disease, Avery endured countless surgeries, including a heart transplant at just 4 years old. During her recovery, she received exciting news: she was going to receive a wish! Now, nearly 15 years later, Avery still cherishes the memories from her wish, inspiring her to "Wish It Forward" as a Make-A-Wish intern and volunteer. “Make-A-Wish is important because it allows you to be a kid and to experience anything that you want to experience outside the hospital. If you just make one wish come true, you’re making a ton of other wishes come true [because] that one person is going to go on to help a lot of other children like them; that’s what my goal is.” – Avery ?? Help give more kids like Avery hope for a brighter future. Donate to grant wishes at wish.org/greaterbay/donate Make-A-Wish? Massachusetts and Rhode Island | Make-A-Wish America

After battling leukemia, nine-year-old Rosita wished to go to Disneyland with her parents and younger sister. Together, they spent an incredible week exploring the parks, going on rides, and meeting all of Rosita's favorite Disney characters! The wish trip made a lasting impression on both Rosita and her family. “We just want to thank you for this beautiful gift for our daughter,” says Rosita’s mom, Rosangela. “These photos are a few of the many we will keep in our memories.” #TestimonialTuesday

This week we granted eight INCREDIBLE wishes and assisted with three more! Thank you to PlayStation for the wish support this week, and to everyone who helps bring strength, hope, joy, and community to wish kids and their families. ??

Happy #InternationalWomensDay! Today, we celebrate the incredible folks who help bring wishes to life. From our dedicated staff to volunteers and other WishMakers, their passion and hard work inspire hope for children fighting critical illnesses every day. Join us in recognizing the amazing people here at Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area! Tag someone who makes a difference in the comments below. #IWD2025 ??: CEO Betsy Biern with then Board Chair Marti Pozzi at our 2024 Evening of Wishes: Birthday Bash

For our February volunteer spotlight, we celebrated Alicia Purpur! Since 2019, Alicia has been a wish granter on six wishes. In April 2024, she also became a mentor volunteer, supporting the final step of the onboarding process for new wish granters by completing follow-up phone calls after they observe a wish. Alicia has done a fantastic job and is always willing to help on calls. Alicia shares, “It’s so special to me that I’ve been with Make-A-Wish through some of the biggest moments in my life—starting college, graduating, getting married, and now beginning my new job. I can only imagine the incredible life experiences that volunteers who have been with the organization for over twenty years must have!” Thank you, Alicia! ??? ??: Alicia (standing in back, center) and fellow wish granter Pablo Lock Flores with wish kid Josue and his family #FeelGoodFriday

Six-year-old Jade underwent a difficult medical journey and had to have a bone marrow transplant. Jade is a huge Disney fan—she especially loves Disney princesses, like Belle and Jasmine, and all their accessories! Having already been to Disneyland, she decided that a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando was the perfect wish. Jade, along with her older sister Ava, younger brother Cruz, and parents Brittany and Mitchell, had a blast exploring the parks, riding rides, meeting characters, and making unforgettable memories together! ? #WishWednesday

Eight-year-old Judah is an adventurous and fun kid who loves rollercoasters and going fast, according to his mom, Connie. Though he suffers from a blood disorder, Judah is determined not to let it slow him down. Judah wished to go to Disneyland to ride the rollercoasters and meet the characters from Toy Story—his favorite is Woody. He spent an action-packed week in Anaheim with his mom and Aunt Charmaine, experiencing everything he had set out to and more! The family stayed at Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel, which has Toy Story-themed rooms. Connie wrote: “I just want to say thank you so much again for Judah's wish. The Make-A-Wish team is awesome! I'm very grateful. Thank you so much for everything.” #TestimonialTuesday