Give a Child a World of Hope
With a Life-Changing Wish Trip

When Mary Alice’s mom, Laurie, noticed unusual bruises on her daughter’s legs, she brought it up with the doctor. At first, they suspected the bruises were from normal childhood incidents, but to be cautious, they ran bloodwork. As soon as Mary Alice and Laurie returned home from the visit, the doctor called with alarming results and urged them to go straight to the hospital.

The next three months were filled with endless tests, bloodwork and transfusions as doctors searched for answers. Finally, Mary Alice was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder requiring a bone marrow transplant.

Thankfully, a match for her transplant was quickly found. The transplant was successful, but recovery meant spending seven long weeks in the hospital, followed by four months of living near the hospital, far from home and away from her siblings, and then frequent hospital clinic visits for nearly a year.

Through it all, one thing remained constant – Mary Alice’s love of horses. No matter where she was, Smurfy, her beloved stuffed horse, was always by her side. Smurfy kept her company, lifted her spirits, and even helped pass the time with surprise parties, tutoring sessions and an extravagant wedding of his own! “It was very formal,” Laurie jokingly said. “Doctors came to this wedding. There were bubbles.”

When it came time to choose her wish, Mary Alice had a few simple requests: horses, a barn, a pond and butterflies. After talking to her wish granters, the decision was clear – to visit a dude ranch in Colorado and experience the joy of riding a real horse.

Mary Alice and her family – her mom, dad, brother and sister – set off on a Rocky Mountain adventure. Together, they rode horses twice a day, took in breathtaking views, climbed rocky cliffs (where Mary Alice was the first to bravely reach the top!), and even went whitewater rafting.

One of the most memorable moments happened when Mary Alice led her horse into its corral. As she stood there, several horses unexpectedly surrounded her, showing an unusual level of gentleness and interest. “We got teary-eyed,” Laurie recalled. “It wasn’t scary. She didn’t have any treats, like normally, they’re not interested in people … if they don’t have something for them. It was really cool.”

The moment felt surreal – like the horses sensed something remarkable about Mary Alice. From then on, Mary Alice was affectionately called “the horse whisperer.”

After months apart from her siblings during treatment, this time together meant the world to Mary Alice. It was more than just a trip – it was a chance to be a kid again, surrounded by the people, and the animals, she loves most.

Travel wishes need you. More than 75% of all wishes involve some form of travel. Airfare costs are the greatest expense on travel wishes. In fact, Make-A-Wish needs more than 3.2 billion miles to cover travel wishes each year. You have the power to give more children a world of hope by donating your airline miles today.