A Private Shopping Spree is Extra Special During Pandemic Times

Add a cancer diagnosis for your child on top of a global pandemic, and life becomes extra bleak.

This was the reality for wish mom, Erica, when her daughter Lauren was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in February. Lauren had emergency surgery to remove a 10-pound tumor—and then underwent three months of chemotherapy.

All while COVID-19 spread around the world, causing many communities to hunker down for long stretches—and adding extra restrictions to hospital stays and visits.

When Lauren found out she would receive a wish, her mind immediately jumped to dreams of travel and people she might like to meet.

But she also realized that many of those wishes wouldn’t be possible for a long time due to the pandemic.

Then the idea of a shopping spree bubbled up in conversation with her wish-granting volunteers. Lauren hadn’t set foot in a store in months. She imagined the joy of walking safely through the doors of a store—and getting the chance to focus on choosing things that made her happy.

Just the thought of shopping for fun made her feel hope for the first time in a long while. That’s how Lauren settled on a wish to have a shopping spree.

Enter some amazing community partners, and Lauren’s wish exceeded her expectations.

Target opened the store early so that Lauren could have a private shopping experience without worrying about COVID-19.

“Who wouldn’t want to shop in a store that was opened just for you? It was smile after smile as she discovered what was on the next aisle and next item in her cart.”

What was the hardest part about wish day? Keeping up with Lauren as she raced through the store, so excited by the freedom to explore and be able to pick out items. She even got to try out the loudspeaker in the bakery department.

Part of Lauren’s shopping list included new furniture for her bedroom. Longtime Make-A-Wish supporter, Bailey’s Furniture, helped grant this part of Lauren’s wish—delivering a new bedroom set right to her house.

“We’ve loved being a partner to Make-A-Wish for years now,” said Ron Bailey of Bailey’s Furniture, “and we’re excited about everything we can accomplish for years to come.”

Lauren has overcome a lot this year, and now she has the joyful memories of the community coming together to grant her wish—and the fun of hunkering down in her newly furnished bedroom with other items that she picked out during her trips down the aisles of Target—like a Tablet, airpods, and other toys.

A heavy dose of hope. That’s just what Lauren needed after the year she’s had, and thanks to the generosity of the community, that’s what you helped Make-A-Wish deliver.

What was the best part of the experience? Wish mom Erica says, “Watching people come together in the community for a child that they didn’t even know.”

You can make wishes come true year-round for children like Lauren when you make a gift of $35 a month in honor of our 35^th anniversary! Join other caring and compassionate people bring joy to wish kids by becoming a monthly donor because wishes are waiting!

Check out Lauren's wish come true on KTUU.

Special thanks to Bailey’s Furniture, Target T-2371 Anchorage NE, and wish-granting volunteers Sharon Barr and Rona Lipke.