The Gavenman Family: Moving forward, giving back
by Kimberly Olson
When he was 9 years old, Max Gavenman was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer called pilocytic astrocytoma. “It was not a very joyful time for any of us,” Max says, referring to himself; his parents, Kim and Jon; and siblings, Sam and Jenna.
When they first learned that Max qualified for a wish, the Gavenmans politely declined. Max dreamed of a trip to Disneyland, but his parents could afford that on their own and felt the resources should go to a child who might not have the same opportunity.
Then, after graduating from high school, Max woke up one morning to discover he was unable to feel the right side of his body. “I could barely walk, I could barely eat. The right side of my mouth was half open,” he remembers.
“We suddenly weren’t going to college,” says Jon. “We were getting a motorized wheelchair because he couldn’t walk. We didn’t know what the future held. And that changed the analysis for us.”
This time, when the subject of the wish came up, the Gavenmans were on board. “They explained that it’s not about the money,” Kim recalls. “It’s about giving a child something to look forward to that money can’t buy. So, we were like, ‘Okay, yeah, this kid’s been through enough. Let’s do it.’”
Max sitting in the cockpit of the plane on his way to Los Angeles in 2017.
Max and Jon are longtime Star Wars fans and Max wished to attend the premiere of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in Los Angeles. Sam still remembers the day the wish began to feel real. “I watched my little brother light up when Make-A-Wish volunteers showed up at the front door with the Star Wars gear and decorations,” Sam says. “He started to realize, ‘Wow, we’ve got quite the adventure ahead of us.’ There is no monetary value on that.”
In December 2017, The Gavenmans flew to Los Angeles on Virgin Airlines, and the flight crew invited Max to sit in the cockpit. “For someone who wanted to be a pilot, it was surreal,” Max says. “They couldn’t have been nicer.”
At the premiere, Max and Jon quite literally got the red-carpet treatment. “I was on the runway where all the celebrities walk by, and a lot of them made a special effort to say hello,” Max says. “Being able to meet them was a surreal experience. That just brightened my world.”
“That glimmer of hope—where we could put everything aside and do something phenomenal that my brother will remember forever—that’s a powerful thing,” Sam says. “It warms my heart to this day.”
Max recently earned a master’s in social work from USC and is looking toward a career advocating for people with disabilities. The whole family also gives back to Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area in a variety of ways—one big way is by attending the chapter’s Evening of Wishes gala every year. “It’s like prom night for us,” Jenna explains. “We all go together. We’ve added friends, and our group just keeps growing. We love it.”
“That glimmer of hope—where we could put everything aside and do something phenomenal that my brother will remember forever—that’s a powerful thing.”
Sam Gavenman
Wish sibling
The Gavenmans are personal donors to Make-A-Wish. “Any money that we can give, we tend to prioritize for Make-A-Wish,” explains Jenna. They also participate in peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, including this year’s Walk for Wishes.
“We couldn’t ask for better ambassadors,” says Dennis Schrag, Senior Major Gifts Officer. “They always make a big impact at our gala and bid competitively during our live auction. We are extremely grateful they care so deeply about our mission and want more kids to have transformative wish experiences like Max had. They are an inspiring philanthropic family.”
Max volunteers as a member of the Wish It Forward alumni council, and he’s recently begun serving as a Wish Ambassador as well. He’s looking forward what the future holds. “I’m excited to just have a world of possibilities,” he says.