Volunteer Spotlight: Donna Van Stralen
by Kali Sherman
At 19 years old, Donna Van Stralen’s daughter, Kira, gave birth to a baby boy she named Blaize. Blaize’s father was not always in the picture. As a young single mother, Kira needed some help.
Donna stepped in to help as a caregiver for Blaize when he was an infant. When Blaize was diagnosed with Infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 8 months old in 2017, his care became even more of a family endeavor. Donna’s then 80-year-old mother, Betty, stepped in to help with the 24/7 care rotation during the long hospital stays.
“We’re a four-generational household,” says Donna, “It really takes a family affair to raise a child, especially with all his medical issues. We needed all hands on deck. It's like he's our collective child.”
Blaize and great grandmother, Betty, grandmother, Donna, and mother, Kira, in the hospital.
Blaize looking out the window of the hospital.
Blaize and mother, Kira, grandmother, Donna, and great grandmother, Betty, in the hospital for his bone marrow transplant.
Blaize and grandmother, Donna, in the hospital.
When Blaize received a wish, he wished for a backyard play structure. “It was during COVID, so he learned to play by himself,” says Donna. “He loves being outside, and our backyard was the perfect place for a play structure. It was really the best idea for him. It’s something he can have for a long time.”
Our backyard was the perfect place for a play structure. It was really the best idea for him. It’s something he can have for a long time.
Donna
Blaize's grandmother
Blaize enjoying his play set on his swing.
The play structure played a significant role in helping Blaize regain his physical strength without compromising his immune system. After Donna experienced and witnessed the impact Blaize’s wish had on him and their entire family, she knew she wanted to help more families experience the power of a wish.
Six months after Blaize’s wish celebration, Donna signed up to volunteer at a haunted house fundraiser hosted by Ann-Marie Fullmore and her family.
“I loved it,” says Donna. “It was really cute. That was my first volunteer experience, and it was just so cool. I just wanted to keep getting more involved.”
Soon after, Donna joined our chapter’s Wish It Forward program, a community for wish kids and their families. She found out about more local Make-A-Wish events, connected with other wish families, and engaged Blaize with wish kids like him.
"It's nice that Make-A-Wish can help coordinate bringing the kids together," says Donna, "It's fun for Blaize to see these events and be involved with other wish kids. It provides an opportunity for us to meet other people. We will be at the Make-A-Wish Day at the A's with other wish kids next week, so we are looking forward to that."
Blaize (front row, second from right) with fellow wish kids with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels during fleet week.
Still, Donna wanted to become more involved, so she decided to join the Wish It Forward Council and became a member of the medical outreach committee. “I joined the council because I wanted to give back,” says Donna. “When Blaize was sick, I didn’t know the criteria to be qualified for a wish and, luckily, we found out through a friend. I wanted to help spread the word in hospitals, so more families could know about it.”
I joined the council because I wanted to give back.
Donna
Blaize's grandmother
Donna continues to advocate for Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area as an active member on our Wish It Forward Council, assisting with many fundraising initiatives and events throughout the community. But her involvement doesn’t stop there. Donna recently completed her training to become a wish granter, and her first wish interview is scheduled for this month.
“After seeing how much joy Blaize’s wish still brings to him and seeing the impact on other kids, especially older kids—with it helping their future and careers—I wanted to play an active role in that for other families as a wish granter,” says Donna. “I feel fortunate that Blaize is alive and healthy and am grateful his journey brought us here to Make-A-Wish and the community.”
Blaize's wish was generously adopted by Solid Personnel.