BETTENDORF, Iowa – On Saturday, April 22, approximately 445 people gathered for “An Evening of Wishes” as part of Make-A-Wish® Iowa’s annual Riverbend Gala.
More than $299,000 in gross revenue dollars were raised for the Make-A-Wish Iowa chapter as guests participated in auctions, raffles, the “fill the star” event, dinner and dancing. This money will support the granting of life-changing wishes to Iowa children with critical illnesses.
“Our community came together Saturday evening to grant wishes for kids facing critical illnesses and their generosity absolutely blew us away, said Maryanne Graves, chair of the Riverbend Gala. “Our committee is grateful to every person who attended and allowed us to share stories demonstrating the power of a wish. A special thank you to our presenting sponsor, SSAB, who shared the impact a wish has had on their SSAB family and donated funds to grant additional wishes in our area! Saturday evening demonstrated what an amazing community we live in.”
In 2022, over 150 wishes were granted through Make-A-Wish Iowa. The organization has a goal of helping more than 200 children with critical illnesses see their wishes come true in 2023. Doing this will take everyone’s effort, said Sara Kurovski, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa.
“When critically ill children have their wish come true, it’s not only an incredible experience for them, but it also provides the hope, strength and resiliency they need to fight their disease,” said Kurovski. “Events like our Riverbend Gala bring together the people and ambition we need to get to work on our Wishes in Waiting, giving more hope to children and their families.”
The recently released 2022 Wish Impact Study provided quantitative data that shows how wish fulfillment promotes mental and emotional well-being for children and their families.
A Make-A-Wish experience is more than a moment in time; it brings hope where there is fear, strength where there is anxiety and joy where there is sadness. Of those surveyed, 94% of parents recalled seeing improvements in their child’s emotional well-being, so much so that 91% of parents reported the wish gave their child a better chance of surviving their illness. As a result, 91% of parents consider the wish to have been a necessary part of their child’s medical treatment.
At the Riverbend Gala, the audience heard the special wish story of Eve and her family. It, along with additional photos for use, can be viewed here.
For more information on upcoming Make-A-Wish Iowa events, including the May 6 Des Moines Gala, click here.
