I wish to give Christmas gifts to children in need
Emma
15
heart transplant recipient
Wish Impact that Glows...and Grows
Wish Impact that Glows... and Grows
When Emma was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition at age 14, she and her family were suddenly thrown into a startling new reality. “I never had any medical issues my entire life. Unfortunately, my condition declined quickly,” says Emma. She was placed on the heart transplant list and Boston Children’s Hospital became her home as she awaited a match. After six months, Emma received a life-saving heart transplant in December 2022.
While inpatient, one thing that kept Emma’s spirits up was looking forward to Christmas. As difficult as it was for her and her family to know she would not be at home for Christmas, the teen made it her mission to help other patients and the staff get in the holiday spirit and feel joyful.
Something else that kept Emma feeling optimistic was the promise of being granted a wish by Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. And, as Emma considered options like a trip or meeting a celebrity, an idea started to take shape. “When I thought about using my wish to give back, it made me much more excited, because so many people had been helping me when I was having a hard time.”
Emma decided her wish would be to provide holiday gifts to children at a local agency for vulnerable children. And she requested to be hands-on with the effort. “I was able to shop for 50 children and buy them the specific gift they wanted for Christmas. I then got to put all the parts of the gift together before they were dropped off at the organization.”
Emma continues, “My wish helped me use my hard experience and turn it into a way for me to make others feel as loved and grateful as I had gotten to feel. It taught me that giving back is far more fulfilling than doing something for yourself.”
“Being a wish recipient has made me more aware of the bigger community around me and that everyone has their struggles and helping others is what makes a community unified. Having my wish granted has shown me that there are people in the world who are so selfless and devote their life to making other people happy.”
The joy of Emma’s wish truly continues to glow—and grow. With deep gratitude for all who helped make her wish come true, she is forming her own organization, Christmas For A Cause, to annually deliver gifts to the same youth agency she supported through her wish, to share happiness with as many children as possible during the holidays.
Emma is now a junior in high school, and two years past her heart transplant, she is thriving. She has returned to all of her favorite activities, including soccer, lacrosse, and skiing, and is a hard-working student involved in many leadership roles. Looking to the future, she hopes to become a pediatrician, a dream she’s been passionate about since her days in the hospital.
“My medical obstacles are just a small part of my story,” reflects Emma.
Help grant wishes for children like Emma by making your year-end gift today!
