Volunteer Spotlight: Michelle B. 

In what ways are you involved as a volunteer?
I am a wish granter, wish pal and wish interviewer. In the past I have been a shopping-spree assistant which is a blast. I have been a volunteer since 2013. 

How did you first find Make-A-Wish?
​​​​When I was a pharmacy resident on my pediatric hematology-oncology rotation I met with a patient who had a framed postcard of a cruise ship sitting on her window. I asked her about it and she explained that her Make-A-Wish wish granters had sent it to her. Once she was done with her bone marrow transplant and given the all clear by doctors she was going to go on a cruise for her wish. She framed the postcard so that when she was having a bad day she could look at it and remember what was to come. I looked into volunteering with Make-A-Wish that night.

What has been the most rewarding experience of volunteering with Make-A-Wish?
I granted a wish for a child whose wish took over three years to grant due to waiting for a kidney transplant and recovery afterwards. During the entire process his wish remained the same. He wished to meet a monkey. He remained patient and finally was able to not only meet a monkey, but hold a monkey! The fact that he was able to travel to Florida after previously being tied to dialysis five days a week and hold a monkey was an amazing development. The pictures of him holding the monkey were absolutely amazing! He was pure joy. This was one wish that was truly worth the wait.

What advice would you give to new volunteers?
Wish boosts can go a long way. Refer to the list of the wish kid's favorite things. Wish boosts don’t need to be fancy. I sent a wish kid a bag of candy with a butterfly card I had laying around my house and she was so excited. You would have thought that was her wish! For wish kids and their families just knowing that someone cares and is thinking about them goes a long way!

What story would you share to inspire others to become a volunteer with Make-A-Wish?
Wishes are not just for the wish child but are for the whole family. I absolutely love how much wish siblings are involved and can be incorporated into wishes. Getting the whole family involved throughout the entire wish process is one thing that I think makes Make-A-Wish so special. The whole family is affected when a child develops a life threatening illness and they are all equally affected by the joy of a wish.