Wish Alum Gives Back to Make-A-Wish

December 15, 2019

Monroe Township, NJ - A special and heartwarming event took place at Macy’s at Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey this holiday season. Make-A-Wish recipient Hannah Boorse of Ringwood, New Jersey was determined to give back to the organization that granted her a life-changing wish in 2018, and collected holiday letters to deliver to Macy’s as part of the National Believe Campaign.

From the beginning of November through December 24^th, “believers” of all ages can mail letters to Santa at the big red letterbox at any local Macy’s store or online at macys.com/believe. For every letter received in store or online, Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $1 million, to help grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses.

Letters delivered on Friday, December 6^th, National Believe Day, to any Macy’s nationwide -- the day Hannah made her delivery -- count for a $2 contribution from Macy’s per letter, up to an additional $1 million, bringing the total campaign to a possible $2 million. Hannah, along with her family and closest friends, arrived at Macy’s in Paramus with an astounding 10,000 letters, collected through community efforts and the support of their entire school district and town of Ringwood – 10,371 to be exact.

“Writing my letter to Santa when I was little was always the way we kicked off the Christmas Season,” Hannah shared. “Putting my letter in the mailbox, knowing that it would go to the North Pole was always so exciting. We knew that Macy’s gave funds to Make-A-Wish, and it would be a great way to give back. We could ask some of my friends to collect their letters and drop them off in one of the Macy’s mailboxes. We knew right away that the Believe Campaign needed to come to Ringwood!”

Hannah, who battled Ewing Sarcoma, was granted her fondest wish to SCUBA and explore the clear blue waters at Beaches, Turks & Caicos. Her wish was a life-changing experience for not only her, but her entire family.

“To me my wish meant being cancer free!” Hannah continued. “Like crossing a finish line. It allowed me to see past all the cycles of chemo that I was going to have to go through and motivated me to imagine the end of my treatments. I looked forward to my wish each day during treatments. It kept me positive and strong knowing that soon I would be granted my wish. My body had fought so hard for over a year and a half and it was time to celebrate.”

Hannah and her family reached out to the Assistant Superintendent of her high school, Lakeland Regional, Michael Novak, with the idea of paying it forward to an organization that was close to her heart. She explained in great detail the different ways the school district could support the Macy’s Believe campaign, writing letters to Santa or sharing heartfelt holiday messages about what they wished for in their lives. Mr. Novak and the entire school was immediately supportive of the idea, and before Hannah knew it, not only was her school on board, but her message spread throughout the surrounding towns, schools, daycare centers, Girl Scout troops, senior assisted living centers, public libraries, churches, restaurants and pharmacies. Letters were even pouring in from beyond New Jersey. For Hannah, the overwhelming support is a feeling she’ll not soon forget.

“It’s so hard to laugh and be happy when you are sick,” Hannah reflected. “To feel normal when you have lost all your hair. It stinks to have to be away from your family, to not be able to go to school and be with your friends. So when you hear that your wish has been granted after everything that you

have gone through, it’s just an incredible feeling. When we totaled up the letters, I had that same

feeling! I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to help future wishes come true. I am thankful for Macy’s and what they do for wish kids like me. One letter to Santa can really make a difference in someone's life!”

With support from the Macy’s Believe campaign, Make-A-Wish provides children with critical illnesses the chance to experience life beyond their illness and see their most heartfelt wish come true, allowing them to replace fear with confidence, anxiety with hope and sadness with joy. Since 2003, Macy’s has donated more than $122 million to Make-A-Wish, including more than $19 million through the annual Believe campaign.

For more information about Make-A-Wish New Jersey, visit nj.wish.org.