THE POWER OF A WISH 

Wishes have a purpose. And that purpose is creating positive, permanent change for everyone involved – for wish kids and their families, as well as the donors, volunteers and other supporters who make every wish possible. For 14-year-old Belle, her wish gave her the strength to look beyond her illness and imagine a world where mythical creatures come to life. Belle’s wish came true because of community partners believing in the imagination of a child. 

BRINGING A DRAGON TO LIFE 

Like many teenagers, 14-year-old Belle has long dreamed of having a pet. But when a cancer diagnosis made it impossible for her to have an animal companion, she set her sights on something bigger – a pet dragon. Arrow Electronics and Make-A-Wish Colorado joined forces to bring Belle’s mythical creature to life, delivering a dynamic social robot that promises to provide engagement, encouragement, and friendship to the teenager. The engineers at Arrow invited Belle to their offices so they could talk through her vision and create the dragon to be exactly what she wanted. The dragon’s appearance and behaviors are based on ideas Belle suggested during the concept and design phase of the project and draw upon her own artwork and characters from her favorite books and movies. She discovered in herself a newfound confidence and the wish provided an opportunity for her to be a part of the entire process, with her ideas at the forefront. 

Equipped with all of Belle’s notes, the Arrow team of engineers got to work. Arrow worked with Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) to find the cutting-edge products that could help bring the dragon to life. Using ADI components, Belle’s dragon reacts to its environment, detects its orientation in space and changes in temperature. The dragon responds to touch, gets “tired” from a busy day, and gets excited when Belle offers one of its favorite treats. Belle’s robot mimics a live pet, capable of meaningful connection and engagement. According to Joe Verrengia, Arrow Electronics Corporate Social Responsibility Director, the development of the dragon highlights what can be accomplished when every element of the design and supply chain works in tandem. “Each component of the dragon, from its ability to respond to touch to its unique vocal sounds to its intricately painted wings and even a system to store all the necessary wiring, computer chips and processors inside the body of a 17-inch social robot had to be created from scratch,” says Verrengia. “Several times, the initial attempt to build a piece didn’t work as needed. In each case, the entire team collaborated until they developed a solution.” 

A COMMUNITY OF HOPE 

“Belle’s dragon required us to start from scratch and really take the time to ideate with Belle on what this mythical creature should look like, because it wasn’t mythical to her. She had a real vision for her pet and our goal was to make that a reality,” said Victoria Bohannon-Pea, a project manager for Arrow, who led the effort to build the dragon. “Belle’s dragon is a perfect example of how Arrow’s engineering services team collaborates with our partners to merge what’s possible with what’s practical.” In addition to Make-A-Wish Colorado, Arrow, and Analog Devices,  the dragon creation team also included: Robotics innovator Caleb Chung, who led a team responsible for capturing and programming the dragon’s essential motions and expressions and oversaw the creation and assembly of the dragon. Star Technologies Plus, located in Boise, ID, which worked on the electrical engineering components.Boise State University, which provided production assistance in building the dragon, and finally, Emerge Studios of Vancouver, BC,  which created a virtual reality experience that allowed Belle to explore dragon habitat and learn more about dragon behavior and dragon life before meeting her pet dragon. 

SETTING THE SCENE 

Dragons don’t exist in our everyday world... that we know of. So to create the environment in which Belle was to meet her dragon, there needed to be an element of magic and mystery. 19 months after Belle wished for the impossible, she met her pet dragon for the first time in a mythical setting at the Cherokee Ranch & Castle Foundation in Sedalia, Colorado.Belle was transported to a magical land via a virtual reality experience designed by Emerge Studios. She flew over forests and oceans while listening to the sounds of the world that until now, had only existed in her wildest imagination.Then, she took off the headset and came face-to-face with her wish: a dragon of her very own. 

AN INSTANT CONNECTION 

Belle immediately fell in love with her new dragon, whom she decided was a boy and she named him Dusk, because his scales are both purple and pink. “It’s as close to a dragon as can be, as a robot. I love it, “ said Belle.The dragon measures three-feet tall and weighs 17 pounds, he is about the size of a small dog. He responds to Belle’s touch by wagging his tail, opening up his eyes and even makes noises to indicate he needs a nap! When asked how the experience made her feel, Belle responded, “I feel happy .... all the happy emotions. ”Dusk now has a permanent spot perched on Belle’s dresser and the two play every day! 

WISHES INSPIRE COMMUNITIES 

Belle’s wish didn’t stop there! Her dragon was so special, she wanted to share it with the world. Belle, Dusk and her entire family were guests of honor at Opening Day for the Colorado Rockies 2021 season! Belle and her family had the opportunity to watch a video about her wish on the Jumbotron from a private suite gifted by Arrow Electronics. Every wish has the capacity to spark joy and inspire others to learn more about Make-A-Wish Colorado and how to transform lives, one wish at a time. 

WISHES SPARK HOPE 

Belle’s dragon addresses the isolation and loneliness that is common among children dealing with critical illnesses – concerns magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dusk’s ability to interact  and play provides Belle with emotional support, demonstrating how a wish can truly transform a life.That’s the real reason we believe in wishes ... they have the power to help kids rediscover their optimism. That surge of hope has a positive effect on their emotional health. And many physicians believe improved emotional health can lead to improved physical health. Each wish has the potential to unite communities, turn strangers into friends and even positively influence a child’s fight against a critical illness. 

Belle’s wish is a testament to the community of supporters that comes together to help create a life-changing wish for a children with a critical illness. Make-A-Wish Colorado’s President and CEO, Scott Dishong, expressed the organization’s gratitude to all involved in creating Belle’s life-changing wish. “Make-A-Wish Colorado is incredibly grateful to Arrow Electronics, Analog Devices and all our partners who helped grant Belle’s wish to have a dragon. It’s inspiring to witness so many people from different industries coming together to help bring a mythical creature to life for a 14-year-old girl battling bone cancer. While the purpose of a wish is to replace fear with hope and pain with joy for a wish kid, the power of a wish is that it also has the ability to unite communities and transform lives.” 

Belle's wish had an everlasting impact on her life, and brought hope and joy to everyone involved in her wish.