Make-A-Wish^® Iowa

The event successfully raised $460,000 to support life-changing wishes for Iowa children fighting critical illness.

Des Moines, Iowa – On Saturday, May 7, 2022, with the help of over 700 attendees, Make-A-Wish Iowa celebrated their 35^th anniversary with a record-breaking Des Moines Gala. This year’s event, Champagne & Cheers to 35 years raised over $460,000, which will support the granting of life-changing wishes to Iowa children with critical illnesses. Hosted at the Community Choice Convention Center at the Iowa Events Center, the event focused on bringing the Make-A-Wish Iowa mission to life. Guests enjoyed a menu chosen by wish alum, Max, auction items by wish alum, Mason and stories told by several local families.  

“There was magic and urgency in the air,” said Sara Kurovski, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa. “COVID has created the longest waitlist in the history of our chapter with 373 children waiting for their life-changing wish. The incredible support from community leaders will help us continue to grant wishes at an urgent pace.” 

Every eligible child deserves a wish to give them the strength, resilience and courage they need to fight harder. 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. One wish family shared their special story, it can be viewed here. Next year’s gala will be held on May 6, 2023, see the event details here.