Give a Child a World of Hope
With a Life-Changing Wish Trip

Soraya has an undiagnosed neuromuscular disorder that affects every part of her body. A lack of diagnosis was frustrating, and at times, defeating. Before her wish, Soraya and her family felt like giving up.

But Soraya’s wish to go to the beach was an adventure they took together that they never imagined was possible. At the heart of Soraya’s wish was her desire to spend much-needed quality time with her family in a beautiful escape from hospital walls and medical appointments, soaking in every moment she could.

Prior to her wish, Soraya and her family hadn’t imagined that travel was a possibility. The Make-A-Wish team helped them see a world of hopeful opportunities. The highlight of Soraya’s wish trip came when she took surfing lessons. Soraya beamed with joy and strength as she surfed through ocean waves, staying upright on her board as her mom, dad and two sisters cheered with pride. “I got up on the surfboard and I didn’t fall,” Soraya said, a wide grin on her face. “It was amazing. I felt confident and a little unstoppable.”

Throughout the trip, Soraya and her family enjoyed swimming in the ocean, eating delicious cuisine, taking in the sunshine on sandy beaches, connecting and living in a way that changed the way they would view their lives going forward.

Tasha, Soraya’s mom, remembers the wish as an “unlock” moment that inspired a new perspective. “Make-A-Wish gave us life,” she said. “I will tell you that when you are in the weeds and you are looking inward, and all you can do is think about the minute-to-minute medications, the ventilator, the doctors’ appointments. You’re not looking at what’s important. Make-A-Wish gave us more than just a trip. It gave us a way to live.”

The wish experience has shifted the way Soraya’s family understands the time they spend together and the impact of community during a time of crisis. “You may think it's a one-time gift, but it's not. Please realize, from a family that's gone through this, that it impacts them as they're preparing for the [wish] and it impacts them every day after,” Tasha said. “Since then, we have had such incredible experiences from the ripple effect of Make-A-Wish of just living our life.”

Travel wishes need you. More than 80% of all wishes involve some form of travel. Airfare costs are the greatest expense on travel wishes. In fact, Make-A-Wish needs more than 2.8 billion miles to cover travel wishes each year. You have the power to give more children a world of hope by donating your airline miles today.