In 1980, Christopher Greicius, an energetic 7-year-old-boy from Arizona, was battling leukemia. He also loved to play policeman and pretend to catch bad guys. On April 29, six members of his community came together to make his dream of becoming a police officer a reality. Little did anyone know that Christopher’s wish would be the beginning of a movement that would transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of seriously ill children in 50 countries through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In honor of Christopher’s original wish, every April is World Wish Month. According to Make-A-Wish International, around 1.25 million children are diagnosed with a critical illness each year across the world—that equates to one child every 25 seconds. Since its inception, the nonprofit’s mission has been to grant life-changing wishes to those children. Over the last 45 years, more than 615,000 wishes have been granted worldwide. Going beyond a simple gift or act of generosity, these experiences help families find hope and give recipients the strength to cope with complex medical treatments. One of 59 branches across the country, the local Missouri and Kansas chapter has granted more than 10,350 wishes to kids between the ages of 2 ½ and 18.

The need for wishes in Missouri and Kansas is great. “Currently, there are an estimated 650 children waiting to have their wishes granted in our region, and in St. Louis alone, there are more than 200,” says Caroline Schmidt, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas. Children’s requests often include participating in sports or the arts, experiencing their dream careers and having backyard playgrounds built, but the impact reaches much further than that. Children often want to make the world a better place by sharing their interests, and many of them use their wishes to help others in the community.

Research shows that children who have wishes granted receive much more than a simple act of kindness. The experience also provides an emotional and physical boost that can help them fight their illness and lead to better health outcomes. Make-A-Wish reports that 87% of alumni see their wish as a turning point in their treatment, and 99% of doctors say that wishes help families by relieving stress and offering comfort and inspiration during difficult times. “The power of a wish is transformative and life-changing,” Schmidt says. “Our wishes aren’t just nice experiences. They help children build the strength and find the joy needed to battle their illnesses. The experience doesn’t just impact the child but everyone it touches, including the family, medical team and community.”

To make its mission possible, Make-A-Wish relies on the support of the community. The nonprofit counts on WishMakers—the people who take action to help make children’s wishes become reality through volunteering, donations, fundraising and corporate sponsorships. “WishMakers can do something as simple as help spreading the word—everything has a ripple effect,” Schmidt says. “St. Louis is the type of community that steps up to surround critically ill children with encouragement and strength and brings hope to families during their most challenging times. Without that support to fuel us, granting wishes would not be possible.”

St. Louisans will soon lace up their running shoes in support of Make-A-Wish. The Walk for Wishes presented by Spectrum is May 3 at Energizer Park. The family-friendly event will include a 5K run and one-mile walk along a scenic downtown route. Participants can look forward to pre-race festivities, games, entertainment and the chance to connect with fellow supporters. “St. Louis CITY SC and downtown St. Louis have provided the opportunity to bring the largest Walk for Wishes in the country to the heart of the city,” Schmidt says. “The driving force behind the event is our Wish families—they bring our mission to life and showcase the impact of a wish. It takes a collective effort to grant life-changing wishes.”

Every dollar raised by the Walk for Wishes will stay in the St. Louis region, helping local children and families. Schmidt is grateful for the support the community continues to show Make-A-Wish. “By supporting our chapter, St. Louisans are supporting their neighbors, helping them find strength and moments of pure joy even under the most difficult circumstances,” she notes. “The more support Make-Wish-Wish receives, the more wishes we grant and the more lives we can change. It’s a beautiful way to show the incredible generosity, passion and commitment to lifting one another up that defines St. Louis. Working together, we all can be touched by the life-changing impact of a wish.”

Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas has made wishes come true for more than 10,350 kids and teens. Its annual Walk for Wishes is May 3 at Energizer Park. Pictured on the cover: Wish Kid Cora with president and general manager of St Louis CITY SC Diego Gigliani, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas Caroline Schmidt, chief accounting officer of Charter Communications Kevin Howard. To learn more about the Walk for Wishes or register, call 314.205.9474 or visit walkforwishesstl.com.

Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo by Tim Parker Photography

Photos courtesy of Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas