By Daryl Major

Making wishes come true helps kids and their families

Mar 18, 2017 | 6:54 AM

NANAIMO – The families of a child with a life-threatening illness welcome any distraction.

The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada is asking for donations to help the many mid-island children seeking a distraction.

Jennifer Peterson, executive director of the Foundations’ B.C.-Yukon chapter, said the wishes depend on the children and they see many for travel.

“Just about three years ago we had a little three-year-old that wished for a bathtub full of candy. Lots of travel. We have a young woman in Nanaimo, in April, will be going to Paris.”

The young lady’s trip to Paris is one of 13 mid-island wishes granted by the Foundation over the past five years.

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Peterson said they have numerous requests to fill.

“We actually have another 13 wishes pending,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking…there’s a lot of kids that need us which ultimately means we need help as well to make it happen. It’s really one of the best things that we can do, is to refer a child for a wish to give them that joy.”

Petersen said the best part of what they do is helping families create memories.

‘”It gives them the ability to look back on a time that could be really difficult and have positive memories,” she said.”That’s what it’s about. It’s about us creating positive memories from a time that is really, really hard.”

You can nominate a child for a wish or donate to make a wish come true at textbluewish.ca

daryl.major@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @5minmajor