Wish stories

In November 2023, Imogen’s immune system didn’t seem to be functioning as normal. She was constantly getting viruses and not fully recovering, leaving her feeling completely wiped out. There were a series of several incorrect diagnoses before doctors were able to get to the bottom of what was really going on.

“They couldn’t give me any answers for over a year,” explained Jodie, Imogen’s mum. “In June 2024, the bone marrow from the right side of her body was sent for a medical study. They then re-did the study on the left side and found that there were more aplastic cells.”

Imogen was finally diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia, a rare bone marrow failure condition causing extreme fatigue, infections and bleeding. Although the family were glad to get answers, it marked the beginning of a long and difficult journey ahead.

In September 2024, Imogen underwent an ATG injection, where horse cells were put into her body, so that she could temporarily recover whilst doctors searched for a stem cell transplant donor. During this time, she spent eight weeks in hospital and luckily her red blood count started slowly picking up, although she still had to endure weekly blood transfusions and platelet transfusions.

“She’s so bubbly and happy, she made so many nice friends in the hospital,” mum recalled. “Kids just like her, with no hair and tubes in, talking about their own stuff. I think going back into normal society had a massive impact on her mental health, in terms of how she looks, how she feels. She’s grown up a lot in a year, we want that little eight-year-old back.”

She also had to go through conditioning prior to the transplant, which involved two days a week of radiotherapy and two days a week of chemotherapy. It was a struggle to find a donor, and one fell through, but Imogen managed to get her stem cell transplant in April 2025. Since then, she has come out the other side and has been going from strength to strength.

Imogen’s mum had always been aware of Make-A-Wish, as she had a cousin who had received a wish through us. The family was referred by referral partner, The Rainbow Trust.

Imogen wanted to visit the real Lapland but won’t be able to travel until she’s at least a year post-transplant, so a wish to go to Lapland UK seemed like the perfect solution.

“It was a way to make Christmas more real,” said mum. “She doesn’t believe in Santa anymore, so I told her that Santa comes to Lapland UK to meet poorly children. She said: prove it!”

On the day of the wish, the family headed through The Enchanted Forest to the ice-skating rink, where they spent time ice-skating with the elves, saw Rudolph the reindeer and eventually met Santa. Imogen tried to test him by asking him questions, but he passed with flying colours, and she hasn’t stopped talking about her visit to see him since!