Wish stories

Ten-year-old Jade lives in Bournemouth with her mum, dad and big brother.

She was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, meaning she has missed out on school, seeing friends and being at home with her family, which has been stressful for her whole family. She has been on the transplant list, while doctors monitor her kidneys.

Time for a change

Jade’s specialist referred her to Make-A-Wish to give her a chance to make up for all the challenges she has faced. Jade can get tired very easily, but she enjoys reading books and playing with her unicorn soft toys.

She wished for a unicorn-themed bedroom makeover. Jade was delighted to trade in her squeaky old bed that she says “makes a funny sound when she moves” for a comfy new one.

Many hands make light work

With the help of Jade’s wish visitor, Kelly and corporate partners Next and Avis, Jade’s Wishgranter, Jamie, ordered furniture, carpet, a bed, decorations and accessories fit for a unicorn princess!

The big unicorn bedroom reveal

On the day of the makeover, Jade left for school and volunteers took over her bedroom, transforming it in a day. When Jade arrived home, she cut the ribbon and revealed her brand new bedroom.

Volunteers are heroes

Kelly is a Wish Visitor at Make-A-Wish UK. For the last three years, she has volunteered her spare time by visiting homes and hospitals to meet children when they very first turn to Make-A-Wish.

Capturing and understanding each child’s unique One True Wish is incredibly important to us, so volunteers like Kelly play a crucial role in giving children a safe space to explore their deepest desires, think creatively and feel empowered to imagine possibilities beyond their day-to-day reality of living with a critical illness.

Volunteers are heroes

Kelly is a Wish Visitor at Make-A-Wish UK. For the last three years, she has volunteered her spare time by visiting homes and hospitals to meet children when they very first turn to Make-A-Wish.

Capturing and understanding each child’s unique One True Wish is incredibly important to us, so volunteers like Kelly play a crucial role in giving children a safe space to explore their deepest desires, think creatively and feel empowered to imagine possibilities beyond their day-to-day reality of living with a critical illness.

Kelly says;

"I was lucky enough to be Jade’s Wish Visitor, so I have helped to nurture her wish from the beginning. I went back to meet her family prior to the bedroom makeover to discuss the layout and their ideas for the bedroom. It has been a pleasure to work on this wish. 

"Jade is bubbly, friendly and all-round amazing. She takes everything in her stride and has been a real inspiration. This wish will be great for Jade, and her family really deserve it. It will give her a fresh, beautiful room in which she can do her homework and spend her recovery time after her operation."

"It is a young lady’s room so will grow and change as she does, but at the moment the pink, purple and unicorn-themed room will be somewhere she can go to relax and chill out.

"I hope I have helped, just a little, in making it everything Jade wished it would be.

“I initially got involved with fundraising for Make-A-Wish by running the London Marathon. Then I saw the Wish Visitor role advertised and applied as I wanted to do more for Make-A-Wish on a more regular basis.

“I really love volunteering for Make-A-Wish. I love meeting wish families and wish children, as well as all the other Wish Visitors I work with.

"The Make-A-Wish volunteers are an amazing group of people, all willing to do everything they can to make every child’s wish that extra bit special.”

Thank you to all the volunteers and staff who helped grant Jade’s wish for a unicorn bedroom makeover. We hope Jade will be very happy in her new unicorn bedroom for many years to come!