Newly-launched : Make-A-Wish Malaysia : Aims to bring joy to sick kids

A passionate group of women’s dream to create Make-A-Wish Malaysia came true recently, giving them the power to grant the wishes of terminally ill children across the country.

Make-A-Wish Malaysia celebrated their official launch at the Hilton Hotel in KL Central, becoming the 35th subsidiary of Make-A-Wish Foundation International.

The foundation aims to instil hope and bring joy to Malaysian children with life-threatening medical conditions by granting their wishes

Make-A-Wish Malaysia aims to grant two wishes per month this year, with the help of donations in cash and kind from corporate sponsors and individuals.


Make-A-Wish Malaysia chairman, Datin Syarifah Farah Gumash Syed Hussain, said a wish experience was a dream come true for the child and their family to enjoy together.

“The wish becomes a reality creating a wonderful experience and memory for the child and family, allowing them to forget about treatments and hospital for a short time.

“We would hope the wish would strengthen them and help them in their fight against their illness and instill them with hope,” she said.

Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and television presenter Nur Lydia Ibtisam Abdul Wahab were appointed ambassadors at the launch to help raise the foundation’s profile.

Local songstress Ning Baizura also lent her support, making a special appearance and singing the top hits Wish Upon A Star and Over The Rainbow.


Donations for 10 children’s wishes were collected at the launch, with enough money gathered by the end of the evening for nine to be granted.

The children’s wishes included visiting Disneyland, meeting the Prime Minister and owning a Wii console.

To-date, Make-A-Wish Malaysia has granted the wishes of 14 children. Hazim, a five-year-old suffering from neuroblastoma, was one of the first Malaysian children to have his wish granted.

His dream of launching a rocket was realised last year at the National Planetarium. Hazim donned his space suit and with the help of Sheikh Muszaphar, launched his own handmade rocket.

Founder of Make-A-Wish Malaysia Sandra Kirwan said every child reacted to their wish being granted in a different way. “Some children are so tired that on the day their wish is granted they don’t seem to be enjoying themselves,” she said.

“But the parents come back and tell us that their child can’t stop talking about it and we’ve even had a doctor tell us one of the children came back a changed child.

“Other kids might have so much energy on the day that the sponsors jokingly question if they are really sick,” she said. Kirwan first volunteered with the Make-A-Wish foundation in the United States.

After relocating to Malaysia in 2007, the Irish expatriate set the wheels in motion to bring the foundation here after recognising there was an opening for an organisation to do more for seriously ill children.

Kirwan worked to establish the foundation officially, enlisting the help of her friend and lawyer, Datin Syarifah Farah.

Malaysia was granted affiliation with the Make-A-Wish foundation international in mid-2010, after establishing a business plan, sponsorship programme, board and volunteer database.

Now chronically ill children in Malaysia along with their families, can experience the joy and hope that comes from granting a child’s wish. A wish referall could come from a parent, the child, a sibling or a medical professional. Make-A-Wish then contacts the child’s doctor who must verify the child’s disease as life-threatening.

The foundation meets with the child several times to ensure the wish is truly their own and not influenced by family members.

At their launch, Make-A-Wish Malaysia recognised their main corporate sponsors including The Hilton Group Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, Sapura Acergy, Steripack and BDRB.

The foundation hopes to grow their wish granting so every seriously ill child in Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia can have their wishes granted.

Since 1980, over 250,000 children across the world in 37 countries have had their wishes granted thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The foundation first began with the granting of one seriously ill child’s wish in 1980.



By EMMA YOUNGER

metro@thestar.com.my