Brandy Moyers, a marketing senior, worked with her sorority Chi Omega to send Megan to Disney World through the Make A Wish foundation.
Oklahomans are making a difference in the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses at an ever-increasing rate through the Make a Wish Foundation.
“We [Make a Wish Foundation] grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy,” said Cherry Murray, public relations and development officer for the Oklahoma Make a Wish Foundation.
Murray said children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who have life-threatening medical conditions are eligible for the program.
Make-A-Wish grants wishes to all eligible children regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic status, Murray said.
She said the foundation started nationally in 1980 when a 7-year-old boy named Chris Greicius got his lifelong wish to become a police officer.
Murray said many of those responsible for fulfilling Chris’ wish wanted to do the same for other children with life-threatening illnesses, which eventually led to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She said the Make-A-Wish Foundation is the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 62 active chapters throughout the United States and 27 international affiliates on five continents.
Murray said the foundation is working to increase statewide awareness of the Oklahoma chapter.
Last year the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma granted 100 wishes. This year the foundation is on track to grant 125 wishes, Murray said.
The program is growing larger in Oklahoma, Murray said.
“We raise the funds here in Oklahoma and the money stays here in Oklahoma,” Murray said. “We are excited about how more people are becoming involved through giving their time and talents as well as supporting financially.”
Brandy Moyers, a marketing senior and active member in the OSU Chi Omega sorority, said Chi Omega chose to support the Make-A-Wish foundation as its national philanthropy many years ago. Moyers said other chapters of Chi Omega around the U.S. plan events to help raise money for the organization, too.
Moyers said the OSU chapter of Chi Omega puts on an annual “Wish Week” event that helps raise money to give to the Make-A-Wish foundation, usually granting a wish for a child in Stillwater.
She said some of the events the sorority holds to raise money for the foundation are men’s softball tournaments, date auctions, dance-offs, penny wars and karaoke nights.
Moyers said Chi Omega has been holding “Wish Week” for five years and every year it seems to get better.
This year the sorority raised $10,000, which is almost enough to grant two wishes, Moyers said.
She said she has many fond memories of the event.
Moyers said one of her greatest memories was during her sophomore year when she met a little girl her sorority sent to Disney World. The girl came to the Chi Omega house and had an ice cream sundae party with the sorority members, Moyers said.
Moyers said the girl’s whole family came, too, and the Chi Omegas heard the girl’s life story, which included the many battles she had faced.
“This little girl touched my life forever with her smile and laugh,” Moyers said. “It is amazing to make someone’s dream come true and I am thankful that I got to be a part of her wish.”
Kendall Prabhu, an international business and marketing senior, said she first became active within the Make-A-Wish Foundation through the Chi Omega sorority as well.
Prabhu said after her junior year, she decided that interning with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Oklahoma City would be a great opportunity and experience to work with high spirited individuals that were willing to help others.
Prabhu said after her internship, she gained a better understanding on how the Make-A-Wish Foundation runs and operates, and also the impact it has on individuals and the community.
During her internship, Prabhu said she helped plan the itinerary for wish kids going on their trips, as well as created brochures for the foundation. She said she was also able to work at several different events that took place during the summer.
Watching the Navy Blue Angels fly at Tinker Air Force Base, working the “Great Race” in Norman and meeting a wish kid who displayed his car among 50 classic cars at an event were all experiences Prabhu said she fondly remembers.
Prabhu said she loved the fact that being an intern gave her an opportunity to be part of making a child’s wish come true.
“I actually got to meet a wish child that was about to go to Disney World,” Prabhu said. “When he received his packet that day with his trip information, the expression of joy and excitement on his face is one that I could never forget.”
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