Winter Wishes......

You don’t have to be Santa Claus to make a child’s wish come true this Christmas. You could be the person to grant a wish for a terminally ill child.

‘My Wish’ is a registered charity which was set up to help terminally ill children and their families when they are most in need of support and compassion. The patrons of our charity include such luminaries such as world famous Jazz guitarist Dr Martin Taylor and celebrated Scottish actor Brian Cox.

Our sister charity called ‘My Wish Foundation’ is based in Sri Lanka and it was founded August 2009 with but a single objective: to bring a little happiness to a dying child.

In a harrowing visit to the only dedicated cancer treatment centre in Colombo in 2007, we were horrified at the primitive and unforgiving conditions that the children and their families had to contend with.

Ranging from the comparatively mild, such as the lack of proper seating and clean bedding, to the critical, including a woefully inadequate supply of medication, we were visibly shaken at the cruel indignity that these children had to further endure.

These children are denied every single chance of some happiness and a fighting chance for survival: robbed of their childhood, they do not even have the opportunity to read, learn, or play with their friends or with toys. Instead, they must resign themselves to their fate, everyday, all day.

As if this was not harrowing enough, it is not just the children who suffer. Their parents are forced to make heart-rendering choices between spending the last few weeks and days with their sick child, or attending their jobs. Parents are in effect, forced to choose between a child that is certain to die, and the remainder who may well suffer the same fate because the parent cannot work.

No child deserves such a cruel and arbitrary fate; nor do their loved ones need to suffer further humiliation, anguish and emotional turmoil because they are left powerless because of forces and circumstances beyond their control.

With this in mind, the people of the My Wish charity have sought to bring some much needed help, hope and respite for those who need it most. Unfortunately, we cannot fight this battle alone. That is why we so desperately need as much support as we can muster.

Together, we CAN make a difference. Together, we WILL make a difference. Make a donation today, and be proud that you have gave a child a Christmas gift they will never forget: a second chance at life.