Making wishes come true is always a fun experience. On June 9 you can get dressed up and meet some wonderful people at the Metro New York Gala. This night is all about celebrating the effect of wishes big and small. It’s a time to honor the children that had wishes come true and to all the people who helped in making these wishes possible.
Want to do something you love and be able to help make wishes happen while doing it? This year for the “Grip It ‘N Rip It” golf tournament the sole beneficiary is Make-A-Wish Northeast New York. The golf tournament will be held at Hiland Park Country Club, in Queensbury, Friday June 3. All of the proceeds after expenses will go towards local kids and family’s wishes.
Summer is a beautiful time at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina—the perfect time for a walk or run. On June 4, Make-A-Wish South Carolina is hosting a Walk For Wishes in Lowcountry to help raise money to grant wishes for local children with life-threatening diseases. Your participation in this event will make a huge difference!
May and June are filled with opportunities to help Make-A-Wish Illinois at a fun event. If you're looking to walk or golf to help grant wishes, you have five different events to choose from. The Edwardsville Walk For Wishes is May 14 and the Moline Walk For Wishes is June 4. Golfers can take part in the Clarendon Hills Golf Classic or the Racks Tap Golf Outing June 11, or the Charity Golf Classic on June 17. All of these great events benefit Make-A-Wish Illinois and help them grant more wishes all over the state!
Edwardsville Walk For Wishes
Moms do so much for their families on a daily basis. From cooking meals to scheduling events and chauffeuring kids, moms wear a lot of hats. It's easy to take these things for granted, but Mother's Day serves as the perfect reminder to say "thank you." Gifts can be thoughtful and heartfelt, but making memories together can often be a lot more meaningful. Even if you are getting your mom a gift, doing a family activity together can make the day even more special.
In the United States, we often assume that Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s Independence Day. That is not true. Sept. 16 is actually Mexico’s Independence Day, and Mexico won its independence before the date of May 5, 1862, the day that Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates. Cinco de Mayo is actually a significant holiday in the United States to celebrate a relatively insignificant battle between the French Army of Napoleon III and Mexican President Benito Juarez’s resistance. The victory over the French army by a ragtag team of fighters possibly helped to save the American Union.
May is the peak season for spring allergens, which is why the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has declared it to be National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. More than 26 million Americans suffer from asthma, including 6.3 million children. Not only does spring weather make asthma attacks more common, it's also when pollen and seeds are released, causing spring allergies in millions of people.
The Illinois Wish Ball is one of Chicago's premier fundraising events. You can be a part of this wonderful event, taking place May 21 at Navy Pier. More than 900 people attended last year's event, raising more than $2 million for Make-A-Wish Illinois. This year's event will be even more special, as it is the Wish Ball's 30th anniversary.
This year is sure to be a very special event for the 20th Annual Wish Night of Make-A-Wish North Texas, presented by Helzberg Diamonds. Since it began in 1997, Wish Night has raised more than $14 million and granted more than 1,875 wishes. Last year alone, Wish night raised $1.63 million for wishes. This year, the goal is to break this record at $1.7 million raised.
Since 1994, the last week in April has been celebrated as National Infant Immunizations Week in the United States. This year National Infant Immunization Week is held from April 16-23, the same week as World Immunization Week. The World Health Organization promotes in all of its six regions access to universal vaccination and international cooperation. NIIW serves many purposes, including as a call to action for all parents and healthcare providers to continue the use of vaccinations with children, to share information about protecting our kids in order to keep healthy and safe communities, and to celebrate the importance of vaccinating infants from preventable diseases.
There have been many achievements due to vaccinations. For example:
- Infants and kids are now protected from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before their second birthday.
- In the 1950s, nearly every child contracted measles, and some even died from it. It’s a serious disease. Today, many physicians who have been practicing for many years have never seen a case of measles.
- Children born between 1994 and 2013 who received vaccinations will prevent around 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations, and 732,000 deaths during the course of their lives.
Make-A-Wish San Diego is holding two events this spring that you won't want to miss: a Walk For Wishes on April 23 and the Amazing Race for Children's Wishes on May 14. Both events are fun and active ways to get outside and help raise funds to grant wishes.
National Volunteer Week was created in 1974 to inspire more people to give back to their communities and find creative ways to get involved. Over the years, the movement has grown into a national celebration of community service and the volunteers who strive to improve the lives of others. If you're looking for ways to get involved this week, try one of these five great ways to make difference.
Make-A-Wish Georgia is almost halfway to their goal of granting 400 wishes by August 31 of this year. This means they need $450,000 to make more wishes come true. You can help them out by coming to the 12th Annual Walk For Wishes event held at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
The 3rd Annual Tech Data Tampa Bay Walk for Wishes presented By Allegiant Air begins on Saturday, April 30. Help Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida reach their goal of raising $200,000 by joining in the Walk For Wishes, part of this year’s Riverfest. This is a two-mile, relaxing and beautiful walk along the Hillsbourough River. Participation includes access to family fun, festivities, live entertainment, and food vendors. Come join us!
Each year, World Health Day is celebrated on April 7. This year's World Health Day will focus on preventing and managing diabetes with the theme "Beat Diabetes." More than 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, and this number continues to rise. Diabetes is a concern for adults and children alike, but World Health Day is the perfect opportunity to learn more about the disease and reduce your risk. Today is also a great time for those already living with diabetes to learn about managing symptoms in the best way possible.
April is Cancer Control Month, an observance declared by the president in office every year since the 1930s. This month is to observe the advances we’ve made in medical science for battling cancer, and to remind Americans that this battle is far from over. Cancer will soon be the leading cause of death in the United State but research is getting closer every day. It’s time to look at the hard facts and consider lifestyle changes and options for regular screenings. You can show your support and concern for cancer survivors during this month, and make April matter for you and your community.
April is the awareness month for four types of cancer: head and neck, esophageal, and testicular. It’s an important time to discuss these different diseases because some can be prevented through self-care, while others need to be discovered during examination by a doctor. Many of these cancers are related because of the three ways that the disease spreads throughout the body:
- Tissue. Cancer cells can spread from where they began by developing into nearby regions.
- Lymph system. When cancer gets into the lymph system, it spreads through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
- Blood. If cancer gets into the blood, it travels through the blood vessels to other areas.
Cancer awareness months are not meant to cause worry or hypochondria. The purpose of this month is to spread awareness about these diseases, many of which are preventable through lifestyle choices and are also highly treatable.
Back by popular demand is the 4th Annual A Millions Dreams Masquerade Ball, benefiting Make-A-Wish Illinois. A Millions Dreams is a non-profit organization founded by Yvonne McMillion. When her son Zachary was 8, he battled the rare cancer Epithelia Sarcoma. Make-A-Wish Illinois granted him a wish and brought a smile back to his face. Now, Zachary is nine years cancer-free. Yvonne began A Million Dreams to give back to the Make-A-Wish foundation. She hosts great fundraising events to help grant more wishes.
The Masquerade Ball will feature a cocktail party, fun actives, silent auctions, and a cash bar. Come join A Million Dreams on April 23 for an adult night out that will surely bring more smiles to the faces of kids with critical illnesses.
Residents in the Portland area have a fun way to help Make-A-Wish Oregon grant more wishes this spring. The annual Walk For Wishes takes place Saturday, April 16. Be a hero for Wish Kids and help Make-A-Wish Oregon reach their fundraising goal of $150,000 at this year's walk. Just think of all the wishes that amount can grant!
Spring weather is here, and it's the perfect reason to get outside and give back to your community. A great way to get involved this April is by attending a Walk For Wishes. Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire is hosting two events this April that you won't want to miss out on.
