Wish to Meet Actor Puneet Rajkumar

I wish to meet Puneet Rajkumar, is all she wanted, when our volunteers interacted with her at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health. She is having Chronic non curable illness and hence is under treatment with the Institute. Our coordinator Anitha networked with the people in media and got her contacts through the filmdom at Bangalore. Finally she could make her contact with persons who could arrange the meeting with the celebrated Actor. The same was fixed up and the girl was taken to meet her idol actor Puneet Rajkumar, son of the Kannada matinee Idol Late Shri Rajkumar. Shri Puneet was kind to spend time with the girl and gift her some drawing books etc. The moment of fulfilling cherished wish of meeting the actor made the little girl brighten up and gave her life time memories. So Bangalore division could fulfill its first celebrity wish today. Well this is just the begining really......

Their smile ........our reward.......

I wish to see all kinds of animals

Dhanushri a bubbly 8 years old girl suffering from Thalassemia Major referred by Vani Vilas Hospital. She lives with her parents and they are working as farmers. She uses to visit Bangalore on a regular basis for her blood transfusion. They are very small farmers and having one and half acre land but fully dependant on the rain as they were lacking any alternative water irrigation facilities. They grew ragi, jowar, groundnut and some pulses if it rains. They were finding difficulty to meet her medical expenses every month though they were getting free blood transfusion, they need to bare the travel expenses from Nelamangala to Bangalore.

On the first day of interaction though she got blood transfusion a few minutes before the volunteers could speak to her, she starts talking with them very energetically without any kind of shyness. She speak with them concerning to her school, teacher and friends. She was keenly interested in birds, animals and especially with the butterflies. She was engrossed in reading story and comic books in her school library. So, while interacting with her our volunteers find out her innermost wish to see the Bannerghatta national park, where she can enjoy safari in the forest, Butterfly Park and zoological park.

So one special day, along with the volunteer she visited Bannerghatta national park with her mother and younger sister. While we going for the safari, she sat near the window in the Safari vehicle initially she saw bears, deers, lions and tigers. She started enjoying herself while seeing each animal and also counting the number of animals she saw. Even her younger sister started take pleasure in seeing the animals and screaming the name of the animals she saw.

After the safari all of them went to butterfly park, she enjoyed watching variety of butterflies, flowers and the life cycle of the butterflies which displayed in the museum. Then all of us watched a movie of variety of butterflies in India and took a snap in the butterfly park along with her parent and younger sister.

Then the volunteer, girl and family moved to zoological park. In the park she keenly watched animals such as deers, elephants, wild cats, porcupine, cobra, python, rat snakes, and birds like parrots, pigeon, kingfisher, hornbill, ducks, peacock, and woodpecker and so on. When she saw her favorite animal cheetah there was no bounds to her happiness and wishes to have a snap along with it. On her way back to city she sang throughout the journey and fulfilled her cherished wish.

Wish I had a carrom board...i could play carrom...

Manohar, a young beaming boy of 15, from Devanhalli Taluk, attending his schools regularly, is having Hemophilia major. Our volunteers interacted with him and found his love for Carrom, which he gets to play with some friends sometimes in neighbourhood. Not allowed to play games, that could cause him injury or a cut, due to his medical conditions, he wished to have a carrom baord to himself, when he could play with his friends and hone his skills in the striking. God gave us another opportunity to bring smile back on the face of another young boy and we made his wish come true with the carrom board and wish he enjoys playing every moment of it.

Wish I could see cartoons.....as I need to be on bed for two years....

Spreading Joy: Make-A-Wish Foundation gifted ten-year-old Akhila, who was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis, a colour television set.....read this wish story in THE HINDU today at

http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/08/stories/2008070857390200.htm

Bangalore: It sometimes takes very little effort to bring joy to another human being. But on most occasions there is no effort to even communicate. Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has been making that extra effort to make contact and bring smiles to thousands of children across the country.
Take the case of 10-year-old Akhila whose life changed completely when she was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis.
One day, while lifting a bucket of water, the spinal support gave away. She was later admitted to the Lady Curzon hospital. Doctors advised complete bed rest for two years. Life came to a stand still for her.
She was in the hospital when members of Make-A-Wish got in touch with her. After several interactions, they realised that what it would take to make the girl happy was a television set. Coming as she did from a lower middle-class background, her parents could not even afford it.
So, Make-A-Wish gathered the resources and presented her a 14-inch television set, and Akhila’s happiness knew no bounds. “She was so excited that she did not even know what to say,” says her mother. Ask the little girl what she wants to watch and pat comes the reply: “Cartoons!” Started in India by Uday and Gita Joshi in 1996, Make-A-Wish has played Santa to about 13,000 children over all the years.
The organisation responds to the wishes of only those who are in life-threatening situations. Children aged between three and 18 are chosen irrespective of their socio-economic status.
Many hospitals like Kidwai, Lady Curzon and Narayana Hrudayalaya have extended their support to this organisation.

I wish I could read so much.........

THE HINDU, Bangalore Edition carried one of our wish fulfillment stories. Read it at:

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/17/stories/2008061758100200.htm

BANGALORE: Few situations in life can be more tragic than a child battling life threatening illness. Parents can only watch helplessly while doctors somehow attempt to set things right. A Bangalore-based non-governmental organisation called Make a Wish Foundation is attempting to intervene and cater to the child’s wishes, and keep the smile going.
The organisation is aiming to cater to the wishes of children aged between three and 18, especially those who face endless rounds of hospital visits, painful treatment and medication.
The foundation volunteers to meet the children, take note of their wishes and shortlist their wants. “The wishes belong to four categories: wishing to become, wishing to go, wishing to meet and wishing to have,” says Vijay Ladha, Programme Director, MWF. “We launched our programme in January. And till date, we have fulfilled about 20 wishes,” he said.
However, the fulfilment of all children’s wishes requires the doctor’s consent. “Sometimes, it is not possible to fulfil the wishes of a child. One boy wished to play cricket but the doctor did not allow it,” says Mr. Ladha.
Among the wishes the foundation has catered to include visits to the Mysore zoo, wanting a doll as big as a child, possessing a gold fish bowl, learning music and playing musical instruments.
Children who are avid fans of celebrities and sports stars also get their dreams fulfilled. Mr. Ladha said, “The whole concept of fulfilling the wish is important. If a child wants to learn music, we have to ensure that there is a teacher to train her.” “It is very touching. Their wishes are so small. One cannot forget the look on their faces,” says Mr. Ladha.

Wishes as unique as each child is.....God's unique creation

Every time, Make A Wish Volunteer or Coordinator meet a child and interact with him/her, the experience is unique. Children wish for simple joys of life, which look so simple to human beings but seen from the perspective of that child it appears to be a unique wish, cherished wish. Each wish is a learning experience for the volunteer and us as it leaves us with some experience that is life cherishing. A doll as big as me.... a acquarium with gold fish.....photo with a tiger...... I want to listen to music everyday......I want to play what music I want to listen......so simple....but so honest....so humble...so natural......and we keep moving on from one child to another and yet another to get smile back on their face.

Bangalore Marathon....run for Make A Wish

Running is good for health...and all the more when it is for a cause. Join the bangalore marathon and run for make a wish.....your contribution and generous donations would help make a wish reach out to more and more children with life threatening diseases. Making their cherished wishes come true is a mission which would be fulfilled....so join now and RUN>>>>>>>

I wish i could see and make friends with Animals and birds....

We got 5 year old boy Kumar( Name changed) referral from Narayana Hrudayalaya, suffering from VSD, PFO, Moderate Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension a kind of heart disease.He was very much playful and active boy, in the first visit we are not able to speak with him as he was thinking we are from hospital. His father working as a carpenter in one wood shop and mother is a housewife. They were basically from Tamilnadu and living in a small rented house in Bangalore, they were unable to afford his medication cost.

He was having one elder brother and very much sensitive and more attached to his mother. In their home they were not having television, when he was in hospital he used to watch Tom and Jerry and Mr. Beam. He loves to watch the movies of actor Rajanikanth in Tamil. During weekends and general holidays he play Kabaddi (Local Game) with his brother and visits to the near by park to his home along with his mother. He was very keenly interested to see the animals, birds, flower and vegetable gardens. He knew most of the animals and flowers name through his favorite teacher.

While speaking with him about his wish, he told us that he wish to see animals of all kinds and dreamt of seeing them at the famous Mysore Zoo, which is the 3rd largest in the country. His innermost wish is to see all kind of animals and birds.

So on the chosen day on 6th April 2008, we took him, his father and brother along with the 2 volunteers to Mysore Zoo. The Mysore zoo officials as one Zoo Education Officer and 3 Zoo volunteers guided the children as well as the volunteers in the local language of the kids. They personally taking each kid individually and explained about the birds, animals and about the nature. They offered lunch and juice in zoo, from their side to all the wish participants. They were really helpful in many ways in making the wish cherished and memorable for the little one.

Even our wish kid become very much friendly with the volunteer who guided he all the way in zoo and he invited the volunteer to his home. He asked many questions about animals and birds to the zoo volunteer, which they replied with patience and interest.

His wish is to take a snap with lion, instead of that he was more interested in seeing various animals and birds in the zoo. His mother said, at home he was not ready to walk from his home to school, but in zoo he walked almost around 4 hours with the volunteer. (Mysore Zoo is spread over 100 acres of land) After seeing the zoo, he was not ready to come out of it, he wants spend some more time in zoo with animals and the volunteer. Finally, he thanked the volunteers for fulfilling is cherished wish and invited all of them to his home for Ugadi festival. He had many friends with the animals and birds from the zoo that day. The day would remain etched in his memory for ever.

Wish I could see Mysore Palace one day....and feel as if it is mine...

We met one 5 year old boy Master ( Name Changed) suffering from Congenital Acyanotic Heart Disease referred from Narayana Hrudayalaya. He was very shy kind and introvert kind of a boy not able to open up with anyone easily. His mother was housewife and father working in a textile showroom as a salesman. They have spent most of their earnings for the kid’s medication.

We visited him three times in his residence but we were not able to speak with him in detail as he is very quiet. But his younger brother was so friendly and spoke with us everytime. On the 4th time of visit when we got the toy his fav. toy Bay blade and then he was smiling and started talking with us slowly.

He was very much fond of Pogo, Tom and Jerry, Pokieman TV shows and he wants to see only the movies of Tamil actor Mr. Vijay. If he was at home on general holidays or Sundays, he will happily play football with his younger brother. He was very keenly interested in rhymes whichever his teacher teach him, he told 5 to 6 rhymes infront of us. He was very much scared about hospital, he told us that initially he thought we are physicians so he doesn’t speak with us much because of fear about injections, tablets and other kind of medication.

While speaking with him, he told us that during dasara festival season he has been seeing Mysore Palace and durbar through television. He wishes to see Mysore palace directly . Then we interacted with the concerned physician and took their permission for granting travel wish of the kid.

On the chosen day on 6th April 2008, we took him, his mother and brother along with the 2 volunteers to Mysore palace. On the way to Mysore, we get down near “Janapada Loka” for having breakfast, and then they took some wooden toys which are famous in the area Chennapatna. When we reached Mysore palace he was so happy and along with other kid, both of them holding their hands and moving to see the beauties of palace. And both of them went to camel riding for a round, he enjoys a lot, limitless happiness in his face. He was in high spirits about Mysore Palace and he thanked all of us for fulfilled his wish to see this place and he invited all of us to his house for Ugadi festival.

I Wish I could read English Classics....Harry Potter and so many more....

In a local cancer hospital , our volunteer got one 14 year old boy Sandeep ( Name Changed), who was suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. They start speaking with him for a couple of days; he was very shy, polite and mature kind of boy. His mother earlier working in a private company has a clerk, now due to his health left the job and become housewife. His father working in HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited).

Sandeep is always smiling and very active boy, his favorite hobbies was to reading, playing and fun with too many friends. On Sunday and other general holidays this child and his friends play indoor games chess, carom and outdoor games football and cricket. He loves to read classical story books and novels written by any authors. He already read so many books such as ‘The Solomonite’ ‘The Arabian Knights’, ‘40 Thieves’, ‘Harry Potter Part 1’ and some other story books in kannada. In hospital library, he becomes a member and everyday took some books and read those books with his mother in pediatric ward. In this way he spends his time through reading and playing with his co-patients in the ward.

He having one pet dog in his home namely Tony and if he was at home, he spends most of his time with his pet dog. He loves to have new dishes prepared by his mother along with his friends on holidays. He loves to watch Rajanikanth Tamil movies and Kannada Idol Dr.Rajkumar’s movies.

While speaking with him, he told us he wishes to have classical novels and Harry Potter books. So, we got a set of various classics of English literature and also the next Harry Potter book for him. We gifted him, The Great Adventures of Sherlock Homes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,Great Expectations by Charles Dickens,Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie,Around The World In Eighty Days by Jules Verne,The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain,Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson,Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire by J K Rowling.
On the chosen day 3rd April 2008, we fulfilled his wish to have classical books, as soon as he saw the classical books there is no limit for happiness and enjoyment. Infact he read a page of Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire and thanked all Make A Wish volunteers for fulfilling his wish to have classical novel books. He told us to come to pediatric ward frequently for see him and other kids in the ward.

I want to race cars......in video game.....

Master Ramesh(Name Changed) is a gleaming 6 year old boy, interact with others always in smiling face suffering from HIV Positive. This kid was referred from a charitable trustee, and she told us that both the parents are HIV Positive and even the kid also. So, we went on the next day of the referral, to interact with him and his parents. While interacting with the kid about his interests and hobbies, he told us that during weekends he uses to play football and marbles (Golly-Local Game) with his friends. He loves to play scooter race in browsing centre and everyday he took 10 rupees from his father for playing scooter race in nearby browsing centre.

This child’s father is an auto rickshaw driver and mother is a housewife. They were economically poor and live in a rented house, finding difficulty to bare their livelihood. He isfond of story books and he will borrow books from his 2nd and 3rd Standard student’s books and read all the small stories.

He loves to saw Tom and Jerry, Pogo and other cartoon programmes, he will forget to eat, his mother use to forcefully make him to eat. Interacting with him, he told that his wish is to have videogame as he was fond of videogames.


We brought videogame in the month of March 2008, but his father asked us to fulfill the wish in the month of April 2008 on behalf of the kid’s examination. So on the special day of 2nd April 2008, we fulfilled his wish. Initially we given his favorite fruits a basket full of Grapes, Oranges and banana, he ate few fruits with full of enjoyment. Then we gifted the videogame to him, there is no limitation for his cheerfulness and he told us I wanted to play now only. As we connected the videogame to the television, he brought one of his close friends and shows his videogame to him, he played for sometime along with him. He played Road car race and some shooting games along with his mother and informed us to regularly come to our home to make me cheerful. He thanked us to fulfill his wish to have videogame and for bountiful his favorite fruits.

I Wish to learn playing Music....

One sparkling girl 5.6 years old Nalini(name changed), is having such a pleasant voice for singing classical music, film songs and even folksongs. You cannot imagine such a small girl having high pitch of voice suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She was under her 2nd course of medication, tremendously she knows all the tablets and injections name which she will taking, even the physician and the duty nurses names also. She was very much talkative and friendly with her co-patients, physicians, ward attendees and with the nurses.

When our volunteers went to her residence for interacting, she welcomes them through doing namasthe. She was very much close with her grandmother, every day while having her food granny needs to tell some stories, otherwise she wont eat. Earlier when she was 4 years old, she started learning classical music with her music teacher and 6 months back when she was diagnosed she left her music class. According to the physician instructions, if more than 5 persons are there, she needs to wear a mask and because of her medication, she was not able to attend the music classes regularly.

While interacting with her, she sings devotional songs, folk songs and film songs even she told some shlokas of Bhagavad-Gita and meaning of the shlokas. She shared some stories of Hindu epics with our volunteers taught by her granny. She showed some of the pictures drawn by her and her dancing photos on the vacation of Shri Krishna Janmashtami in Iskcon. She was very much fond of friends, but because of infection her parent’s wont allowed her to play with too many friends. Now a day she always uses to be at home or hospital during treatment, so she got bored of spending time in her daily routine. Our volunteers started asking her about her favorites she was very much impressed and told them to come everyday to play kho-kho (Local game) along with her.
Our volunteers asking about her wishes, she told that she wish to have a keyboard and to learn playing music. We also searched and interacted with her music teacher, she agreed to come and teach music to our wish child during weekends in her residence itself.

On a special day we gathered at her residence and gifted her her wish a Keyboard with the headphone and various other features. She was so overjoyed. She sang for us for almost an hours, got ready with her headgear and put on the music on the keyboard and started playing the little that she knows right now. Her classes for music would be on soon and she would be able to learn and enjoy music in we wish.

I wish I could dance on my favorite music.....

A Local charitable Trust - Trustee referred one girl and we went and met her. As soon as we got the contact our volunteers run to meet the 13 year girl, who having HIV positive and living with her grand parents. While interacting with the girl, she showed her rangoli and drawing book where she expressed her feelings in her drawing. She wrote her parents along with her brothers, where they were sitting in rightside of the river and she draws herself sitting in leftside of the river. She explained to us like they were waiting for me in heaven, so when I cross this river then I will join them. Then she started crying, cursing the god why all her classmates having good health except me.
Child’s grandmother told us about Kamini’s (name changed) life, how she lost her father in November 1997, lost her mother in September 2003 and her two borthers also in 2004 all were victims of the same disease. Earlier her father wasworking as a security guard and her mother working in a beauty parlor. Recently her grandfather met an accident and he is not in a position to earn for the livelihood. Her grandmother undergone for uterus operation, so she was also not able to earn. Both the wish child and grand parents living with her aunty’s home.

While interacting with the wish child she told us that she loves singing and dancing. Shewants to practice dance, but she was not having source of music to be able to do that. Bubbly girl Kamini got so many prizes in dance competition in her school.

A music system which could help her interest of music was her cherished desire. One individual sponsor, willing to adopt this wish we invited her for fulfillment of the wish. One Saturday afternoon we called Kavita and her grandmother to our office just to meet us. We had 15 volunteers in the office and the wish of a music system was to be fulfilled. Kamini came, was overjoyed seeing so many people, who wanted to talk to her. She drew a lovely painting for us. She is truly a born painter and music flwos in her veins. Wish child sing one vigorously heart touching song “Araluva Huvugale” (Blooming Flowers), relates to emotional attachment of her family, she started crying remembering her parents and brothers. All of us make her to feel good through diverting her mind from that situation, to feel all of us with her. Then she was overjoyed when we presented her with a Phillips music system and many audio CDs of her favourite Hindi and Kannada music. She was overjoyed and said she wanted to dance then and there. She danced on her favourite numbers , one Hindi song ‘Doli tharo dol bhaje’ and Kannada song ‘Mana mohana murali’. Along with her all of us clapping and encouraged her for make all of them to flow in a sea of ecstasy. Our volunteers gifted some drawing books, colour pencils, crayons and rangoli books for the wish child. There is no limit for our wish child’s happiness and pleasure along with wish participants.

A Doll as big as me.....I wish....

Our volunteer met one 10 year old girl child from Pallipatti village in Dharmapuri District Tamilnadu and is undergoing treatment in a Bangalore Government hospital. She suffering from Fredrich’s Alexia it is a metabolic disorder with severe progressive neurological disorders and it is a rare case where the child will progressively getting neurological disorders. She is very bright and sharp girl always looking in smiling face, she infact their parents doesn’t know this is a life threatening illness. She likes her mother very much, so she don’t let her mother to go anywhere in hospital even for bringing her medicine.

Since 4 months back the kid suddenly got this kind of disease because of variation in nutritional supplements and autism. She is having one younger brother Vishal and younger sister Monal living with her. While our Volunteer interacted with her about her hobbies and interests she told that in her hometown, she use to play with clay toys which she will make by herself, and it will be helpful for her finger movement. Even the physician told us that she having good art of making clay toys. Such a bright girl, having lots of dreams in her eyes, she expressed a small wish to have big doll and kitchen set.

We were able to get a doll as big as her almost and also added kitchen set equipment. On the chosen wish fulfillment day, Volunteer along with the individual donor visited the hospital and the doctors of the department joined us in making her wish come true. She was very happy and informed all the pediatricians in this regard. With the presence of all the pediatricians and volunteers entered into the pediatric ward where the child was, she got fear initially when she saw many physicians. As soon as we gifted the big doll with kitchen set there was no limit for her happiness and joy. We also gifted few clothes for her and some of her favourite food items. Spent time with her when she enjoyed every moment of the fun and merriment. She thanked all the volunteers and pediatricians with shook hands and she invited all of them to come again to meet her. She was such a cute kind hearted girl distributed cakes with all the kids in the pediatric ward. Our volunteers spent an hour chatting with the wish child.

I wish to read Kannada Literature books....Kuvempu Poems...

Master Kumar(name changed) having Taalisimia a genetic disease since from is birth. When he is 5 months old, lost his mother long time back. Father disowned the child too and so, his grand parents are looking after this kid, but sometime back he lost his grandmother also. . Now, this child is living with his grandfather, struggling for a day’s food But he is a young and enthusiastic boy committed himself to the habit of reading during leisure hour. Earlier he will borrow books from the Government school library, but now the teacher has change. So, he is not able to borrow the books from library.

When we interacted with him in local Nursing Home he told us about himself and his desires to read lots of Kannada books written by National poet and other authors. A donor came forward to sponsor the books and when we did the wish fulfillment, Kumar saw the books he was excited and speechless, and very happy about the books, he read out the name and author of the books and also read one page novel written by Kuvempu.

First wish was Gold fish

Master Sudhir (Name changed)was a gleaming 11 year old boy having Brain Tumor/ Colon Carcinoma since 1 year. The physician referred this child to foundation, at such critical stage. So, we planned to meet the kid next day of the referral. On 26th January 2008, we met the child in his residence and interact with him for 2 hours. He is very active, he told everything about his personal life hobbies and interests during interaction.
Since 3 days onwards he was forcing his father for “Come we go to the near tank and catch the fishes.” On behalf of that he didn’t take any food from 3 days and he asked for the round shaped aquarium with gold fish. Then we come to know that he wish to have round shape fish bowl with gold fish. Within 2 hours we brought the fish bowl, gold fish, food and medicines for the fish. As soon as Sagar saw the fish bowl with gold fish, not only he ate the food but also drank some juice. He names the fish as sudhir and pavan and interacts with us for a while. We saw the cherished smile in his face after fulfillment of the wish, though he having tumor in one side of his face. We gave him one more toy which is in stuffed Fish toy.

Bangalore Division takes off.....

Bangalore division of Make a Wish Foundation, started working in the first week of January 2008. Two Divisional coordinators, Anitha and Bhavana, joined in to fulfill the mission of the Foundation in the garden city of Bangalore. Various hospitals, clinics, counsellors were contacted, program explained and their help and cooperation sought. As this is a volunteer based program, by word of mouth volunteers came and gave their time to the mission of the foundation. We are based at 144-145 Raheja Arcade, Koramangala and we could be reached on telephone number 22734496 or bangalore_div@makeawishindia.org