Wishes coming true
Wishmaker Walk raises $68,000 in for P.E.I. Chapter of Children’s Wish Foundation
The Children’s Wish Foundation is never far from Taylor Durling’s thoughts.
The 10-year-old Islander, who served as Saturday’s parade marshal in the Wishmaker Walk, had her own wish granted last April when she got to swim with dolphins in Hawaii on her birthday.
Durling’s mother, Christa Savidant, said her daughter talks about the foundation quite often, whether about the granted wish or the foundation’s many other activities and events hosted throughout the year.
“She has her teddy Roary (the Children’s Wish Foundation mascot) and she takes it everywhere she goes,” Savidant said during the Charlottetown walk on Saturday.
“It’s been an incredible journey… It’s just a wonderful foundation. We have nothing but good and positive words to say, it’s been amazing to my family and we’ll always support it.”
Hundreds of Islanders marched this weekend to help support the foundation in its work to grant more of those heartfelt wishes to P.E.I. children.
The annual Wishmaker Walk saw approximately $68,000 raised throughout five locations across the province on Saturday.
That money will all go towards the foundation’s P.E.I. chapter, which is currently working on granting 21 wishes in the province.
Apart from Charlottetown, walks were also held in Summerside, Montague, Tignish and North Rustico.
The walk was originally started and only held on P.E.I. Following the success of the original walk, the event soon spread to other Atlantic provinces and is now held nationally.
Director Beth Corney Gauthier said the walk sees a lot of support from former wish children.
In fact, Saturday’s parade even saw some former wish children who are now grown up bring their own families to the event.
“As the years go by, we’re finding out the long-term effects of a wish on a family. It’s not only the week they’re away or the day they received their wish,” she said. “We’re learning from families that it’s something long-lasting. It makes an impact.”
The foundation has also taken on an importance to Durling’s other family members, including her sisters, said Savidant.
“It’s been meaningful because it gives (Taylor) something to focus on,” said Savidant.
“But it’s great as a family too… because it’s not just the child that goes through it. When a child is sick, it affects the whole family.”
The funds raised on Saturday will go towards granting the wishes of children between the ages of three to 17 who are facing a life-threatening illness.
Since 1984, the foundation has granted wishes to about 25,000 children and their families across Canada.
Corney Gauthier noted that anyone can be a referral source for a wish.
Anyone who knows someone qualified to receive a wish can reach the P.E.I. chapter at 902566-5526 or by email at pei@ childrenswish.ca.