Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Nine- year- old dons khaki for a day
VASHI: Nine-year- old Mohit Chawan’s may be among one of the youngest people to have put on a policeman’s uniform.
On Monday, Chawan, who recently underwent successful surgery to close the hole in heart, was allowed to spend the entire day as a police official at the Vashi police station, thanks to Make-A-Wish Foundation of India, a notfor profit that has 35 other affiliates worldwide. The Foundation is dedicated to granting wishes of children between three and 18 who are living with life-threatening illnesses.
The Vashi police station welcomed Chawan as a colleague and gave him a firsthand- experience of being a s policeman by teaching him safe weapon handling practices and allowing him to patrol the area under its jurisdiction.
A functionary of the NGO said, “Children living with life-threatening medical conditions have a different life experience from other children. Realising their dreams gives them a brief respite from day-today medical concerns.”
He added, “We have also noticed that a child lives longer if his or her wish is fulfilled.”
Typically, wishes range from wanting a toy to visiting a place or meeting celebrities. Make-A-Wish Foundation of India asks these children for very specific details from the child to ensure that the experience is as magical and exciting as possible.