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Week Three:

The Wish:

“I wish to go to Hawaii.”

Marisa, Age 12

Marisa, a twelve-year-old with cystic fibrosis, was asked, “If you had one wish, what would it be?” She wished to go to Hawaii, the perfect escape from her daily battle with her disease. The Make-A-Wish Foundation^® granted Marisa’s wish, and she and her family headed off to Hawaii. They climbed a volcano, attended a luau and rode horses on the beach. The memorable adventure allowed Marisa and her family to spend quality time together, leaving the uncertainty of her illness behind.

The Recipe: Mr. Sun Cupcake

Week Four:

The Wish:

“I wish to be a police chief.”

Darrien, Age 7

Seven-year-old Darrien was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder of the nervous system that affects the development and growth of nerve cell tissues. But that’s not stopping him from following his dream of becoming a police chief, just like his grandfather. When he asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® to help him, they called in professionals to help make his wish come true – the Smyrna, Georgia, Police Department.

In no time, Darrien was in uniform, out on patrol and fighting crime in Smyrna. Undercover officers posed as law breakers ready to put Darrien into action. Darrien ticketed a dangerous driver for running a stop sign. And when he slapped cuffs on a man for breaking into an abandoned building, the entire Smyrna traffic unit responded to his call for back up.

Darrien will always remember how happy he was protecting his family and friends. He is passionate about making society safer.

The Recipe: Darrien loves the Dalmatian cupcakes. They remind him of his wish to become a police chief!

Week Five:

The Wish:

“I wish to visit a horse ranch.”

Pierce is not your everyday five- year-old. He lives with developmental disabilities, impacting his ability to speak and stand on his own, a hardship that increased when he was diagnosed with leukemia. But incredible things happened for Pierce when the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® granted his dream to visit a therapeutic horse ranch.

After only one day in the saddle, Pierce walked across the room all by himself for the first time in his life. His physical therapist is astonished with his improvement – as Pierce is now walking unassisted and talking more each day. Whenever he visits the ranch, he rides his favorite therapy horse, Missy.

“The wish has been really wonderful for our family,” said Pierce’s mother, Elena. “He’s just benefited from it so much.”

The Recipe: Creepy Crawler Cupcakes Pierce loves to “dig in” to these delicious Creepy Crawler Cupcakes.

Week Six:

The Wish:

“I wish to climb on a play structure.”

Courtney, Age 3

Courtney is an adorable three-year-old who loves to play, despite being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. So it is fitting that her wish was for a play structure so that she could climb, swing and slide to her heart’s content.

On Courtney’s wish day, she and her parents were whisked off in a limousine for a special day of VIP treatment while her wish team busily worked to transform her yard and assemble her state-of-the-art play structure in less than eight hours.

Courtney’s family members gathered to celebrate with her, and when she arrived home to see her play structure for the first time, the smile on her face was priceless. She spent the afternoon hopping from one play station to another, gaining confidence in her abilities to swing, climb and balance, stopping for a quick sip of pretend tea every now and then at her special princess tea party table!

The Recipe: Confetti Party Cake : The Confetti Party Cake is the perfect way for Courtney to celebrate at her tea parties!

Week Seven:

The Wish:

“I wish to have a piano with pedals.”

Hayley, Age 9

Hayley was just nine years old when doctors told her she would need a kidney transplant. Despite her medical condition, Hayley continued to dream big. She wished to have “a piano with pedals” so she could play in a concert like Beethoven. With a little help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^®, Hayley received the piano of her dreams!

At a special party with friends and family, Hayley was presented with her with a brand new digital piano. In addition to the instrument, she also received a year of piano lessons to keep her tickling the ivories. Her wish granters placed a sign on top of her piano that read, “Life is a Song; Love is the Music,” and gave her a bobble head of Beethoven so that the master composer could watch over her as she learned to play.

Hayley’s wish was particularly special for the family because a week later her Dad was sent to Iraq. When the piano arrived, Hayley shared the special moment with her Dad, and played her first “concert” for him. It truly was a dream come true!

The Recipe: Flower-Power Cupcakes: Hayley loves the pedals on her piano, and she also loves the petals on the Flower Power Cupcakes, a perfect sweet treat!

Week Eight:

The Wish:

“I wish to go to NASA Mission Control.”

Tyler, Age 7

Tyler had the ultimate wish for a kid who loves space travel: a visit to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when the Phoenix Mars Lander made its historic landing on the Red Planet. NASA engineers welcomed Tyler to Mission Control, giving him a headset to monitor the action. When the lander touched down, Tyler got to broadcast the first words of congratulations to stations around the world. It was the perfect way for him to just be a kid again and get away from his treatments for Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

"We were able to forget everything we've ever been through and just focus on having fun," said Tyler’s mother, Celia. "It was a nice break from our new life routine. It just makes me want to cry as a mom!"

The Recipe: You're A Star Cupcakes: Tyler loves the starts, both in the sky and on his cupcakes. Check out Tyler's favorite "You're a Star" Cupcakes!

Week Nine:

The Wish:

“I wish to go to a penguin colony in South Africa.”

Kira, Age 10

At 10 years of age, Kira was diagnosed with cancer, however this gregarious little girl did not lose her sense of adventure. Kira lights up when she talks about her love for animals, particularly penguins! When Kira was asked to dream BIG, she wished to visit a penguin colony in South Africa.

Her wish started with a private tour of the penguin habitat at the Brookfield Zoo by a zoologist. After counting down the days until her trip, Kira and her family flew to Cape Town, South Africa for a week-long family vacation. While in Cape Town, they explored the life of penguins at Boulder Beach, the site of one of the world’s largest penguin colonies. She also visited the penguin rescue hospital where she learned how to care for baby penguins. Kira later told us that her favorite part of the wish was actually swimming with penguins at the beach. Though the water was frigid, she did not hesitate to jump right in – she is a true adventurer! This once in a lifetime trip was an experience Kira and her family will never forget.

The Recipe: Candy-Topped Cupcakes The Candy-Topped Cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat to remind Kira of her perfect wish!

Week Ten:

The Wish:

“I wish to go to the Grand Canyon.”

Eric, Age 6

Six-year-old Eric loves everything about horses and adventure. He even dreams of becoming a bull rider one day. Eric is living with an immune deficiency disorder, but his love of adventure is a fun and exciting distraction for him. When volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® visited Eric, it was no surprise that he continuously brought the conversation back to riding bulls and horses.

With help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation^®, Eric went on the ultimate adventure to Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Eric and his family spent five action-packed days exploring the Canyon. They took a helicopter tour and got to see the incredible landscape from thousands of miles in the air. Eric also visited a Navajo reservation, 800-year-old ruins, a volcano and a lighthouse. But the Make-A-Wish Foundation saved the best part for last. For the first time in his life, Eric rode a horse all by himself. He said he felt so brave and proud to be riding all on his own! “He was feeling wonderful and enjoyed every second. It was a wish come true for Eric,” his mom remembers.

The Recipe: Pirates Hidden Treasure Cupcakes

Week Eleven:

The Wish:

“I wish to be a scientist.”

Juliana, Age 7

Seven- year-old Juliana is a budding young scientist with an amazing imagination. For as long as her family can remember, Juliana has been relentlessly pursuing the world’s mysteries. In her private laboratory that she created at home, she searches for answers to questions like, “Why is sand found in so many colors?”

When Juliana was diagnosed with leukemia, she asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® to make her biggest wish come true – to become a scientist. She was soon on her way to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she was greeted by MIT faculty. Juliana was given her very own set of goggles and a white lab coat embroidered with her own name. Professors showed her the secrets of making “goop” from household items and she even got to visit an “atom smasher.” “The trip was perfect!” Juliana’s mom, Lenora, said. “It was something that really made an impression on Juliana – something that she will look back on.”

The Recipe: Pull-Apart Turtle Cupcakes